Attempt to trim GSP's teeth [Fail]

[m3m0ri35]

I attempted to trim my GSP's teeth, but i couldn't do it.
I follow the instruction given from the library
bought the clove oil, the cutcicle nipper, and dropped 3~4 drops


I first sedate the GSP in a container that has 4 drops of clove oil, but after waiting for 1 minutes or so, the finish slowly going into that ..."dead" or look dead status, but it didn't flips it belly. So I took it out and tried to clip the teeth, and the top teeth seems fine, but the bottom teeth seems to be too long. When I was about to clip it's teeth, it started moving. (about 20~25 secs after i took it out of the sedated container). I thought i didn't sedate it long enough, then i tried for second times, and it started moving 15 secs after i took it out of the container with clove oil.

I tried following the instruction, but my puffer seems to struggle with me, and i cant seem to figure out how to clip it's teeth properly

PLEASE HELP!!
I am currently seeking for more tips from those who has already done this

*additional notes*
my puffer received it's snail on a daily basis, but doesn't seem to know how to eat it and there are snail crawling in the fish tank.
It's main diet revolve around Masis's shrimp and Freeze dried krill.
My poor puffer is doing fine now, swimming around freely, but still can't seems to eat.

library/hospital/dentistry/#more-79
http://www.youtube.com/user/ArizonaFish ... JzJtH2e2bg

[mrgreen]

Maybe you should give him soft things to eat like blood worms and wait a few days and try to trim them again.

[m3m0ri35]

I'm going to give it a few hours and how things are doing. But it seems to be doing fine, but still not eating

Thanks for the quick reply, truly appreciated from the bottom of my heart

[mrgreen]

If he really can't eat, then at least the soft foods he can suck in easily. And he may be stressed from the ordeal- not your fault, but just because of he's out of water, and sedated- so that's why I say try again and a few days.

[Pufferpunk]

1st of all, I could still see the drops of CO at the bottom of the container. Did you stir after adding the oil, to dissipate it throughout the container?

I heard the teeth being clipped. Do they look short enough to you? Your last close-up shot was all blurry. After what he's been through, I wouldn't feel like eating right away either. give him a day or 2--he doesn't look skinny.

[bigfatfish]

I agree with PP. There are definitely blobs of the clove oil on the bottom of the container. Because its oil, it doesn't mix very well with water, so you must make sure that it is either warmed or really whisked into the water thoroughly. When I did my GSP, he was eating within 20 minutes, so I don't think it is the method that you used that has stressed him so much - more likely the tooth problem itself preventing him eating.
Great little video though & what a steady hand you had! I was shaking so much when I did it that I cut his nose! I would certainly leave it a few days & try again if you are sure his teeth are still too long.

[Pufferpunk]

I definitely heard a clipping noise though. Like clipping fingernails. So he did get some teeth shorter. How is he today?

[mrgreen]

I watched the video. I heard clipping noises and he certainly looked like the oil took effect. Did he come out of it quickly? Is it acting fine today?

[m3m0ri35]

That wasn't my video, I used that as an instructional video.

Yes, I did stir the water enough. I will be attempting to clip it's teeth again sometime this week.
My GSP has loss weight drastically, so I might have to do it again soon.
Last time i check, the upper teeth seems to be ok, but the lower teeths are too long.

[bigfatfish]

That wasn't my video, I used that as an instructional video.

Yes, I did stir the water enough. I will be attempting to clip it's teeth again sometime this week.
My GSP has loss weight drastically, so I might have to do it again soon.
Last time i check, the upper teeth seems to be ok, but the lower teeths are too long.

Oh, sorry! Thought that was you being filmed! Never mind. Are you able to get hold of some proper sedative (Finquel/MS222) as repeated use of clove oil has been reported to have detrimental effects on the fish. However, it does sound as though you need to do it sooner rather than later, if he is losing condition. Can he not manage to suck blood worms in past his teeth - mine never stopped eating when his teeth were bad.
Stay in touch & keep us informed about his progress.

[m3m0ri35]

my GSP is still able to eat, i think he/she is just being picky.
I need to diversify it's diet

[L!$A]

Not to alarm you or anything, but just for future references

A note about the dangers of using clove oil:
As a community, we are learning clove oil may not be a safe choice to use repeatedly for sedating puffers. Since our SAPs will probably need their teeth worked on every 4-6 months, it is not advised to use clove oil for repetitive usage. It stops the fish from breathing, cuts off O2 to the brain & can possibly cause eventual brain damage. Some members are finding their puffers wake up from clove oil induced sedation slower and slower each time, and sometimes do not wake up at all after repeated sedations over their lifetime, or display erratic and uncoordinated behavior, indicative of brain damage.
Another risk of clove oil is the way it clings to porous surfaces. Many puffer owners set aside a specific container to use for sedating fish with clove oil, due to the strong scent it leaves behind, no matter how much you wash and rinse the container. This is dangerous, as there still may be a significant amount of the oil remaining in the pores of the container, and next time you use it, your fish may be subjected to a larger dose than you intend. To avoid this risk, only use glass containers that are washed until no trace of clove smell lingers, and rinsed thoroughly, or if you prefer, dispose of the container holding the clove oil solution when you are finished with the procedure, never reusing it.
Clove oil is ok to use in an emergency, but if you plan on keeping your puffer for a long time (as we all wish to do!), please purchase tricaine methanesulfonate (also referred to as MS222) to tranquilize your fish. MS222 can sometimes be found under the brand names Tranquil or Finquil.

Please follow the manufacturer’s safety and application instructions when using MS222. Often, puffers are more sensitive to medications and chemicals than other fish, so start with the lowest recommended dosage until you know how your puffer reacts. As with clove oil, return your fish to clean, unmedicated water as soon as possible to begin the recovery/wake up process. In general, the trimming instructions stay the same when using MS222 instead of clove oil.

You can purchase MS222 online.

[Arizonafishkeeping]

A few notes.
I posted the video on YouTube.

Almost always you won't need to trim both sets of teeth, they either grow at different rates or grind differently.

There is an oil to water ratio with the clove oil so too much water, or too little, affects the sedation.

Despite worries about clove oil, I have never had a problem with it. It's like any sedation, even used on humans, dose is important.

If you feed your puffer the right diet it won't need detenstry at all. However, we all know how hard that is. Try small fiddler crabs. The hard shells do a great job keeping the teeth trimmed. Also baby mystery snails. Pond snails tend to have paper-thin shells. The puffers love them, but they don't really have desired affect.

The video tells part of the story, the blog has more information http://www.arizonafishkeeping.com/2009/ ... og-too.php

[PolishPuff]

I like this article, thanks for posting it here. I'll bet finding a clove oil in your local pharmacy might be a problem

[Pufferpunk]

We have seen countless times where CO has caused brain damage used regularly for sedation. I'm not willing to chance that on my beloved puffs.