I recently purchased 3 juvenile SAPs (about 3 to 4 cm) and it appears that one of them is in need of a teeth trim. I would post a pic but it was impossible to get a good shot with my crappy galaxy S2 camera phone given how fast they move around. Its teeth are covering about two thirds of its mouth opening. I have not had any experience trimming puffer teeth so I'm very concerned about making sure I trim correctly. I've had some GSPs for about a year now, so I always imagined that teeth trimming would involve cutting down their "beaks" - like trimming what appears to be their lips. This may be a totally incorrect assumption but I've never noticed anything like typical teeth inside their mouths.
SAPs, on the other hand, almost resemble rabbits with two very predominant teeth descending from their upper mouth. Do SAPs have any lower teeth that are not apparent? I want to make sure that it is these two top "buck teeth" that I should trim and not anything else. Thank you guys for your advice and information.
SAP Teeth Trimming
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.
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wetmartini
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bertie 83
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Re: SAP Teeth Trimming
They do indeed have bottom teeth too, they are likely hidden by the top teeth.
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
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Pufferpunk
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Re: SAP Teeth Trimming
Get used to the process--they'll need dentistry every 4-6 months: library/hospital/dentistry/
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
Re: SAP Teeth Trimming
You'll be able to figure it out once you can look at them more closely 
It is absurd to talk of one animal being higher than another. We consider those, when the cerebral structure/intellectual faculties most developed, as highest. A bee doubtless would when the instincts were.
Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
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wetmartini
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Re: SAP Teeth Trimming
Thanks Flutter that's a great pic. Looks like it'll be hard to clip the lower teeth though. I guess I'll find out soon.
Re: SAP Teeth Trimming
On mine the lower teeth were much shorter than the top ones. I think they only needed the tips clipped off.
It is absurd to talk of one animal being higher than another. We consider those, when the cerebral structure/intellectual faculties most developed, as highest. A bee doubtless would when the instincts were.
Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
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wetmartini
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 29
- Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2012 2:15 am
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: 1 GSP
2 SAPs - Location (country): Seoul, Korea
Re: SAP Teeth Trimming
It'll take a while for the Finquel I purchased from eBay to arrive here in Korea but in the meantime I have one big concern. The SAP with the biggest teeth problem is actually the smallest of the group - about 3 cm. It's mouth is so small I'm having a difficult time fathoming how I'll be able to cut its teeth with standard nail clippers.
For those of you who have had experience trimming teeth on small puffers - is this a big problem? Will I need some special clippers or tools to safely and accurately trim my puffer's teeth?
Thank you.
For those of you who have had experience trimming teeth on small puffers - is this a big problem? Will I need some special clippers or tools to safely and accurately trim my puffer's teeth?
Thank you.
-
Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32975
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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:
Re: SAP Teeth Trimming
Use cuticle nippers. There is photos of this in my article, posted above.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
-
wetmartini
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 29
- Joined: Fri Jul 27, 2012 2:15 am
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- My Puffers: 1 GSP
2 SAPs - Location (country): Seoul, Korea
Re: SAP Teeth Trimming
I have cuticle clippers. What I meant was - since the SAP is small, will I need something even smaller than what is used "normally." Sorry if I didn't make that clear.Pufferpunk wrote:Use cuticle nippers. There is photos of this in my article, posted above.
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bertie 83
- Moderator
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Danios, Tetras, Redtail Rasporas,
Harlequins, CAE's, Yoyo
Loaches, Clown loaches ,Eels, various shrimp, tangs,wrasses, damsels, chromis - Location (country): Brighton, England
- Location: brighton , england
Re: SAP Teeth Trimming
Cuticle clippers should suffice. Try not to worry, it seems a lot scarier than it actually is. I read the teeth trimming article until I knew it word for word as I did not have to return to it whilst doing the deed. ( I do admit I had my poor wife with the article open lol)
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
-
MAB
- Puffer Fry
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Re: SAP Teeth Trimming
I was afraid at first when I had to trim my puffers teeth too.
The trick is to sedate the fish (again... a frightening thing). And buy sharp cuticle cutters (important if your puff is small).
I went to a health food store and got some Clove oil. I put one drop of oil per 1cup of water in a small bucket.
Then net the fish and put him in the "solution". It takes a couple min.... but when he stops swiming, and sits on the bottom. hes good to go.
Keep an eye on him, he will die if you leave him in there to long.
Fish him out (make sure he is still breathing) and then get to clipping. you don't want the bits in his mouth, so watch that.
Also... try not to clip their lips
Once done you can put them in another container of clean water. once they wake up, put them back in the tank.
I have done this for about a year to my guy. He knows when its going to happen and tries to hide, but he always looks so happy when its over
If you are ever lucky enough to get baby ramshorn snails... feeding those to the puffs will greatly cut down on how frequently you have to clip.
The trick is to sedate the fish (again... a frightening thing). And buy sharp cuticle cutters (important if your puff is small).
I went to a health food store and got some Clove oil. I put one drop of oil per 1cup of water in a small bucket.
Then net the fish and put him in the "solution". It takes a couple min.... but when he stops swiming, and sits on the bottom. hes good to go.
Keep an eye on him, he will die if you leave him in there to long.
Fish him out (make sure he is still breathing) and then get to clipping. you don't want the bits in his mouth, so watch that.
Also... try not to clip their lips
Once done you can put them in another container of clean water. once they wake up, put them back in the tank.
I have done this for about a year to my guy. He knows when its going to happen and tries to hide, but he always looks so happy when its over
If you are ever lucky enough to get baby ramshorn snails... feeding those to the puffs will greatly cut down on how frequently you have to clip.