Snack Foods for Pufferfish

Pufferfish belong to the Tetraodontidae family and require a meat-based diet to remain healthy. Unlike other species of pet fish, puffers do not eat commercial flake or pellet food. Their staple diet consists of fresh or frozen bloodworm, brine shrimp and a variety of molluscs and crustaceans, but you can add shellfish to the menu as a snack. Puffers enjoy hunting live prey and you can provide your pet with a tasty treat to encourage natural hunting behavior between meals.

  1. Snails

    • Snails are a pest in most aquarium setups, but if you have a puffer it is unlikely that you have a problem. All species of pufferfish love water snails and a handful of appropriately sized snails in your tank provides hours of fun for your pet, whether you have a tiny dwarf pea puffer or a large figure eight. Pet stores are often happy to give you snails from their tanks without charge, so ask around for free contributions before parting with money for what are essentially a nuisance to fish-keepers. Drop the snails into the water and allow your pet to find his own snack food. Some puffers consume the shell and contents in one bite, others leave the shell and remove the meat.

    Krill and Prawns

    • Dried krill is often part of a pufferfish's staple diet, but fresh or frozen krill Superba are a juicy alternative that your pufferfish will relish as a treat. If you don't like the idea of your fish pursuing live creatures around the aquarium, frozen whole prawns provide a meaty snack and they are readily available from a regular shop's fish counter. Ensure the prawns are uncooked and blue-gray in color, not pink.

    Shellfish

    • Large species of pufferfish can eat cockles or muscles, including the shell, but dwarf varieties love shellfish, too. Pet stores sell packs of mixed seafood for carnivorous fish containing a variety of shelled frozen shellfish, suitable for all sizes of pufferfish. Frozen, whole seafood is a great way to give your pet shellfish in its natural form.

    Warnings

    • Even small species of pufferfish enjoy picking at a whole scallop or shelled cockle as a treat, but be prepared for a large amount of waste regardless of the size of your pet. Puffers are notoriously messy eaters so net out any remaining food immediately after a snack session. Always defrost frozen food thoroughly before feeding your puffer.