Dogface Puffer biting LR & Problem with Wrasse

[contactpsb]

I have a 2yr old Dogface Puffer. Today I watched him diving into the liverock, biting it, over and over and over. I have never witnessed him doing this before and wondered if anyone can explain this behavior. It made me wonder if he is trying to trim down his beak? I read something somewhere about puffers needing their beak trimmed but never found out more, can anyone explain?

He has been alone in the tank for the past 6wks (after his buddies, a panther grouper and a lionfish died). I got him some new tankmates a few days ago, a Lunar Wrasse and a Miniatus Grouper. (pics just uploaded to my gallery). The Wrasse has been picking on my puffer, every time the puffer tries to go poo, the Wrasse zooms in and bites him right in the anal opening trying to grab the poo. My puffer has been hiding under the slab with his tail curled around and his butt in the corner for 3 days cause every time he comes out the Wrasse goes for his butt. Any suggestions? I am going to have to take the Wrasse back if not, cause I won't let my poor puffer get picked on this way.

 

[Fuvibo1]

the dog face will pick on bite on lr because that is what they eat some times. and that is normal

 

[Nitrate]

I had to take my Stars and stripes puffer back to the LFS after I got my LR becasue he was very destructive to it. It is normal behavior and unless you just dont want him biting on the rock then I wouldnt worry about it. It will keep his beak trimmed.

As for the anal fixation your wrasse has, I doubt it will stop harrasing the puffer unless the puffer makes it stop, and short of putting a diaper on the puffer theres not much you could doodoo about it either.

(sorry bad joke)

HTH

 

[Foible]

I'm glad you put this up. I was considering getting a lunar wrasse to go in with my puffer. I might still but I'm going to have a backup tank ready in case it doesn't work.

Regarding puffers biting live rock. There are tasty little critters in it! Totally irresistible. It may have just started because the population of critters might finally have risen to a noticeable amount. Tetradontae all need to chew crunchy stuff to keep their beaks trimmed or eventually their mouth could become incapable of closing around food. You can trim puffer teeth but it's just freaking awful and traumatic to you both.

 

[scuba_steve]

yea lunar wrasse is good for this !! he would do this to my puffer everyday i finally found him a new home