Saps - Teeth Trimming

[lilacamy931]

Hello All!

I am looking into getting SAPs after getting my Dward Puffers. There is one aspect I need help with in the UK though. As anyone who has read on SAPs (South American Puffers) knows they are one of the puffers that you will eventually have to trim their teeth even with a daily diet of snails I am told. The average I have read around the net is approximately every 6 months (average). The process requires fish sedative and cuticle cutters to limit the stress and damage to the fish.

My question is on locating fish sedative. Americans seems to use Finquel and Tranquil (please forgive the generalisation) this sedative is also known as MS222. In the UK it only seems to be available online in one place and through prescrip only not to individuals. I will be trying local vets but don't hold out much hope. The other source of sedative know of for puffers is Clove Oil but have read more and more on the damaging effects it can have to the fish leaving some brain damaged or dead. Can anyone give me good reliable sources on either? Puffers having skin over scales seem to be more delicate to this process.

Any tips or sources would be mostly appreciated, also understand to use glass over plastic as plastic can permeate and contain the sedative if used again, giving overdose. May seem early but I am a dedicated researcher before commiting!

 

[kniesh]

I may be way out here an you would definately have to look it up but I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that if you put rocks in the tank they will use this themselves in order to keep their teeth under control.

Looking from another angle it would make sense as where would these fish get the sedatives in the wild, or get anyone to do it for them?

 

[nmonks]

Clove oil is considered a safe sedative by scientists working in the field. See for example Roubach et al, 2002 and Grush et al, 2004. I've used it many times for sedating Colomesus prior to dentistry. Clove oil can also be used to euthanise fish though, and I dare say if used carelessly it could cause sub-lethal damage to your fish.

Cheers, Neale

 

[lilacamy931]

Many thanks for that it is good to know that clove oil if used properly should be the right stuff to use.

Are essential oils what I am afer?
On ebay there are two main tyoes ...essential aromaptherapy oil and one for tooth ache.. take it the tooth ache best?

http/cgi.ebay.co.uk/Clove-oil-for-the-te...%3A1%7C294%3A50

Many thanks!