Well gang,...at 7:14 pm this evening I successfully completed the first Beak-ectomy I have ever performed.
Patient is a 3 year old Figure Eight puffer, named Kaylee after my cousin,...who was suffering from an overgrown 'beak' (front teeth) due to poor nutrition (my bad).
Patient was anesthetized with clove oil and the teeth were clipped with cuticle nippers. Removedapprox 1-2 mm from top and .5 mm from bottom. Entire operation from capture to return to quarantine took 3.5 minutes. Sedation took effect within 90 secs,...clipping top and bottom another 90 secs followed by an immediate return to original tank (in quarantine).
'Kaylee' has now visibly recovered and been released from quarantine. Now I just have to wait til she eats.
I was nervous at first but it was incredibly easy.
Now she'll be eating snails on a regular basis.
Blaine
The operation was a success !!!
Forum rules
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
-
Pufferpunk
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Re: The operation was a success !!!
Congrats on a job well done! Next time (although if fed proper crunchy foods there shouldn't be one), I'd let him recuperate in a bowl of tank water. You don't want any residual CO getting into the tank.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
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pufferpuggirl
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Re: The operation was a success !!!
Yes, well done! But can I just suggest not using clove oil next time? It's not really very good for the puffer and if you need to sedate them again, see if you can find something that's made just for sedating fish. 
"Puffer .... man's best friend?"
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LilGreenPuffer
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Re: The operation was a success !!!
Apparently, clove oil is the most dangerous when used multiple times. If you ever need to trim teeth again, try Finqel. If you're in the US, you can order it off of DrsFosterSmith.com.
"I will give you a talisman. Whenever you are in doubt, or when the self becomes too much with you, apply the following test. Recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man whom you may have seen, and ask yourself, if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him or her. Will she gain anything by it? Will it restore her to a control over her own life and destiny? In other words, will it lead to freedom for the hungry and spiritually starving millions? Then you will find your doubts and your self melt away."
Found among the papers of Mohatma Gandhi
Come and visit http://www.thetriopsforum.com!
I AM A DUDETTE!
NEED NITRIFYING BACTERIA FOR YOUR NEW TANK? PM ME!
Found among the papers of Mohatma Gandhi
Come and visit http://www.thetriopsforum.com!
I AM A DUDETTE!
NEED NITRIFYING BACTERIA FOR YOUR NEW TANK? PM ME!
-
jtbadco
Re: The operation was a success !!!
I'm from Canada...where we have laws to protect the fish !!!
Apparently,...since any LFS I inquired at said 'fish' sedatives were not legal for sale here. I was told I could order by mail but I didn't want the puffer to go without food for too long. I'm going to Mexico in Feb but I didn't think I should wait.
I found references to clove oil not being the best idea, especially for repeated use.....however, all of the post-use side effects seem to point towards oxygen deprivation. I still looked for OTC products just to be on the safe side, but no joy. I decided to minimize the time of exposure and amount used....as well as the total time out of water, as much as possible, to reduce to risk. And this will be a one time thing. (hopefully)
I should have had a second 'recovery' container....it was suggested in the reading as well. I didn't realize the reasoning until it was too late. However, all of the tenants, as well as the puffer, are doing well. There's another F8, dragon goby, 11 BB gobys, 15 fancy guppies and approx 100 babies (trap)....all seem to have suffered no ill efects. Again, hopefully, I wont have to do it again.
Apparently,...since any LFS I inquired at said 'fish' sedatives were not legal for sale here. I was told I could order by mail but I didn't want the puffer to go without food for too long. I'm going to Mexico in Feb but I didn't think I should wait.
