The Puffer Forum

Hello again,

So my Colomesus Asellus are on order (two of them), snail breeding tank is in full swing (40l), and the 29gal for my SAPs will be vacant when they arrive (except for a bristle nose plec and 2 horse face loaches).
I plan to feed my puffers almost exclusively on pond snails to reduce beak growth. Pufferpedia mentions 'crustaceans' and I have heard of people feeding crabs to puffers (mainly marine I think).

Most importantly is this inhumane, or common practice?
If not, then would a Red Clawed Crab be too big even for two full grown Colomesus Asellus?
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Cheers.

It happens naturally in the wild. I love feeding live food, it keeps your puffs on their toes

On a negative note, to me a 29 with two horse faced loaches (each up to 8" long) and a bristlenosed pleco (4-6') is full and has no room for two SAPs.. You nay have water quality issues and stunting of any or ll of the fish housed fish.

Well spotted rtr stocking levels way out

Thats cool, I have a 48 gal I can move the 2 horseface loaches to (it has Tiger barbs in it at the moment).
2 SAPs and a Bristle Nose shouldn't be over stocked should it? I've fitted an external Aqua One filter to it for the 'over filtration' required by puffers.

So basically then we're saying it's not inhumane, it's natural?
Would/do they eat the entire thing, or just pick off the 'best bits' and leave the rest? Just curious.

If it's a long tank you may get away with just the two saps. However they are very active and deserve much more.
Generally the whole crab gets consumed. Overfiltering is a must but does not allow for increased stocking levels. I would personally rethink this.

That's great info thanks.
I did not say that over filtration allowed for extra stock, I am over filtering due to the nature of the puffers diet and their messy eating.
It's a 29 long.

It's a common misconception, I had to mention just incase lol. So what's your plan? Just 1 sap?

Well I know they can get skittish if just one SAP on it's own. Don't they prefer to be in groups of 3?
Potentially scrap the whole thing and go brackish F8? Obviously with no bristlenose plec, as that is FW.
Any ideas?

Sounds like a good plan

I tend to agree, F-8s alone would be better - I would like more water volume for tem, but without other livestock, it is doable.

I'm not sure 2 SAPs is enough to make them secure anyway. My 3 in a 50 was a bit nervous, a 75 w/5 (plus a sump) was better. They are a lot more insecure than F-8s and do not have as much personality. But they do make a cool tank.

Depends what you consider inhumane. Like fiddler crabs I don't believe that Red Claw Crabs are captive bred therefore wild caught specimens are sold. So you've go to ask yourself with the abundance of other food sources available is it really necessary?

RTR - thats interesting you say they do not have much personality, is that why maybe they don't seem to be as popular as other puffers? I have certainly struggled to find as much info on SAPs as say F8's.

Iliveinazoo - That was slightly my thoughts, especially as you can breed RCS. Would you limit your puffers to a diet that you can breed in a separate tank? I cant think of any crabs that readily breed in the home aquarium?

Articles on both species in our Library.

Yeah read them both, fascinating and thorough, but I guess it seems more reading material is available 'globally' on F8's than SAPs. I find this weird because without having kept either of them SAPs appeal more; because FW and enjoy being in groups of 3+.
Or maybe there is just more interesting things to say about F8's! haha.