Feeding my Topaz Puffers Apple snails ?

[harp_s45]

Hi All , I have just come back from my LFs with a bag of small apple snails that our LFS man said should be ok to feed to our puffers , they are quite big (about 1.5 cms across) Will they be ok to feed my Topaz puffers ?
Cheers

[Pufferpunk]

Rule of thumb is generally as big as their eye. Give it a try but be prepared to remove if they are too large, as they won't survive in BW & will foul the water quickly, after they die.

[harp_s45]

cheers , think I might try them and see how they go on . I will be on standby to remove asap if they don't take to them .

Cheers for the help. Will let you know how I get on .

[Boxermom]

In addition, if the snail is too big, the puffers tend to suck the meat out rather than chewing through the shell, which defeats the purpose, and some of the meat tends to stay inside the shell, rotting and fouling the water.

[BigB]

I found hold the snail between some surgical forceps with the snail open covered by the forceps really forces the puffer to chew his way to the goodness,

Also crunching the shells helped, he will just tear through everything to get to the meat lol.

[Nick]

Apple snails were always a good workout for Shakespeare, he'd have to chew through the point slowly to get at the meat, as they'd trapdoor when he took his first bite, preventing him from slurping.