New Figure 8 Owner - Feeding Question

[Keke]

We have 2 Figure 8 Puffers and have no clue how much to feed them. All the research that I find says to make sure you don't feed them too much or too little but I can't find anything that says how much to feed them. Help!

[riggers]

Well, there's not really a specific amount, it's just trial and error. On the first go, I would say just put too much in, see how much they leave, and vacuum it out. Then next time you will be able to judge how much to put in. What is it you're feeding btw?

[edmlfc1]

Or you can put a little at a time until their belly is nice and round.

[Agnate]

Yeah, you kind of have to eyeball it. I usually feed my puffers whenever their stomachs are flush with the rest of their body (if their belly is sunken in, make sure you feed a little extra). I feed them enough so that their bellies are about half as high as their body (so their total "height" would be about 1.5 times their normal "flush" body height). Not sure if that makes sense or not.

For my two 2 inch Ceylons (similar body structure to F8s), I feed them 1 cube of bloodworms for the both of them. That usually gives them a good rounded belly. If you've got two 1 inch F8s, try feeding half of a cube of bloodworms and take a picture of their bellies after. Post it up here, as we'll try to give you some feedback.

[Jase]

I feed till my GSP has a nice curved belly, but not round like it's pregnant or something.
also, don't succumb to the begging

[omplmpa3]

Jase is right, IGNORE THE PLEADING EYES!!!! I have two young F8s and they are great actors, better than both cats and dogs when it comes to begging. One, Piglet, will look at me then look up at the water's surface, then back at me....then back up....then back at me. You will feel guilty at first but you'll get over it. Like everyone said, the belly should be slighty rounded but not bulging.

[Keke]

Thank you for your help! We have been feeding them frozen bloodworms and they seem to love them. We also give them snails occasionally. I will try to take a picture of them when we feed them today and post it. Thanks again!

[Sponge bob]

Sounds good. My puffer used to love blood worms, Try feeding it some ripped up peace's of clams,lil bite size ones

[Christemo]

Make sure that you include snails and crustaceans in their diets!

[Myaj]

I like to thaw out a shrimp (for humans from the grocery store, frozen, raw) and just dangle it in the water and let them chew on it. When their bellies are nice and round, I take it away. No worries about rotting food sitting on the bottom then

Snails, bloodworms/blackworms, shrimp, even gut loaded crickets and ghost shrimp all make for a good diet.

[Agnate]

I used to feed shrimp to Abe until he was full... now he just eats the whole shrimp! ^_^

Yeah, Bloodworms was just a good way for me to get the measuring across. You want to feed them a variety of things (all previously frozen and raw, not cooked or spiced), such as shrimp (live or dead), clams, muscles, squid, scallops, snails, bloodworms, brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, and veggies.

A good suggestion when feeding bloodworms, brine shrimp, and mysis shrimp (they all come in cubes) is to soak them in vitamins overnight (in the fridge) before feeding them to your puffer the next day. These three aren't overly healthy in terms of nutrition, so it's good to give them some vitamins with it. I find clams, muscles, and snails are great, as they're able to chew on the shells and wear down their teeth. I didn't try clams/muscles until they were bigger, though, because I hate having to put my hand in the tank every day to remove the uneaten chunks of food (now they just eat all of it).

PS - Just make sure you thaw everything before feeding. Frozen foods are bad for their organs and frozen foods don't help wear down their teeth at all.

[marksrush]

Jase is right, IGNORE THE PLEADING EYES!!!! I have two young F8s and they are great actors, better than both cats and dogs when it comes to begging. One, Piglet, will look at me then look up at the water's surface, then back at me....then back up....then back at me.

Perfect description of my GSP Cuddles' behavior. It cracks me up, and works more often than it should.

[Myaj]

LOL that's Paris communication as well.

Wiggle at the glass till she gets your attention, then looks straight up at the top, then looks back at you and wiggles frantically.. then goes verticle to the top again like "here here! this is where you put the food, right HERE!" Its cute when they are little guys, now imagine her big spiky self doing it..

[edmlfc1]

If I didn't have lids on my tank I would get soaked at feeding time. Elvis see's his cup or his bag of seaweed and he goes nuts! He's a pretty good begger too. He just learned a new trick. He was in a tank facing my sofa from another room, when I moved him into the bigger tank it's facing my computer instead. He's just figured out that he can see me from one corner of the tank, so now he goes to that corner and stares at me. When I get up he goes nuts! They are such goobers. To get my attention he will hit the lid and make a noise. It would scare the %^&* out of me. Now I'm use to it, I just look over at him and shake my finger and he'll stop. Who said fish have no personality?

[Myaj]

*snicker* Paris can see the fridge from her tank. Every time we open it, she thinks its feeding time.