Will my Fiji puffer be nice to a star?

[FishRFrndsNotFd]

Or do you think he will eat stars like he likes to eat blue-legged hermit crabs??

Thanks!

 

[TCTFish]

He will eat the stars like he likes to eat blue legged hermit crabs and red legged hermit crabs and actually any color legged hermit crab...lol. I don't think there's a single invert out there safe from a puffer including snails.

 

[FishRFrndsNotFd]

I have gotten lucky with the smaller crabs...they are quick to go into their shells and then puffer just swims away. I lost two blue leg crabs, I think, because they were big and maybe not as cautious as the smaller crabs....BAD puffer!

 

[TCTFish]

The smaller ones may be hard to see move. Puffers are triggered by movement just as any other predator. Those teeth will crush just about any shell big or small. Damn puffers...LOL. A great treat for any fish with teeth like that is cockle in the shell. It's a type of musscle or clam. They love it and allows them to use their teeth for what they were meant for. For the most part, I say it's just luck that the others haven't been preyed upon...yet.

 

[FishRFrndsNotFd]

I haven't yet seen him nip at their shells or anything...I'm keeping my fingers crossed...

where might I find cockle in the shell? gee, maybe I don't want to teach him how to find yummy food-in-the-shell?

 

[TCTFish]

A LFS should have it or be able to order it for you. I'm trying to remember the company name. Gamma Foods. I believe that's it.

gee, maybe I don't want to teach him how to find yummy food-in-the-shell?

That may not matter. He's a saltwater fish straight from the ocean. Not like he's captive bred. He already knows there can be yummies in a shell...LOL. There is cockle without the shell if you prefer. They do love it. It provides proteins I'm sure they can't get from fish, shrimp, and pellets. Adds a nice variety to their diet.

 

[FishRFrndsNotFd]

I will look for that, thanks.