how to get suvattii eating cockles?

jonboy8465 · Post by **jonboy8465** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 3:15 am

When i first got my suvattii i soon got him feeding on mussels but i want to get him onto cockles with shells now so I'm trying him on the shell-less version to start, but he will only chew them and spits them out. hes not eaten for nearly 3 weeks now and I'm getting concerned for him. hes not looking very thin at the moment but I'm still getting worried. does this puffer need to keep his teeth worn down? any suggestions gratefully received.

edmlfc1 · Post by **edmlfc1** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 9:16 am

If he's eating mussel's that will help with the teeth. I'm not sure if a suvatti has teeth issues or not. Can't remember. Have you tried soaking in garlic? Also wiggling it in front of him to make him think it's live might work.

jonboy8465 · Post by **jonboy8465** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 11:42 am

hes only eating mussels that are not in the shell. i tried garlic on a mussel but he just spat it straight out. wiggling it in front didn`t work either. thanks for your help.

edmlfc1 · Post by **edmlfc1** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 12:14 pm

Try live ghost shrimp (gut loaded), feed the ghost shrimp fish food before feeding the puffer. That may kick start him into eating.

jonboy8465 · Post by **jonboy8465** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 3:16 pm

he eats mussels ok but i want to get him onto cockles in shells to keep his teeth down.

NoFace · Post by **NoFace** » Tue Jun 16, 2009 9:02 am

I would not worry to much about it, i have had my pair for some time now, and there teeth are in perfect condition, mine are fed on mussels, prawns, crayfish tails, cockles (without shell) and they have some times taken Massivore Delite from Hikari, my male suvattii seems to be more fussy than than the female and eats less. mine maybe eat 3 times a week unless I am conditioning them for breeding in whitch the female will take more.

flash.dan · Post by **flash.dan** » Wed Jun 17, 2009 3:44 pm

NoFace wrote:I would not worry to much about it, i have had my pair for some time now, and there teeth are in perfect condition, mine are fed on mussels, prawns, crayfish tails, cockles (without shell) and they have some times taken Massivore Delite from Hikari, my male suvattii seems to be more fussy than than the female and eats less. mine maybe eat 3 times a week unless I am conditioning them for breeding in whitch the female will take more.

ill second that also suvattis do not take easilly to eating food off the floor due to there upturned mouths. females tend to be greedier than males by far

jonboy8465 · Post by **jonboy8465** » Thu Jun 18, 2009 5:36 pm

thank you very much for your help i feel a bit happier knowing that. i`ll carry on feeding him mussels.

NoFace · Post by **NoFace** » Thu Jun 18, 2009 5:40 pm

Aww man it must be killing you to get rid of them, came to a point when i had to get rid of mine and just could not do it, so i kept them and things are looking better now and i might be getting a few more puffers over the next few months including abei i hope, they come into seasion start of next month so i hope to get some into our shop very soon

flash.dan · Post by **flash.dan** » Fri Jun 19, 2009 3:57 am

my suvs have bred 5 times from jan - may so not expecting more till aug-sept now. yea its killing me but i have no room. the only tank i have is a 4x18 spare and 1/3 of it is baffled off for media. the guy who purchased it hasnt answered if he can come saturday so if he doesnt get it they can go in there im sort of preying he doesnt come to be fair i know it will be a squeeze but...... just wish they had a better temperament..... i have lots of tanks with trimacs, FH's, Jags, stingrays mbu fire eel but i wouldnt trust them in any of those haha.

worst comes to the worst ill get a stanley blade onm the 4x18 and take the baffels out rehome them there for a while its not the prettiest tank in the world but it would be adequate as there tank has sold ahh well..... I spoke to fish inc yesterday as soon as ive moved and am able to restock im going there 100% the guy Tom is **** hot absolutly amazing actually speakling to someone at a FS that knows what they are talking about.

ill keep everyone posted on the suvs they are sch low maintence fish aswell they are great

pufferpuggirl · Post by **pufferpuggirl** » Sun Jun 21, 2009 5:01 am

Hey flash.dan I know Tom as well, and I must say, he has helped me numerous times with problems regarding my puffers. In fact, that's where one of my suvattii came from.
Anyway, just wanted to add that I can only get my suvattii to take shrimp, will not take mussels, and I have to get the shrimp to fall just right, or they won't take it. I have seen other suvattii eating bloodworm off the substrate, and mine used to take their food off the substrate, but now I have to make the food land just right, or they won't eat. I don't believe there are any issues with suvattii having dental problems, but that's just my understanding.
Did you sell your suvattii then, or are you keeping them? I noticed you got some bids on eBay.

flash.dan · Post by **flash.dan** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 3:29 am

yea bids on e bay were extremly low..... plus the guy who won them in sheffield said his car has broken down i would have drove them up to him aswell.... but ive got them in a 4x18 sump now just got a 7k lpr powerhead overflowing into the baffles on one side. they have probably 180L to themselves so its adequate.

to be honest all mine get is king prawns, and scollops or mussel once a month its not drastic for me to rotate food too mucgh as they only get 1/2 a king prawn or 3/4 of a mussel once a week each. some can be funny with food my male is a fussy eater and wont take off the floor. best bet is to buy some long tweezers and dangle food from there once they get acustomed to tthat way of feeding they may take to other foods

flash.dan · Post by **flash.dan** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 10:34 am

i am pretty chuft that they havnt been collected though to be honest.... bit of a ugly sump and pretty hard to spot them as ive crammed it full of hidey holes. the male hasnt moved atall and is in a mood but the femlae is fine "home from home" she got exited today thinking i was going to feed her. Last time i moved them the male went on strike for 6 weeks lets hope he forgives me soon. ill post a picture of the sump later its heavilly planted with 3x 15cm terrecotta pots about 5 huge clumps of java and 5-7 slate caves. if they fight with that much decor ill be shocked haha

pufferpuggirl · Post by **pufferpuggirl** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 10:52 am

I'm glad you didn't get rid of them, I know I get alot of enjoyment out of mine. I've got the Palembang in with them now and they are all getting on really well together. We had some flattening of bodies and puffing up a couple of weeks ago, but all fine now.

flash.dan · Post by **flash.dan** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 2:02 pm

they do mix well. im concerned about mine having moved as they had territory setup in the last tank (in 6 months neither of them moved atall unless feeding) seems they have already found seperate hidey holes so looking like no fights this time round which is great. Im extatic i still have them its just not convient keeping them in the sump i couldnt really see them atall so i have pulled the sump out from under my 6x2 which caused a few problems in that i had to setup 2x externals

and put the sump in my 7 month old daughters room which my partner isnt pleased at in the slightest but Rylynn hasnt slept one night in there ever anyway...... heres a vid of the temp home until i buy a new tank i guess shame they are stuck in a sump but i think its a pretty good temp home almost 8k L p/h flow filtration for 2x suvs OVERKILL!!! but i only had a external 7k pond pump and a fluval 4+ which i have running also at the moment as the 10 kilos of ephimech and ceramics are new bah! but they seem happy.... the female came to say hello ( i knew she would <3 ) male is boring stuck in his cave

*SHOCK*

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RzwAKilg1g

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