I found references to clove oil not being the best idea, especially for repeated use.....however, all of the post-use side effects seem to point towards oxygen deprivation. I still looked for OTC products just to be on the safe side, but no joy. I decided to minimize the time of exposure and amount used....as well as the total time out of water, as much as possible, to reduce to risk. And this will be a one time thing. (hopefully)
I should have had a second 'recovery' container....it was suggested in the reading as well. I didn't realize the reasoning until it was too late. However, all of the tenants, as well as the puffer, are doing well. There's another F8, dragon goby, 11 BB gobys, 15 fancy guppies and approx 100 babies (trap)....all seem to have suffered no ill efects. Again, hopefully, I wont have to do it again.
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LilGreenPuffer
- Former Staff Member
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RIP Inigo Montoya, Fezzik, and Vizinni.
RIP James Bond. - Location (country): United States
- Location: Kentucky
Re: The operation was a success !!!
If used properly and only once, clove oil should be perfectly fine, according to everything I've read. And I think you made the right decision in not waiting for another sedative - when it can't eat, you don't dither around.
If you have a friend in the US or somewhere else that fish sedatives are legal, you could get them to ship you some. Personally, when I get my first puffers that can have tooth trouble (DPs hardly ever do), I'm going to get some and have it on hand, just in case. I want my next puffers to be SAPs, so I'll pretty much have to have it around.
If you have a friend in the US or somewhere else that fish sedatives are legal, you could get them to ship you some. Personally, when I get my first puffers that can have tooth trouble (DPs hardly ever do), I'm going to get some and have it on hand, just in case. I want my next puffers to be SAPs, so I'll pretty much have to have it around.
"I will give you a talisman. Whenever you are in doubt, or when the self becomes too much with you, apply the following test. Recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man whom you may have seen, and ask yourself, if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him or her. Will she gain anything by it? Will it restore her to a control over her own life and destiny? In other words, will it lead to freedom for the hungry and spiritually starving millions? Then you will find your doubts and your self melt away."
Found among the papers of Mohatma Gandhi
Come and visit http://www.thetriopsforum.com!
I AM A DUDETTE!
NEED NITRIFYING BACTERIA FOR YOUR NEW TANK? PM ME!
Found among the papers of Mohatma Gandhi
Come and visit http://www.thetriopsforum.com!
I AM A DUDETTE!
NEED NITRIFYING BACTERIA FOR YOUR NEW TANK? PM ME!
-
pufferpuggirl
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1 x T Schoutedeni
1 x T Leiurus
1 x T Miurus
Rainbow crab
crayfish - Location (country): Yorkshire, GB
- Location: South Yorkshire, UK
Re: The operation was a success !!!
Just a suggestion jtbadco -- but if you didn't know anyone in the US to get any sedatives from, you probably could order from the place that I got my sedatives from in the UK, you'd just have to pay a higher shipping. It's not a great option, but it is an option if you needed to do it again. And I do understand the urgency of needing to get the teeth trimmed ASAP so the puffer could eat, not knocking you for using the clove oil. I don't think most people realise the dangers of it's use. I know I didn't until I started doing some research.
"Puffer .... man's best friend?"
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Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
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T lineatus
T miurus
A modestus
T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
C lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Greenville, SC
- Contact:
Re: The operation was a success !!!
Generally, if fed properly, GSPs rarely need dentistry.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
-
jtbadco
Re: The operation was a success !!!
Mine is a Figure Eight....and they shouldn't need trimming either if given enough hard-shelled food. I had read about the problem and gave them snails regularly,...but being in a community tank affords them too many other easy food options. I under-estimated the growth rate and only noticed the problem when I saw him having trouble eating a snail. I will have to adjust the feeding in the tank to keep the teeth in check. The other Figure Eight I have eats snails every chance he gets and has no problem.
I also have a Fahaka (different tank),...I called him Snaggletooth because he had one HUGE tooth on top on one side. A regular diet of snails has fixed that problem already.
I don't think I'll need to do it again....
I also have a Fahaka (different tank),...I called him Snaggletooth because he had one HUGE tooth on top on one side. A regular diet of snails has fixed that problem already.
I don't think I'll need to do it again....