The Puffer Forum

Pufferpunk wrote:I used 1/5 of a 1/4 tsp. 1/4 less than you are suggesting.

Gasp! I can't believe I missed that! 1/5 OF A 1/4 teaspoon, not 1/5 OR 1/4 OF A teaspoon. Thank goodness my little fellow is okay! The margin of error must be fairly wide, because he came out of it immediately. But still....

Good catch! I never noticed that either and probably would have done the same when I get my drug.

I have only trimmed teeth once, and I did it by netting the fish, and then putting my (extremely well washed with plain hot water) hand into the net and holding him just under the water gently until he calmed down in my grip, then carefully nipping the beak points down with some bone cutters(the type used for trimming hard coral, cutting overgrown human toenails, and for cutting small animal bone in dissections... all the same instrument). I was quite surprised he did not hate me forever after that, but I couldn't get MS222 at the time and would not risk putting him under with clove oil. Once he caught on that my grip was not tightening or hurting, just enclosing him, he pretty much just kept still and let me get the job done. Puffy was a good tempered, friendly F8... died by jumping from the tank

I'm glad you posted that Nick because the person who does my puffer's teeth also does not sedate them first and it works incredibly well, and I prefer not sedating them if it can be done. He does it very similarly to what you've described, only he brought the puffer up out of the tank a little more, and for the most part, they were cooperative, but if they started to puff, he would put them back under the water where they would expel the air and then he would try again. I never felt that my puffer was in any danger and as I said, just the idea that they did not have to be sedated made me feel so much better, as I'm just a bit nervous about administering drugs that could take their lives.
I know that sedation is sometimes required and certainly not putting anyone down that goes that route, although I highly disagree with using clove oil