where to buy afordable Freshwater Mullosks as food for Puffers?

[screaminleeman]

I have read that the Puffers need shellfish to maintain their beaks. I have googled, visited the MFK vendor section, checked out Aquabid and have still not found a source of affordable mullosks for Puffer food.

It seems that the freshwater Golden clam is about the least expensive I have found and that is still a whopping $3 - $4 apiece!!!

Am I to understand that this is a standard "going rate" for feeding our Puffers hardshell Mullosks? You guys and gals must all be rich if that is the case!

Does anyone know of suppliers of these mullosks at more afordable prices as feed rather then pets?

 

[The1and only]

When I had my MBU I had a separate 10 gallon with a sponge filter, heater and some acrylic rod that went from the bottom of the tank to out of the water. It contained snails like you would buy at petco. I put a couple in and they breed like crazy once they get going.

I also bought a bunch of pond clams off ebay and had them in a QT tank for a few weeks before feeding them. The problem I had with the clams was I had to culture water to feed them.

I think the best way would be if you could have a tank in direct sun light in front of a window. Like a 40b and put in some snails and clams and let them breed. Just a basic sponge filter and heater would do it.

 

[kevinfleming21]

local asain markets, goldmines!

 

[Pufferpunk]

Your local grocery store produce dept.

 

[J-P]

produce?? you mean seafood no?

 

[screaminleeman]

Your local grocery store produce dept.

I,ve thought about the "small" cherrystone or baby longneck clams that I see in the grocery stores, but they are at least twice the size of my puffers.

 

[xrayjeeper83]

Ya I just got baby longnecks. Let your puff eat till he has a nice belly and then take the clam out

 

[knifegill]

What's wrong with snails?

 

[Pufferpunk]

They can carry parasites unless QTed, frozen or bred yourself. Mussells are pretty small. Crack them open & let the puffers eat the meat out, scraping their teeth on the inside shell for trimming. Remove excess when the puffers are full. You can also get pieces of crab legs & sm people shrimp with the shell on.

 

[geronimo69]

When I had my MBU I had a separate 10 gallon with a sponge filter, heater and some acrylic rod that went from the bottom of the tank to out of the water. It contained snails like you would buy at petco. I put a couple in and they breed like crazy once they get going.

I also bought a bunch of pond clams off ebay and had them in a QT tank for a few weeks before feeding them. The problem I had with the clams was I had to culture water to feed them.

I think the best way would be if you could have a tank in direct sun light in front of a window. Like a 40b and put in some snails and clams and let them breed. Just a basic sponge filter and heater would do it.

If you're going to get a 40b for puffer food, I suggest getting a few marmorkrebs. They will "breed" like crazy and are great puffer food. The are hard shelled and you can feed them all types of veggies so you know your puffer is getting good stuff.