The Puffer Forum

Hello All!
I recently bought my 1st puffer, Slugsy.I was just wondering when they eat snails do they crunch the shell or just suck the snail from the shell? I haven't seen Slugsy crunch any snails, but I keep finding empy snail shells in the tank. I also feed him prawn, bloodworm and other frozen food incase he isnt eating the snails. Prawn is his favourite and he doesnt like brine shrimp!!! I'm going to try him with cockles and mussels on my next payday!
Thanks

Mine crunch the shell.

I've had GSP's that sucked them out of the shell instead of chewing. They'd do it at night. It was disgusting, you'd be sleeping and wake up to this huge, SLUUURRRP!

I think they slurp them out of the shell if the snail is too big, generally you want to feed them snails about the size of their eye. It could also mean their teeth need a trim, that they can't get their mouth open wide enough to bite a shell.. but if you're puffer is small yet its probably just the snails are too big.

Myaj wrote:I've had GSP's that sucked them out of the shell instead of chewing. They'd do it at night. It was disgusting, you'd be sleeping and wake up to this huge, SLUUURRRP!

I think they slurp them out of the shell if the snail is too big, generally you want to feed them snails about the size of their eye. It could also mean their teeth need a trim, that they can't get their mouth open wide enough to bite a shell.. but if you're puffer is small yet its probably just the snails are too big.

Myaj - you need to teach them some table manners.Or move them out of the bedroom.

Some of mine crunch, others suck them out. Watched my solandri push a big snail over and suck it out (probably too big to chew on- shell had nip marks on it) If the snails are smaller than the puffer's head, then mine will try crunching them. Funny to watch a group of SAPs go nuts after putting in about 30 just hatched apple snails in their tank- did that a week ago and can't find a single snail now.

Thanks for your help guys, This is slugsy he's still quite small and the snails that live in his tank are all smaller than his eye, you might be able to see them in the pic. How do you know if the teeth need trimming? can you see them? his mouth is tiny and I can't see any teeth, plus he eats other food with no problem. Maybe he crunches them at night when I'm asleep!

Most of the time, mine crunch the shells but I've seen them suck a few out, too.