Jennifer V Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 I want my puffers to have a varied diet, but all they'll eat so far is frozen bloodworms and snails. I've tried frozen brine shrimp and vibra bites. I'm setting up a 5g to breed more snails, but that will take awhile. What else should I try in the meantime? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrozenFins Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 Frozen Blood worms is a stable along with snails. I would also suggest you breed some shrimp in the 5 gallon that you are going to be breeding the snails. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H.K.Luterman Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 Mine is a picky butt and only ever wants snails. During the warm months I give him mosquito larvae and he will eat those pretty readily. Between the frozen bloodworms and snails you're probably fine. If you're really concerned, you could thaw the bloodworms in a few drops of Vita Chem. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandy Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 Mine can't have blood worms because I am so allergic. What I find is that they wont take anything that is not alive. Mine eat snails, live baby brine shrimp, and I assume juvenile neocaridina shrimp. So far they do not seem to eat half grown shrimp or adults. I have tried throwing a scud or two in there but I have yet to see if those colonize or get eaten. Mini ramshorn snails and pond/bladder snails are their favorite, and they will eat snail eggs too. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer V Posted February 23, 2021 Author Share Posted February 23, 2021 32 minutes ago, Brandy said: Mine can't have blood worms because I am so allergic. What I find is that they wont take anything that is not alive. Mine eat snails, live baby brine shrimp, and I assume juvenile neocaridina shrimp. So far they do not seem to eat half grown shrimp or adults. I have tried throwing a scud or two in there but I have yet to see if those colonize or get eaten. Mini ramshorn snails and pond/bladder snails are their favorite, and they will eat snail eggs too. Now that you say that, I did notice all the snail eggs were gone as well, but didn't think anything of it until now. Great to know! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer V Posted February 23, 2021 Author Share Posted February 23, 2021 45 minutes ago, H.K.Luterman said: If you're really concerned, you could thaw the bloodworms in a few drops of Vita Chem. That's an amazing idea! Thank you for the suggestion. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b_ball34 Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 Mine really like hunting Daphnia. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirsten Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 Mine only eats snails and frozen bloodworms and seems happy so far! I've tried adding BBS and he was like what?? is this?? I'm hiding. Won't touch vibrabites, though he's investigated a few times. "Worms?! Oh...no...just some worm-shaped wood or something." I think he's plowed through most of the trumpet snails I've bred in the tank, but they might be hiding in the substrate. So my overfed livebearer tank is doubling as a ramshorn snail farm. Once they get going, they really get going! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElTigre Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 I've been successful in getting my little guys to eat some vibra bites by soaking them with some frozen blood worms while they thaw out. I also ordered some vita chem from the co op just to be safe. Also no need to set up a full tank to breed out some pond/bladder snails. All i do is keep them in a 2 gallon bucket from lowes with a lid on it and some java moss i had covered in algae. All i do is add some flake food and do a small water change once a week and i am able to feed my puffers 6 snails a couple times a week. I like doing it this way as its out of the way and not the most attractive set up for a tank. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emika_B Posted February 23, 2021 Share Posted February 23, 2021 The one I inherited/adopted from a friend would only eat live brine shrimp. I tried frozen wiggled in front of him with an eye dropper and he would just turn his nose. He was cute but he was a picky little thing. So why do I want another one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer V Posted February 24, 2021 Author Share Posted February 24, 2021 6 hours ago, b_ball34 said: Mine really like hunting Daphnia. Where do you get the daphnia and how do you feed it to them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer V Posted February 24, 2021 Author Share Posted February 24, 2021 5 hours ago, Emika_B said: The one I inherited/adopted from a friend would only eat live brine shrimp. I tried frozen wiggled in front of him with an eye dropper and he would just turn his nose. He was cute but he was a picky little thing. So why do I want another one? Where do you get the live brine shrimp and how do you feed your little nugget? They are soooo cute. I didn't realize how picky they are, which I don't mind at all. It's just becoming a routine to hand feed them. The cats, dog and puffers all eat breakfast and dinner together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandy Posted February 24, 2021 Share Posted February 24, 2021 I hatch the brine myself. I have fry to grow so I hatch a lot. But if you just have the one tank, I would do TINY amounts at a time, because it doesn't keep. I would use the little dish hatcher instead of the big hatcher that ACO carries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emika_B Posted February 24, 2021 Share Posted February 24, 2021 Jennifer V - My local fish shop has live brine for purchase. I bought a Critter Keeper (sort of like a tiny plastic fish tank) to keep a colony going. It was actually kinda fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b_ball34 Posted February 24, 2021 Share Posted February 24, 2021 @Jennifer V I have a tub I culture them in, scoop em out with and net and feed with a pipette. No need to rinse because they live in fresh water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leo2o915 Posted February 24, 2021 Share Posted February 24, 2021 Snails snails and Snails lol they love it 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Manifesto Posted February 24, 2021 Share Posted February 24, 2021 I have 2 tanks with pea puffers in them, and I feed frozen bloodworms, live blackworms, and pond snails. I have tried and tried to feed them Vibrabites, but they ain't having it. They also won't eat anything that is frozen other than the bloodworms. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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