Last night, I finally did what I've been putting off - I trimmed the teeth on "Buckey" - my S. A. pufferfish. This is what I did. I took two shoebox size plastic containers and filled them with water from the aquarium. I put an airline in each of them. In one I added 3 drops of pure clove oil. I used a net and cup to catch the puffer - so he wouldn't be exposed to air (I didn't want to risk him inflating with air). I put him in the clove oil container. Within 5 minutes he had stopped moving his fins - he was under. I took a new pair of cuticle trimmers and tried to trim his teeth. This was very difficult. It is so hard to get at their tiny teeth and not hurt them. I spent a few minutes trying to do this. I repeatedly dunked him in the water to keep him nice and wet. When I gave up trying to get the teeth cut further back I put him in the other container. Within a few minutes he was moving his fins again and another few minutes after that he began to swim. I left him in this container for about 30 minutes so he could fully get his bearings back. I also put some small snails in there with him - hoping he might eat them. I am trying to fatten him up. He ate at least one and continued to peck at the others. I finally put him back in his aquarium with a bunch of snails of various sizes and he proceeded to munch away on the snails. He actually used his teeth - and didn't just suck the snails out as usual. So, I'm hoping with continued snail feeding I won't have to trim his teeth again. Oh, I also added Stress Coat to the aquarium and his recovery container. I'm hoping it will help with the trauma of being handled. So far so good - we'll see how he is doing tonight.
