Mbu Puffer

[bluenoze85]

After doing quite a bit of research over the internet it seems that there is very little information available about this puffer.
I know all about the tank space they need but there are just a few little questions i would like answered if anyone can help?

the main question i have is how often to feed the puffer while it is a juvinile and how much to feed?

And is there any plec to control the algae that is capable of living with this puffer?

 

[severum boy]

Young Mbu's will feed on cockle, frozen prawn and most meaty frozen foods. When it gets adult try cockle and pieces of inexpensive fish like mackerel. You could feed it daily until it gets 10", then every other day. Feed until its belly becomes quite large. If this belly does not thin down over a few hours, leave it an extra day befor you feed him again. As for plecs, it really depends on the puffer. With such an intelligent fish they have personalities, some are agressive, others are peaseful. Indeed, i know of one individual who lives with a 3" rainbowfish after the rainbowfishes parents laid eggs in java moss, then this was moved into the mbus tank. But assuming the mbu is peaceful, then any large sailfin or 'Gibbie' would be ok, but make shure the plec is over a foot so it stands a chance if thigs get nasty.

 

[mr williams]

My mbu is a juvenille and lives very happily in my setup. He eats frozen cockel mussel and prawns. He is also a big fan of spirulina tablets. He ate some crab stick once, then never again.....

He point blank refused any chunks of fish.

I am re housing my bala sharks an possibly the ocars as one thing he doesn't like is competetion for his food.

My smallest oscar (horus) has a scar on his face that is testament to this.

 

[Talkmuch]

Generally, for mbu, u feed them the rgular, bloodworms, cockle, frozen prawn, ect.
Then when they get about 5-7", and some big (not the tiny) snails in there. Thats one of their favorite. Once they're 10"+ start adding live food, such as crawfish.

 

[Fella]

Generally, for mbu, u feed them the rgular, bloodworms, cockle, frozen prawn, ect.
Then when they get about 5-7", and some big (not the tiny) snails in there. Thats one of their favorite. Once they're 10"+ start adding live food, such as crawfish.

No need to add live food, you could simply feed cockles in shells, or dead shelled prawns if you'd prefer. Buying live I imagine would become quite expensive...

 

[bluenoze85]

thanks a bunch for all the replies!

 

[Talkmuch]

Yes, i agree u dont have to, but generally you should. Depending on you, maybe once a month, or once a week.
But its really amazing to watch, and definately healthy (i dont mean feeder fish.) In the wild, they eat live food, so usually you give them an occasional crawfish or snails as a treat.
Somewhere in this forum there is a thread with a puffer eating a crawfish, and most likely after seeing it you'll wanna c ur puffer do that

 

[DarkEntity]

Im assuming if you have an Mbu Puffer that you have a seriously large tank. Its recommended that you have a 1000Gall tank for a fully grown Mbu.

You should have a look at The Puffer Forum.

 

[mr williams]

Im assuming if you have an Mbu Puffer that you have a seriously large tank. Its recommended that you have a 1000Gall tank for a fully grown Mbu.

You should have a look at The Puffer Forum.

my mbu is in a 400l and is 4in at the mo.

I plan to move him into a new home twice this size in a year, I belive 1000 gal is a bit ott. I will get the biggest tank I can fit in my new house I promise (girlfriend permitting).

 

[Fella]

Yes, i agree u dont have to, but generally you should. Depending on you, maybe once a month, or once a week.
But its really amazing to watch, and definately healthy (i dont mean feeder fish.) In the wild, they eat live food, so usually you give them an occasional crawfish or snails as a treat.
Somewhere in this forum there is a thread with a puffer eating a crawfish, and most likely after seeing it you'll wanna c ur puffer do that

I disagree that you need live food to enjoy watching your puffer feed.
http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=HX6y-TFReG4

These is my fangs puffer eating a cockle on a skewer. That's plenty enough entertainment for anyone I think.

 

[Talkmuch]

Some links with puffer eating live food:

http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAAsg75PaQc

http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAefllC5xzs...ted&search=

http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BKc25PCeXI...ted&search=

http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hp6d_5AW_AI...ted&search=

 

[Fella]

Some links with puffer eating live food:

http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAAsg75PaQc

http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAefllC5xzs...ted&search=

http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BKc25PCeXI...ted&search=

http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hp6d_5AW_AI...ted&search=

The third video you have posted, of a tetraodon nigroviridis is a good example of exactly not what to feed puffers. GSP's do not eat other fish as part of their staple diet in the wild, they eat molluscs. Feeder fish are not recommended for any puffer, they would not make up a reasonable diet.

I still maintain that you do not have to feed puffers live food. In the instance of the GSP, it is actually bad for the fish to feed it another live fish.

 

[OohFeeshy]

I agree with Fella. Live contains no more nutritional value than dead, is more expensive and can lead to ad eating habits (such as only eating live). Besides which, feeder shrimp are the most commonly used live food. Yes, fine as a treat, but they are of little value nutritionally and don't live very long. And often, the puffer will eat the food before even noticing whether it was living or dead at the time- in all those vids, the puffer would have attacked even if the cray was frozen. It doesn't add much enjoyment for the puffer- it's simply a way of fufilling your own strange sense of what is entertaining.

 

[Talkmuch]

I agree with Fella. Live contains no more nutritional value than dead, is more expensive and can lead to ad eating habits (such as only eating live). Besides which, feeder shrimp are the most commonly used live food. Yes, fine as a treat, but they are of little value nutritionally and don't live very long. And often, the puffer will eat the food before even noticing whether it was living or dead at the time- in all those vids, the puffer would have attacked even if the cray was frozen. It doesn't add much enjoyment for the puffer- it's simply a way of fufilling your own strange sense of what is entertaining.

Like i said, live food only as a treat. Maybe once a month or week. Yes, you can keep a puffer alive and fine with frozen food. It depends mainly on the person who owns the puffer. Generally, in most situations, most owners do feed live food, but on an occasion, for variety. Puffers afterall do eat live food in the wild. Just cause they're in the aquarium, and we dont like seeing other fish eat other live food, doesn't mean we shouldn't give them a treat once in a while.
Anyways, thhis topic live food vs. frozen food has been discused many times. Enough said. Every fishkeeper keeps his fish in his own way.
And yes i agree with you that live fish should not be given to puffers. Foolish on my part to post the link.

 

[Gnatfish]

I disagree that you need live food to enjoy watching your puffer feed.
http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=HX6y-TFReG4

These is my fangs puffer eating a cockle on a skewer. That's plenty enough entertainment for anyone I think.

I saw that a while ago. Didn't realise it was your puffer!!! Tis pretty cool!