Picky Mbu Puffer feeding advice

[Daily_Scrolling]

Hi all, I have lurked for quite some time and would like to finally ask a question. I recently purchased a Mbu puffer 2 months ago around 6 inches. While eating readily and has a great appetite, the Mbu only goes for clams! Surf clams, razor clams, mussels etc.

Unfortunately it has denied shrimp (shelled and unshelled) and squid. Unfortunately crayfish are unreliable from where I’m from and I don’t want to introduce parasites from live snail orders.

I did however preordered a pack of frozen baby crabs to try out. Awaiting delivery!
I’d like to have some advice on what other foods I can feed the picky little Mbu for a more wholesome diet.

 

[Deadeye]

Welcome to the forum!
One of the easiest ways to get a puffer to eat is with live food - most won’t resist that. If you can get some earthworms or crickets, it may go after them (can be gotten from your lawn if no pesticides are used nearby).
You can hold the food on a stick or in tongs and wiggle it around to make it look alive, that may entice the puffer to eat.

 

[Daily_Scrolling]

Welcome to the forum!
One of the easiest ways to get a puffer to eat is with live food - most won’t resist that. If you can get some earthworms or crickets, it may go after them (can be gotten from your lawn if no pesticides are used nearby).
You can hold the food on a stick or in tongs and wiggle it around to make it look alive, that may entice the puffer to eat.

Thank you!
Yes, that does make a lot of sense! My father has an aquarium with an Asian Arowana. That fellow loves dubia roaches! I’ll probably give those a try as well. The LFS I go to stocks feeder crickets and they’re quite cheap. Imma try some of these tricks.

My Mbu seems to quickly be able to tell what’s a tong/forcep hahahaha I’ve tried the wriggling trick with the shrimp. He just comes makes his cute googly eyes and leaves 🥹

 

[Daily_Scrolling]

Welcome to the forum!
One of the easiest ways to get a puffer to eat is with live food - most won’t resist that. If you can get some earthworms or crickets, it may go after them (can be gotten from your lawn if no pesticides are used nearby).
You can hold the food on a stick or in tongs and wiggle it around to make it look alive, that may entice the puffer to eat.

Mini update! So yes the puffer has tried dubia roaches though not so enthusiastically. That’s a nice step in the right direction. Thanks for the tip!

them frozen crabs were a ****e product. Half of em were not really fresh. Gonna be shopping for more shelled foods in the future.

 

[Deadeye]

One thing I feed is flukers river shrimp - it gets refrigerated and is exactly what it sounds like.
My Amazon puffers were never big enough to eat them, but the mbu should be.