Valentini Puffer Live Foods

[Fisker]

I just got a ValentinI Puffer! I'm very excited about the little guy, as I've wanted one for quite a long time. I've always heard to not feed saltwater fish freshwater fish - don't feed freshwater feeders to saltwater predators, due to some sort of fat imbalance or something like that. Does that apply to feeding freshwater inverts to saltwater fish? Could I feed this guy ghost shrimp and pond snails on occasion for live foods? Or should I steer away from feeding anything from freshwater? He'll be getting frozen shrimp, clams, live hermit crabs, etc., but I think being able to feed something as easy and cheap as ghost shrimp and pond snails would be pretty great.

 

[richiep]

Theres a little information on feeding I found. It seems they are fed saltwater crustaceans

 

[Fisker]

Thanks, but I'm aware of what their natural diet consists of. What I'm asking is if I can substitute an occasional live freshwater item instead of buying an expensive saltwater live food. Plus, I'd imagine any diseases a freshwater invert might carry would struggle to survive in saltwater, reducing the risk of getting my fish sick.

So, instead of feeding turbo snails or hermit crabs, could I feed ramshorn and pond snails, with some ghost shrimp mixed in? Will that cause digestion problems?

 

[richiep]

Ok misread that, what I'm reading and I don't keep marine but it seems they are fed food from their natural environment, if you were to feed ghost shrimp and pond or ramshorn snails they would certainly die because of the salt and if uneaten would they pollute your tank, one person that may answer correctly is
grantm91
I've tagged him to come along and and maybe shine some light on this for you

 

[Jesterrace]

Thanks, but I'm aware of what their natural diet consists of. What I'm asking is if I can substitute an occasional live freshwater item instead of buying an expensive saltwater live food. Plus, I'd imagine any diseases a freshwater invert might carry would struggle to survive in saltwater, reducing the risk of getting my fish sick.

So, instead of feeding turbo snails or hermit crabs, could I feed ramshorn and pond snails, with some ghost shrimp mixed in? Will that cause digestion problems?

Yes it is possible. In point of fact Freshwater Mysis is often used in frozen marine foods as the cornerstone of a healthy diet. This is the Mysis in question:



Ghost Shrimp may or may not provide sustenance to the puffer. It's often recommended to do clam on the half shell with them as this helps wear down their ever growing beaks which is crucial with puffers. What you could do is go with Nerite Snails as they can live in both freshwater and saltwater and aren't super expensive to buy (certainly cheaper than Turbo Snails).


BTW here is my Reef Frenzy frozen marine food and you can see the mysis listed in the ingredients:

 

[Fisker]

Thanks! I wouldn't be offering him ghost shrimp daily or anything, but more as a treat, I guess. They'd be gut-loaded, too.

I do have some clams on the half shell, and while he did eat the meat, he completely avoided the shell. I'm sure there's a chance he accidentally hit it with his beak while he was eating, but I never saw it happen. I threw in a pond snail, and while he went after it, he couldn't bite through the top of the shell, and lost interest. I ended up crushing it and then he ate it shell and all. I'll try some nerites, gut-loaded ghost shrimp, and some ramshorns to see what he has luck with. It may end up just be something he has to learn to hunt effectively.

Thanks again!