The Puffer Forum

Hi everyone,

I'm new to this and I have a feeding question. I got some clams and put them in the freezer. I took one out to thaw and noticed that it's opening. Was it okay to freeze right in the shell like that? Also, I'm a bit afraid to put it in. If he (figure eats that whole thing, yikes! His stomach begins to get lumpy after just a few bites out of a shrimp!

Thanks!

The clam is opening as it thaws simply because it's dead, only live ones stay tightly closed.

I buy a live clam, oyster, mussel, or whatever, take it home and crack it open with a hammer - crude, I know, so if you have an oyster knife, definitely use it instead. Then I take out most of the meat, leaving some muscle and lining attached to one half of the shell so that the puffer can have a meal where he has to work at it a little bit. The rest of the meat I take out I slice into single portion sizes, and freeze them in a set of little dishes I have set aside especially for puffer food. Then when I want to feed my puffers, I take out a portion, thaw it on a clean saucer or between my fingers, and that's pretty much it.

And yes, you do not want to overfeed your puffer. Only feed him until his belly is rounded, not until he looks like he swallowed a marble.

Great info- thanks so much!