The Puffer Forum

Hey guys,

Recently I bought squid frozen food for my puffers. It was the first time I try this. Usually I bought planktons, brine shrimp, and blood worms. So I gave the squid to them and they kind of like nibbing it a bit and stop eating them. If I peel it in a little piece chunk small enough so they don't have to chew, they love it.

Do you guys know why?

Thanks

My guess is they aren't used to it. The other foods you are feeding are small enough that little or no chewing is required. I'd keep trying though, they'll get used to it.

So yesterday I tried to give them squid again, they started eating it but it took them like 1 hour to finish it. They like chew it a bit then leave it and then come back later. Not like when I gave them plankton they just finish the thing in a minute or so.

I usually give them a cube of frozen food. I got three puffers in 60 gallon tank now. That should be the right amount, right? Do you guys defrost the food before feeding them?

Yes, it should be defrosted first, and rinsed/strained if necessary. What I used to do with my GSP when I was starting to train him to eat something other than blackworms was clip a piece of defrosted shell-on shrimp to the tank using a food clip. He'd munch on it periodically throughout the day. I'd put it in the tank in the morning and remove it at night before it had a chance to rot. Then after a couple of months, all I had to do was offer the shrimp and he'd immediately start attacking it.

Hey, that's a really good idea. Thanks again. I would probably start to train them to eat shrimp too. I never done that before.

That size tank is OK for now, as they are juvies but they will require 30g eash as 6" adults.