Snails for Amazon puffer??....

[heartagramette]

Hi i just signed up to this forum and i have a few things id like to know about Amazon puffs.
Im deff getting a puffer fish (when i find a place that sells them) but i have a few questions about the snails to feed them. (Btw im not just going to be feeding them snails ive done my research on food and water conditions.)

1.What kind of snails should they eat,,can they be from out side around my house?
2.How much do they usually cost in stores?
3.How often should i feed them to the puffer?
4. Will snails really keep there beaks filed down so i wont have to clip them?
5. If i do ever have to clip them will it hurt the puffer(during or after) even if i use the clove oil stuff?

Even though i don't have my puff yet i really want to be ready way in advance and have everything it might need.
Thanks!
__________________
~Rach

[J-P]

Hi i just signed up to this forum and i have a few things id like to know about Amazon puffs.
Im deff getting a puffer fish (when i find a place that sells them) but i have a few questions about the snails to feed them. (Btw im not just going to be feeding them snails ive done my research on food and water conditions.)

1.What kind of snails should they eat,,can they be from out side around my house?

Pond Snails and Ramshorns are the usual suspects. Don't go with the cone shapes ones as they are liable to break the puffer's teeth. You can get them from around the home if you intend to breed them but it is not advisable to feed puffers first generation wild caught snails.

2.How much do they usually cost in stores?

Sometimes they are free from the plant section sometimes you end up paying .45~1.00 each depending on the store. Try http://www.aquabid.com if you live in the USA.

3.How often should i feed them to the puffer?

Usually 5 days a week (if possible) with one day you can have snack food like shrimp and or blood worms and one day off. others may have other ideas or opinions about that though.

4. Will snails really keep there beaks filed down so i wont have to clip them?

They are supposed to But be prepared to clip them just in case.

5. If i do ever have to clip them will it hurt the puffer(during or after) even if i use the clove oil stuff?

It shouldn't hurt if done properly... avoid clove oil. It is apparently carcinogenic and will kill the puffer over a period of time. Look for Finquil (MS-222) or do with out it all together.

Also see:
library/category/feeding/

library/hospital/dentistry/

library/puffers-in-focus/sap/



Lots of reading for you

[heartagramette]

will the brown mystery snails be ok? thos are the only snails i can get little and free from my petstores.

[J-P]

they might be ok, but keep the adults and feed the puffs the babies.

I have never tried them personally but maybe someone else had.

[Ohyouknow]

Those should be ok Nerite snails can also be fed, but if you intend to breed I'd stick to pond/rams horn snails. Nerite require brackish water to successfully breed. If you just intend to buy or get free snails, anything without a cone shape is fine =)

[heartagramette]

OK thanks yall, their the only kind i can find in my pet stores(cant find any around my house) so that why i asked. I was planing on only feeding the puff the baby snails because they have a sort-of slight cone. I am planing on breeding them, i have em in a big lunch box type of "tank" with an air stone a bamboo plant and a few rocks.
I read somewhere that they will eat lettuce/carrots, true?

[J-P]

true ... boil it first to make it a little mushy.

You'll have to weigh it down with something though.