The Puffer Forum

I was just curious.
Since I got my white sand tank it became very evident that my puffers do not excrete like other fish I have, its not long and stringy, it looks just like mouse poop.
So every day or so I spend a minute scooping it out with a net.

Does anyone else do this or am I just being paranoid?

When I had my 20 gallon, I did this daily (whenever I could actually spot it on the ground). Now that my fat heads are in a 60 gallon, this just isn't that easy anymore. I'm planning to buy a sludge extractor to clean up after my fat heads. Eheim one has a good rep.

Yeah, that was my second question, if they had something to do this for me.
I have a pretty powerful canister running on the tank but of course if that sucks up any sand im sure it wont last long. It does a great job of sucking up uneaten bits of food though!

Im really happy my puffers are doing well even though its only been a month they look so so so much better than when I bought them

Oh ok, I looked up the Eheim. It looks nice but a little pricey. I think for now I will just scoop because it insures I examine the tank and spend the necessary time on it.

I use a battery vaccum not a cheap one either and it works great. its a penn-plax battery vac. it was 35$ and has issues starting up once in a while but works well for this. Or I seen and heard here about those bubble vacs u attach to your bubbler. they go for $5 at my LFS which ill get when this other battery vac breaks. good luck.

I've never bothered to grab poo unless it needs to be inspected... It's just too much trouble when there's heavy decorations and brown gravel. I imagine that it cuts down on nitrates, though!

Very true, when I had blue and black gravel in the tank you couldnt see anything, but with the white sand it looks bad.
Anyone have a link to something similar to the eheim sludge extractor?

I want something that sucks water through a screen and then vents the water back into the tank unlike some of these vacs that collect the water out of a tube so you have to put it back in, too much effort.

I may just build one my own, doesnt seem too hard, I think I could do it with a cheap powerhead.

i use a simple "dip tube"
it's just a rigid piece of clear plastic tubing that you hold your finger over the upper end of, hover the lower end over the debris, and
release your finger from the upper end.
the debris gets sucked up into the tube!
there are more expensive versions that you can buy, but sometimes simpler is better.

eieio wrote:i use a simple "dip tube"
it's just a rigid piece of clear plastic tubing that you hold your finger over the upper end of, hover the lower end over the debris, and
release your finger from the upper end.
the debris gets sucked up into the tube!
there are more expensive versions that you can buy, but sometimes simpler is better.

Now this I like, I like it alot (I have somewhat tall tanks)

Just use a regular gravel vac or siphon hose, but don't get too close to the sand. Holding the opening above the sand, start swirling it around, creating a little whirlpool.. the lighter weight feces will get sucked up off the surface, while the sand stays down. It takes a little practice but you can do it. Obviously if you get too close, you'll suck up a bunch of sand too.

my fx5's and wavemakers keep anything from settling on gravel they just circulate till intakes get em. i enjoy the puffer turds compared to other fish tho they just look tidier..

Woodbutcher wrote:

eieio wrote:i use a simple "dip tube"
it's just a rigid piece of clear plastic tubing that you hold your finger over the upper end of, hover the lower end over the debris, and
release your finger from the upper end.
the debris gets sucked up into the tube!
there are more expensive versions that you can buy, but sometimes simpler is better.

Now this I like, I like it alot (I have somewhat tall tanks)

& it works the best on taller tanks

In between water changes, I sometimes stir the gravel, then use a fine-mesh net to "skim" what's been dislodged.

I scoop my puffers poop every other day usually on the off days of feeding. I was laughing with my bf that I was having to scoop poop.... for a fish! but I guess it is a common thing with these guys lol... it really shows up on black sand too.

eieio wrote:

Woodbutcher wrote:

eieio wrote:i use a simple "dip tube"
it's just a rigid piece of clear plastic tubing that you hold your finger over the upper end of, hover the lower end over the debris, and
release your finger from the upper end.
the debris gets sucked up into the tube!
there are more expensive versions that you can buy, but sometimes simpler is better.

Now this I like, I like it alot (I have somewhat tall tanks)

& it works the best on taller tanks

Going to have to try that~