The Puffer Forum

redhouse wrote:I am wondering those of you whose puffer ate the shrimps in moments, are they adults?

Yes mine is and about 17inches long

I see, mine must have not totally developed his killer instincts!

coldmachineUK wrote: Feed your puffer what you like, I'm just saying I personally wouldn't feed mine live fish since it's not part of their natural diet and I'd be concerned about nutritional value and the long term impact on health.

I must add that it's not legal everywhere. In Norway it's not legal to feed any animals live fish. But many still do it, though.

Sorry I must chime in.... I am a Biology student studying to do conservation work with sea turtles. Even with sea turtles they eat different things. You think turtles eat fish...... well some species do. But I am sure you have heard of the green sea turtle. They aren't green ...... so why are they called Green sea turtles....... its because they are plant eaters.... herbivores..... when sailors caught them and gutted them open their intestines were green hense the name.

But with all animals...... they are opportunists. If given the chance and hungry enough any animal (even iguanas in the wild will take an occasional bug even though they are as some people call it 'strictly vegetarian'.

I think that it is important to mimic their natural diet as closely as you can. But I don't see the harm in the occasional shrimp or fish in the diet. As long as it isn't the staple. But as Ive read it sounds like different puffer species consume different things. Not all are strictly mollusk.

But again it is in everyone's own opinion what they offer their puffers. And honestly with out the trial and error of people keeping fish and reptiles and animals and plants we wouldn't know what worked and what didn't.

Sorry to rant. I apologize.

Yes, some puffers are opportunistic lurkers, others are not. The GSP is not and, therefore, feeder fish should not be a part of their diet IMO.

My goal as a fishkeeper is not to mimic their natural diet or lifespan but to surpass it. To provide a more healthy diet by the use of healthier foods than they may get in the wild, as well as adding vitamins to their food. Their food in the wild is very often filled with parasites. Does that mean I should feed them parasite-infested food as well? No, we do what we can to prevent that from happening.

Boxermom that is a great point!

WASN'T ALL THE FOOD THEY EAT ALIVE AT SOME POINT? WHAT'S THE DIFF BETWEEN GETTING EATEN BY A NATURAL PREDATOR OR BEING FROZEN ALIVE?

Freezing kills internal parasites and other baddies. It's about risking infections in your fish.