The Puffer Forum

Lately I have been noticing my Valentini's teeth have been growing and growing. So i have been feeding clams and ramshorn snails, and he wont eat either. I bought some clove oil and cuticle nippers, and I was wondering how much this would stress him out. He has just got out of his hospital tank after a month and a half long hyposalinity treatment with his tankmates, so I really don't want to stress him out. He still has room to bite, and eats freezedried krill, but he has a hard time eating it though. Any ideas to naturally trim his teach before I have to sedate him?

I'm sure others can provide more detail on this, but I do know that you're not supposed to use clove oil for anesthesia, just euthanasia. Imprecise dosing is a possibility, and clove oil can have a cumulative effect with repeated dosing.

There are actual fish anesthetics available OTC that you can use-- I'm not sure which one is currently recommended, but someone will be along to let you know. Just wanted to quickly post and say: No clove oil.

look at this video of south American puffer getting their teeth trimmed without sedatives, perhaps it will help you
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENX6NZ2B ... g&index=26

purplecandle wrote:look at this video of south American puffer getting their teeth trimmed without sedatives, perhaps it will help you
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENX6NZ2B ... g&index=26

I've always wondered if lowering the tank temp would also help dull or slow the puff down a notch.

This is the article you need: library/hospital/dentistry/

Don't use the clove oil. You need a product called tricaine methanesulfonate (also referred to as MS222) also sometimes sold as Tranquil or Finquil

Ok thanks, apparently I have a "fish vet" near me, I am going to email him and see if he can help me out. I also will definitely need to sedate him, he has to he one of the strongest fish I have ever had.

Also when my reef "wakes up" tomorrow I will have to post a pic of this "scratch" on his face that has just appeared.

+1 to NOT using clove oil; too dangerous. I don't have a Valentini but I do have a toby, and she loves to eat ghost shrimp. Some live shrimp might kickstart his appetite.
Also, freeze dried krill has been known to cause lockjaw in puffers. Just an FYI.
Can you post a pic of his beak?

You can buy Finquel on Ebay.

I will get a pic once he gets this food out of his teeth.

I have tried for 30 min to try and get a good pic, but nothing turns out. I will have to try and find the good camera tomorrow. Also I think he might have caught a bit if ich on his fin . I am not sure if it is ich though, sine it doesn't seem to be a "perfect" shape, as ich normally is. If it is ich I really don't know what I will do. He was in hypo for more than a month with his other tank mates, and I think it will be impossible to get the recently acquired ywg out.