The Puffer Forum

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I will to move them out of the way when cleaning. My larger fahaka puffer feels cool to touch but I'd rather not leave their skin open to infection or anything by touching it.

yes i agree. touching can harm their slime coat but when necessary or occasionally if curious to see if the fish isn't shy, i touch my fish

It's the other way around with me, my puffers seem to want to "touch" (think bite) me instead. The little suckers have gotten me a few times already, sneaky little so and so's.

i touch mine on ccasion usually when they wont move. the suvs i will move with the yphon though as i wouldnt trust them atall with fingers. mainly the fish i have to touch (pretty much on a dayly basis) is my fire eel if i dont nudge him hell steal food off the stingrays

I touch them when I have too. When I need them to move out of the way and they are being stubborn.

I have touched them through a net a couple of times, just barely, and sometimes their mouths brush my finger when I hand-feed them.

I touched mine when I was trying to give a snail to my skinnyer one and the puff wasnt afraid of me

Only my SAPs (now just the singular...), and only for dentistry, and only through a net. It's really not good to touch fish AFAIK: it can damage the slime coat.

Only during dentistry. I'm scared of my fahaka

I touch them on a daily basis - they come up for head pats. They will also occasionally roll on their sides so I can touch their tummies. I only do it with clean hands. Right now I'm training them not to bite because my biggest puff drew blood the other day.

I'll touch my puffers lightly once in a great while if they come near me while cleaning the tank to scoot them away. I like the connection I feel. I Wouldn't do it to pet them or on a regular basis.

My F8 always swims away. I think it may be because my hubby chased him around the tank with various things trying to get him to puff when I wasn't looking when I first got him. He's pretty shy now, but even if he wasn't, I don't touch them because I don't want to disturb their slime coats, etc.

sometimes my puffer forces his way between my fingers when i put my hand in the tank, he feels weird...... extremely soft

He quickly swims away every time.