The Puffer Forum

Hi All
Well today I finally plucked up the courage to clip my F8's teeth as her food is getting stuck when she eats and she definately looks a bit toothy now!!
I made sure I had all the right gear, read up on the article and was ready to go,
I got through my first hurdle of getting the puffer out of the tank and into the clove oil pot, but after a minute she was slower but still very much awake!! I added one more drop of oil and she slowed down even more but still didn't roll over onto her back!
I lifted her out and was trying hard to hold her and the clippers and to put her lip back at the same time when she woke up!!!!!
At that point I gave up, put her in the recovery bowl for a few mins and then put her back into her tank.
She is quite happy and tucking into food right now!!
I have decided to leave her another week and then have another go.
Any tips for a more successful attempt next time?? I am thinking about using 4 drops of the clove oil as they were tiny drops which came out of the bottle. I don't have any help to hold her for me as none of my friends are brave enough!!!!
I feel a bit of a failure right now
Sue

Maybe your oil is diluted more that the oil we get here in the states.

I know how nervous you must have been, the day is approaching when I will have to do this (because there is clearly no such thing as a ramshorn snail down here). You should not feel like a failure, most ppl would not take the time to even notice the teeth were overgrown, so you have gone above and beyong in my book. Just be patient and work carefully (not too slow or it will wake up again).

try asking your LFS for "Nuissance Snails"

I did and I got a whole bag full of them.

Just make sure they aren't MTS.

Strike2. I had the same problem. You should just order baby ramshorns from Wilma and they'll start breeding pretty quick.

I give her snails, even breed my own but obviously it hasn't been enough as she hasn't been able to crush them for a while now so I crush them for her. I think her teeth are beyond hard food keeping them short now but as soon as I have managed to clip them for her, I will up the crunchy food
Thanks
Sue

Apocalyptictoast wrote:Strike2. I had the same problem. You should just order baby ramshorns from Wilma and they'll start breeding pretty quick.

Who is wilma?

I actually had someone who's faint of heart, bring me her puffer for some dentistry yesterday!

Just a thought and probably a very silly one , but would the fact that my fish lives in light brackish water ( about 1.004)affect the clove oil, and could that possibly be the reason why I might need to use a little more??
Sue

I wouldn;t have thought so.

Did you mix the clove oil in very thoroughly? It takes a few minutes of shaking for it to emulsify whenever I've used it.

maybe thats where I went wrong then!!!
I also seemed to need another hand!!! How do you hold the fish and pull the mouth slightly open and clip at the same time??? I was all fingers and thumbs and terrified of hurting her, so when she woke up I totally freaked out and gave up!!!!!
I think I am going to be even more nervous next time!
Sue

Yes, you must stir thoroughly, or airate w/an airstone.