The Puffer Forum

I have a Valentini puffer whose teeth are becoming overgrown and have algea growing on them due to the inability to retract them, he was still eating ok but recently he started missing food, trying to eat it but then snapping in the wrong place, usually about 0.5cm above the food, like his depth perception is gone.

I have been realising that I will need to do some dentistry, trim the teeth and clean the algae off, I need to find the right info about aneasthetics, etc. Most of the guides I have seen are for freshwater puffers so want to check they are suitable.

Has anyone seen this depth-perception issue before? Do you think cleaning the algea growing on his teeth, which may be distracting him, will help?

Can anyone point me to a guide for trimming puffers teeth that is for saltwater fish, or can confirm that the one below is ok for salties too?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dI3j3zpWYg

Thanks in advance for any help, I'm hoping to do this tommorrow before he loses too much weight, if I can get answers to my questions and get the stuff I need.

I will let someone else answer the question about the teeth trimming, because I'm not positive for saltwater puffers.

Anyway, the depth perception thing seems odd. How are your water parameters?

I think his issue is more about not being about to open his mouth to eat anything.
Please follow this article & trim ASAP: library/hospital/dentistry/