The Puffer Forum

Hello. I'm new to the puffer world and have just a week ago got my first figure eight. After getting him home, I got to get a closer look at him and realized he looked a little funny. Well, upon closer inspection, it appears his top lip (I assume you'd call it his lip) is missing! His bottom jaw sticks out and you can see right into his mouth.

I fed him some blood worms last night. When he'd go to suck up a worm, it would float right back out of his mouth. He'd have to suck it back up several times before he could actually keep it down. Despite that, he seems to be eating plenty--in fact, I think I over-fed him, as he's got a bit of a pot-belly today!

My questions are concerning his long-term health. I assume that, without the upper beak-part of his mouth, he wil be unable to eat any mollusk-type food, but do you suppose he will be okay on a diet of softer foods? Also, am I totally ridiculous for keeping a "handicapped" puffer out of pity, or should I take him back to the LFS I got him from and ask for a different one?

The upper incissor plate has likely been broken, and this may require repeated dental surgery on the lower plate (which will overgrow) while the upper regrows - if it does. The best would be to return the fish for one with full functional equiment as it were. If it were a long time pet, it would be possible to save the fish, but not without risk from repeated sedation and tooth grinding/clipping.

Could it be that he got badly beaten up at the lfs and his top teeth will grow back in time? Or is his top jaw totally missing? Will he need a very long time of repeated bottom jaw trimmings?
Pami.

Before the advent of clove oil anesthesia (anaesthesia to some ), it was a big deal to do the dental work trimming the opposed plate while a broken one regrew. I have historically lost more than one puffer in that process.

Probably came from a tank w/MTS.

It's quite possible he could have suffered some of the wrath of the other puffers in the tank with him... he was the smallest one of them all. Who knows.

I'm afraid I don't trust myself with having to deal with repeated dentistry work. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like this puffer's got much of a chance of growing backan upper jaw--it looks to be totally gone--so I assume he'll have quite a bit of needed dentistry work in the future, and I don't think that's something I can provide.

I suppose I'll take him back for a more "intact" one. I think this time I'll supervise more carefully which puffer they try to give me!

Thanks so much!

Unfortunately for the puffer, I think that is best.

I'd feel so sorry for him, I'd probaby keep him.


Poor little guy is gonna go back and end up dying in someone's tank because they don't know how to take care of him.

I mean, maybe not, but I always worry and fear the worst

But not a good puffer, for someone's 1st.

Well yeah. Point taken.