The Puffer Forum

I was recently recommended here from the AOA forum because my question couldn't be answered...

Can I feed my GSP cuttlebones? They are those little oval-shaped calcium bars used to grind down the beak and supplement calcium in birds. I read that it won't harm water quality when you use them for aquatic turtles, so why not puffers?

I am asking so, because I fear that I will not be able to provide enough beak trimming material, even though I am breeding snails... I'm new to puffers, so I'm paranoid...

Any help would be appreciated!

Michael L.

You will be lucky if they take any cuttlebone. I personally haven't heard of puffers eating it.
Depending on the amount used and the volume of the water the cuttlebone could alter the chemistry of the water. I use cuttle bone in my snail tank to help increase the 'hardness' of the water.

I guess it is worth a try. I would not leave it in there, but only break off a chunk to feed it. I am getting the puffer today.

There are more then enough hard foods for puffers, I wouldn't even bother trying to give them a cuttle bone... I don't think they'd pay much attention to it and its not a food item. Besides snails you can get shell on shrimp, muscles, crab legs, etc etc etc... please read up on puffer diets here in the library, plenty of options.

GSPdragon wrote:There are more then enough hard foods for puffers, I wouldn't even bother trying to give them a cuttle bone... I don't think they'd pay much attention to it and its not a food item. Besides snails you can get shell on shrimp, muscles, crab legs, etc etc etc... please read up on puffer diets here in the library, plenty of options.

Yep check the article someone has written about 'puffer foods'.Its in the library and also on the Home/ portal page.

Use the cuttlebone in your snail tank instead to make their shells harder, but don't feed it to the GSP directly.

I'd be worried that it would get lodged in his throat or stomach because it's not an easily digestible food item. I doubt he would eat it in the first place, but I wouldn't risk it.

I've never tried it myself, but if the puffer struck at the cuttlebone I'd bet it would just spit it back out. Crunchies need to be wrapped around food by Mother Mature.

is there any need to make the water in you puffer fish tank hard? I don't know if this is necessary or even possible, but I know you do it for snails and wondering...

GSPs are brackish water fish, so the water is by definition both hard. - (high GH) - and alkaline (high KH), plus salty, as it is made up using marine mix.

You would have to specify the specific puffer for us to be able to give an answer that applied to your fish.

I've got 3 F8's.

F-8s are also brackish water fish, but light BW, specific gravity 1.005-1.008, prepared using marine mix. You will also need either a full-range hydrometer (some do notmeasure at low densities) or refractometer to check the density/specific gravity.

I've got the hydrometer and the specific gravity is at like just at 1.005. I add just a little each day to try and get it a bit higher. Also, I have just this milk-carton lookin thing of Aquarium Salt that the lady said would be ok. It looks just like rock salt.

Aquarium salt is not what you need, and is not ok for this purpose. You need to use marine mix. Many lfs employees sell aquarium salt for BW. Sorry you wasted money. How annoying!

As said by lisaslisa, "aquarium salt" (which may be rock salt or any of several other things) is not useful. Brackish water is blend of sea water and freshwater. It is not, ever, freshwater with just sodium chloride added. You must use marine mix to provide the full range of minerals required.

wow, thanks for the heads up. Theyve been doing ok for a bit, but I'm gonna go out and get them the right stuff now, is it ok that i just gradually change them to Marine salt through my weekly 25% - 50% water changes?