The Puffer Forum

All bugs found in my house get fed to the puffers... today i found the mother of all spiders (i live in the UK where there are no venomous spiders) and fed it to my F8's.

The smallest one (approx 1" long @ 4month old) had a go. Well the spider wrapped round it and had a grip for a while but eventually he shook it off. This was about 3 hours ago. Now the little F8 looks in a bad way... He was at the top of the tank floating in a plant. I've put him in a sick net where he's hardly moving at all... I'm a bit gutted I might have done the little fella some damage feeding him and so i ask the question. Could this spider have bit my F8 and could he be dying?

IMO I'd say it's possible. Poisonous to humans probably not but to my knowladge spiders eat by injecting venom into victims the venom numbs/paralyzes/kills the victim while turning their insides to liquid the spider can suck out later. Which is why spiders wrap their prey in silk to hold the liquid for later.

Obviously you are watching your puffer... depending on the power of the venom the puffer survive.

IMO

Yeah I agree with what the spider can do which is why... now with hindsight I'm a bit worried about my F8. He's getting worse but hope he'll be ok. I don't know if there's anything I can do to help him though?

Really pi**ed of wi myself if I've killed him

if you know the kind of spider it was you might be able to read some information about ti and find out just how potent its venom is on things more the size of your puffer, such as a small mouse or something similar to get a better feel for if your puffer will die or is just having a reaction to the venom and will recover.

No idea what kind of spider it was... just a big one; about 2" across but was mostly legs and little body. I always feed the spiders in my house to my fish but this is the biggest I've ever found.

In the UK i would reckon the biggest prey this spider would have normally eaten would be moths and such like i.e other bugs.

Ya if it wasn't potent venom he's probably paralyzed or stunned, hopefully it should hopefully pass...

My ex F8 ate a yellow jacket, including the head, stinger and all abdominal organs including the poison sack, and he still seems fine.

An update...

Came down the stairs this morning and looked straight in the tank. Although a bit sluggish he's a lot better. So i've released him back into the main tank and he's buzzing about (slowly) but appears happy. Looks like he was just badly stunned.

Hardy little fella

Thanks all

good to hear he's doing better.

I guess we can all learn from this one.