I'm doing it. It has to be done. I've put it off for a while, because I've been scared, but it's just... not avoidable. She's gonna get little beaver teeth. *sigh*.
It's happening tonight. Please wish me luck, as I am very, very nervous. I'm afraid I'm going to cut her lip or something!
Hopefully, I'll be posting back later about what a breeze it was! *gulp* I'm so scared I'm gonna hurt my Charlotte!
Well. I'm finally doing it (puffer dentistry)
Forum rules
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
Well. I'm finally doing it (puffer dentistry)
When life gives you lemons, make grape juice.
Then sit back and watch as everyone tries to figure out how you did it.
Then sit back and watch as everyone tries to figure out how you did it.
-
Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32976
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Puffers I have kept:
T lineatus
T miurus
A modestus
T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
C lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Greenville, SC
- Contact:
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EwItsKristen
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2006 11:29 am
- Location: Pennsylvania
-
Peregrine
- Green Spotted Puffer
- Posts: 290
- Joined: Fri Nov 18, 2005 1:36 pm
- My Puffers: F8's (given to a fellow enthusiast)
Fahaka (My sole project for a while) - Location: Canadian Prairies
The article on puffer dentistry walks you through it'EwItsKristen wrote:Sounds scary!!Pamela wrote:You'll be fine...the weirdest bit is seeing the little dude keel over on his side and appear dead...but you'll be amazed how they come back to life as if nothing's happened.
Pami.
I would love to see pictures of someone doing this.
but I would still rather see a video, (hint..hint)
How did the trim go...I have yet needed to do this..and in all honesty it freaks me out
-
Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32976
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Puffers I have kept:
T lineatus
T miurus
A modestus
T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
C lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Greenville, SC
- Contact:
-
EwItsKristen
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2006 11:29 am
- Location: Pennsylvania
Okay, I chickened out and it's happeneing today for sure. In a couple of hours, heh.
I'm taking pictures. My roommate has agreed to play cameraman, because he can't wait to see me do this *rolls eyes*.
He got home last night, "Did Sarah sharpen her puffer yet?" *groan* They keep making jokes about me filing my puffer's teeth to a point to give her fangs. *sigh*. I get no sympathy in this place, living with guys.
Yeah, so be on the lookout for pics. Anytime now.
Editted to say...Okay, you know what? I'll try for a video.
But if I screw up and nip her lip, this thing is NOT ending up on the internet.
I'm taking pictures. My roommate has agreed to play cameraman, because he can't wait to see me do this *rolls eyes*.
He got home last night, "Did Sarah sharpen her puffer yet?" *groan* They keep making jokes about me filing my puffer's teeth to a point to give her fangs. *sigh*. I get no sympathy in this place, living with guys.
Yeah, so be on the lookout for pics. Anytime now.
Editted to say...Okay, you know what? I'll try for a video.
But if I screw up and nip her lip, this thing is NOT ending up on the internet.
When life gives you lemons, make grape juice.
Then sit back and watch as everyone tries to figure out how you did it.
Then sit back and watch as everyone tries to figure out how you did it.
-
EwItsKristen
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2006 11:29 am
- Location: Pennsylvania
Sari wrote:Okay, I chickened out and it's happeneing today for sure. In a couple of hours, heh.
I'm taking pictures. My roommate has agreed to play cameraman, because he can't wait to see me do this *rolls eyes*.
He got home last night, "Did Sarah sharpen her puffer yet?" *groan* They keep making jokes about me filing my puffer's teeth to a point to give her fangs. *sigh*. I get no sympathy in this place, living with guys.
Yeah, so be on the lookout for pics. Anytime now.
Editted to say...Okay, you know what? I'll try for a video.
But if I screw up and nip her lip, this thing is NOT ending up on the internet.
Aww, good luck! We're all rooting for you, hehe.
Okay, I did it. I DID IT.
I am now officially a member of the I've Trimmed My Puffer's Teeth Club. *acts all superior*
I did not videotape it... I should have. I was too wrapped up in my nervousness, that I pretty much forgot.
Other than the extreme trippiness of holding one of those weird little fish ouit of the water, it wasn't so bad.
I did take a picture of her unconscious, though. And then pics of her coming back to life - I did get a video of that, actually, including over dramatic commentary, lol.
But here she is, in pictures, anyway.
and, just for fun, the last pic there with the poo, in full size. It's pretty close up, lol. Looks cool.
I am now officially a member of the I've Trimmed My Puffer's Teeth Club. *acts all superior*
I did not videotape it... I should have. I was too wrapped up in my nervousness, that I pretty much forgot.
Other than the extreme trippiness of holding one of those weird little fish ouit of the water, it wasn't so bad.
I did take a picture of her unconscious, though. And then pics of her coming back to life - I did get a video of that, actually, including over dramatic commentary, lol.
But here she is, in pictures, anyway.
and, just for fun, the last pic there with the poo, in full size. It's pretty close up, lol. Looks cool.
When life gives you lemons, make grape juice.
Then sit back and watch as everyone tries to figure out how you did it.
Then sit back and watch as everyone tries to figure out how you did it.
-
EwItsKristen
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2006 11:29 am
- Location: Pennsylvania
Yup! She is (or he... I don't like to think that Charlotte may actually be male, but there is no way to find out, so... I had an ex roommate call her Charles all the time. I hated that)
I am seriously regretting not videotaping the actual process. Although, I doubtless looked like a really clumsy fool, I had trouble holding on to her and I was nervous like you wouldn't believe, lol.
I am seriously regretting not videotaping the actual process. Although, I doubtless looked like a really clumsy fool, I had trouble holding on to her and I was nervous like you wouldn't believe, lol.
When life gives you lemons, make grape juice.
Then sit back and watch as everyone tries to figure out how you did it.
Then sit back and watch as everyone tries to figure out how you did it.
-
EwItsKristen
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Thu Feb 23, 2006 11:29 am
- Location: Pennsylvania
Well, IT is an awesome looking puffer! I'll have to look into those if I ever venture into setting up a SW tank (which my fiance would like to do eventually anyway). We are going to be setting up a FW tank and getting some DPs sometime in the next couple months, so maybe I can make him fall in love with them so that if he sets up a SW tank I can convince him to make it a SW Puffer tank! 
