The Puffer Forum

I've recently purchased an SAP, and he is more interested in swimming up and down the mirror at the back of the tank than he is in eating those tasty bloodworms. I was just wondering if anyone had any ideas about how to make him stop chasing himself?

Also, his teeth are already quite large, i've dropped a few snails in but he hasn't gone for them yet either, just wondering if he eventually will, or will i have to sort his teeth myself?

Or shall i try other shelled foods? He is only about an inch at the moment.

Thanks.

SAPs are very hyper-active fish and commonly do the glass-wall boogie without interruption for extended periods of time. Providing a complex environment such as with heavy planting and driftwood overhangs/caves will be much more engaging to the fish, and it will likely spend more time actively hunting.

Tooth overgrowth is a major concern for SAPs, moreso than any other freshwater or brackish species. A regular diet of snails is suggested. You may have to crush the shell to get the little guy interested at first. If the upper teeth extend considerably below the upper lip, it's probably time for a trim. If the fish cannot eat, it is definitely time for a trim.

I'd stick with snails for now ... Crush them between tweezers and wiggle them about near the surface.

It does sound like his teeth are ready for trimming. this may be why he isn't eating. Read the sticky on this process at the top of this forum.

And possibly increase the current in the tank?

I saw him snaffle a couple of bloodworms yesterday, but still no snails, which is quite worrying, i did the crush and wiggle thing aswell but to no avail, i think i may need to trim his teeth.

I've read the topic on it, but is it easy to do the first time? as i'm quite nervous about it.

Also, what will increasing the current do? It's quite strong at the moment but do they need a really strong one?

Increasing the current in most tanks induces SAPs to exercise (what their wall-nosing is in part) in the current. If you already have good current, it likely will not help.

Is this a singleton? If so, he may be just trying to join the other SAP in the mirror in order to school. (I re-read the original post, missed that first round - oops! Sorry.)

i've actually noticed he's swimming mear the top where the current is strongest, so i'll try increasing it and see how it goes.

he is a singleton, i was going to buy 2, but didn't think there'd be room in the tank, even though the guy said "you can easily get 6 in a 20 gallon tank"

on a lighter note, i fed him today and he ate quite alot so that's made me a bit happier, still no snails though so i think i will have to trim his teeth.

he's also still leaving the 3 shrimp alone that were in there, i'm still expecting them to go soon, but for now they're coexisting quite happily!

thanks for the help guys!

My SAP's does the same thing.

What I did was place some driftwood (some I placed diagonally against the glass) so that they can wander in them.

Regarding snails, I observe that SAP's have hard time finding them when they're not climbing the tank wall. So I drop a few flake food which settled in the surface and sticks to glass where the snails eat it.
After that, Voila ! my puffers are full. Some snails don't even reach the water surface and gets ambushed by the puffs.

Hope this helps.

Just a little update,

Billy (as named by my mother "because he's on his own") is doing just fine, he's stopped swimming up and down the back wall and started investigating a bit more.

He's also eating a lot better, almost all the bloodworms i put in for him go and also he's started eating snails which makes me a lot happier as i can put off cutting his teeth till he's a little bigger.

One question though, can sap's and dwarfs live together? or is it one of those things that depends on the fish you get? as i'd like to get him a friend but i don't think there's room for another sap...

When SAPs are eeding normally, they out-compete the DPs badly. The DPs seem to always eye the food, examining it carefully and thoroughly before eating. By the time they decide to eat, there would be nothing left with a SAP around. I would not pair them myself.

Is it 20 UK gallon or US? Billy no-mates makes you sound like you're in the UK...is 20 UK gallons big enough for 2 SAPs?
Pami.

Yeah in UK. In Middlesbrough, you have no idea how hard it was to get a freshwater puffer that's not a mbu or a fahaka up here.

Ripper wrote:Yeah in UK. In Middlesbrough, you have no idea how hard it was to get a freshwater puffer that's not a mbu or a fahaka up here.

tell me about it, I've had to mail order 2 SAPs from trimar. I took back my GSP after I found out it should of been brackish when its older, and the dwarves were so small.

Will 20 UK gallons be big enough for 2 SAPs, or is there not enough difference?
Pami.

The 20 Imperial gallons is almost 24 US gallons, and should be fine for two SAPs, depending on footprint (longer is better than taller) and complexity with swimming space and current. Did I put enough hedges in that sentence?