Need help with trimming teeth of Tetraodon schouteden

[professorjimjam]

I do not have a lot of snails to feed my puffers. So they eat mainly earthworms and crickets. The Malaysian snails are too hard for them, they are in tank but puffers cannot break the shells.
Now I noticed something that when they eat earthworms, there are some teeth sounds comes from their teeth as if the teeth’s are rubbed on each other . Also when I see their teeth, they still haven’t blocked the mouth but it seems they are bigger than a year ago. I am thinking of trimming them but I have no experience with such puffer. I have previously trimmed amazon Congo puffer’s teeth without sedation using just the nail cutter and since the amazon puffer teeth are in the outside, it was easy to cut them. But the teeth of Tetraodon schouteden looks very difficult to trim. Because they are very jumpy when they know that I am trying to catch them, plus they puff up, they are already too big cannot be fit inside palm of my hand. The females are around 11 cm long as you can see from the photo.
I am wondering if anyone has any tips or experiences with trimming the teeth of this puffer.

 

[krichardson]

.....are there any Asian supermarkets in your area?...if so you could check them out for different types of snails and other shellfish in the seafood section.

 

[tlindsey]

I do not have a lot of snails to feed my puffers. So they eat mainly earthworms and crickets. The Malaysian snails are too hard for them, they are in tank but puffers cannot break the shells.
Now I noticed something that when they eat earthworms, there are some teeth sounds comes from their teeth as if the teeth’s are rubbed on each other . Also when I see their teeth, they still haven’t blocked the mouth but it seems they are bigger than a year ago. I am thinking of trimming them but I have no experience with such puffer. I have previously trimmed amazon Congo puffer’s teeth without sedation using just the nail cutter and since the amazon puffer teeth are in the outside, it was easy to cut them. But the teeth of Tetraodon schouteden looks very difficult to trim. Because they are very jumpy when they know that I am trying to catch them, plus they puff up, they are already too big cannot be fit inside palm of my hand. The females are around 11 cm long as you can see from the photo.
I am wondering if anyone has any tips or experiences with trimming the teeth of this puffer. View attachment 1509388View attachment 1509387View attachment 1509389

Deadeye

 

[Deadeye]

Could you try to get a close pic of the mouth? Hard to make out how big the teeth are.
Try crushing some trumpet snails and feeding it to them.
For cutting teeth, at the end of the day it would likely be the same process as amazons, though you’d have to be even more careful and precise due to the placement of the teeth. Sedation would be required using clove oil (or MS-222 if you can get your hands on it).

 

[professorjimjam]

.....are there any Asian supermarkets in your area?...if so you could check them out for different types of snails and other shellfish in the seafood section.

I am in denmark, so rarely I could find any Asian shop who sell snails

 

[professorjimjam]

Could you try to get a close pic of the mouth? Hard to make out how big the teeth are.
Try crushing some trumpet snails and feeding it to them.
For cutting teeth, at the end of the day it would likely be the same process as amazons, though you’d have to be even more careful and precise due to the placement of the teeth. Sedation would be required using clove oil (or MS-222 if you can get your hands on it).

I will try to take a video when they eat and I see some good visible teeth’s I will post here. The look big to me. In regard to the clove oil, I saw some bad side effects on my amazons almost 2 years ago and I never used it again. I do not know what is MS 222 but I will search for it
Thanks

 

[krichardson]

I am in denmark, so rarely I could find any Asian shop who sell snails

Ah,sorry....member's locations used to be visible right underneath the username,not sure why that was changed.

 

[Deadeye]

I will try to take a video when they eat and I see some good visible teeth’s I will post here. The look big to me. In regard to the clove oil, I saw some bad side effects on my amazons almost 2 years ago and I never used it again. I do not know what is MS 222 but I will search for it
Thanks

MS-222 is a fish sedative - it’s pretty hard to get for regular hobbyists though.

 

[professorjimjam]

Thanks

 

[professorjimjam]

Dear All
Here is the video of the teeth.
I feel like the teeth are big that is why the worm comes out and goes on and then comes out again.
But maybe I am wrong so I appreciate your advise