The Puffer Forum

Hi everybody, first time posting to this forum. Glad I found you guys...this is a great learning resource!

I recently purchased a GSP around 1-1.5". The store was keeping him at FW so I'm currently in the process of converting his tank to full marine with 0.002 sg change a week. I have been keeping high tech community planted tanks for almost 10 years now, but this is my first venture into 'predatory' fish and saltwater. Since one of my fry tanks is overrunned with ramshorn snails, I've been feeding my GSP ramshorns maybe slightly bigger than his eyes since I've gotten him. Everything has been going well and he has great colors and eats very well, however, I do have one concern...

He loves eating snails, but he doesn't 'crunch' any of the snails. He lets the snail fall to the sand, then positions himself so he's right next to the opening of the shell, then he hovers and waits for the snail to come out, and then he just quickly sucks the entire meaty portion of the snail right out. After sucking the snails out, he ignores the shell and it just sits on the bottom. Is this normal? Should I be taking the shell out so any remnants inside the shell doesn't pollute the tank? Is there anyway I can encourage him to 'crunch' the shells? I want him to keep his teeth filed down so I don't have to do any kind of dentistry work...

Sounds like you're starting out your new adventure into BW/SW great! The snails may be a bit larger than what he's used to eating in the wild. you might want to crush some of them with your thumb (or a spoon) for him.
Here are other crunchy foods to feed him & other helpful articles for you:
library/feeding/feeding-your-puffers/
library/puffers-in-focus/an-introductio ... d-puffers/
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=19348

Okay, I will feed him smaller ones and crush the bigger ones before throwing them into the tank. Thanks for the advice and links PP!