Fahaka Puffer..so far!

[quasar]

Hey everyone!

So this new year I decided to convert my 125G to be the dedicated home of my new Fahaka puffer, Bloat. There's one roommate for now which is an L096 Pleco (I say for now not because I'm going to add more, mainly I'll remove her if there's trouble).

I got the Puffer on Jan 1 (yes I was that impatient haha). The water quality seems to be immaculate, and since I work from home, and work out from home due to COVID restrictions I've being doing 50-80% WCs almost twice a week. The current filtration situation is 2 AC 110, a HYDRO XL (graded for 120G) sponge filter, and an FX6. The puffer definitely eats well, its belly is almost perpetually full from hunting the snails I put in the tank and the shrimp I feed it. I added some guppies in the tank as well in case the puffer wants to eat some fish (surprisingly the puffer leaves them all alone and I have a massive colony now haha).

My question is about the puffers activity level. Bloat seems to almost always be at the bottom of the tank, and rests under the intake of the FX6. Is this just a normal thing or should I be worried?



Thanks in advance for your advice!

 

[Gunfleet]

That's a pretty sparse tank décor for the little guy. Maybe add some driftwood, floating plants, etc to make him feel more comfortable. I'd also think about some bigger dither fish for him (not expensive ones, of course) One question, what do you keep the tank temperature at?

 

[neko1]

your tank has no visual barriers. Puffers 'need' to be able to keep exploring in a tank. You will see that he will be much more comfortable when the tank is fully stocked with plants and wood. Not a little bit of wood but you really wane put it full with wood or plants so everywhere he swims he can t see whats ahead of him.

 

[quasar]

Thanks for the info! I thought maybe less was better so the puffer had more room. I just bought some decor online and will be able to modify the tank next week when it comes in. I bought 4 x these: https://www.petsandponds.com/en/aquarium-supplies/c200369/c268218/p17066964.html and one of these: https://www.petsandponds.com/en/aquarium-supplies/c200369/p17746849.html

I think that plus the 2 pots should be a good start?

 

[quasar]

Thanks for the info! I thought maybe less was better so the puffer had more room. I just bought some decor online and will be able to modify the tank next week when it comes in. I bought 4 x these: https://www.petsandponds.com/en/aquarium-supplies/c200369/c268218/p17066964.html and one of these: https://www.petsandponds.com/en/aquarium-supplies/c200369/p17746849.html

I think that plus the 2 pots should be a good start?

I also went and bought 2 pieces of Fluval driftwood from Amazon.

 

[neko1]

Thanks for the info! I thought maybe less was better so the puffer had more room. I just bought some decor online and will be able to modify the tank next week when it comes in. I bought 4 x these: https://www.petsandponds.com/en/aquarium-supplies/c200369/c268218/p17066964.html and one of these: https://www.petsandponds.com/en/aquarium-supplies/c200369/p17746849.html

I think that plus the 2 pots should be a good start?

yeah its a good start. But keep in mind that small plants are not really visual barriers since he or she can look over it. Its about blocking sight, and creating new spots to explore.

Nvm didnt read the drift wood part. Thats a great start. i think the puffer is gone be happy .

 

[quasar]

yeah its a good start. But keep in mind that small plants are not really visual barriers since he or she can look over it. Its about blocking sight, and creating new spots to explore.

Nvm didnt read the drift wood part. Thats a great start. i think the puffer is gone be happy .

Ya I posted two separate times so it's on me. I got both actually plants and wood, the plants themselves are pretty big, about 8". But thank you for the advice!

Side note: Does the puffer look ok? I find him to be a little more pale then others I've seen, but I've heard it's just their way of trying to blend into the substrate?

 

[neko1]

Ya I posted two separate times so it's on me. I got both actually plants and wood, the plants themselves are pretty big, about 8". But thank you for the advice!

Side note: Does the puffer look ok? I find him to be a little more pale then others I've seen, but I've heard it's just their way of trying to blend into the substrate?

they are great at camouflage. I had a dragon puffer, sadly had to give him away, but he blended in with the wood ()/turned brown, then when he layed down on the white sand turned yellow white, and when he was under the filter he turned dark.
Also after feeding he always changed a bit of colour.

His eyes look great, sharp, and a lot of colour, no hazy layer on it so he should be perfect. They arent the biggest fan of massive water changes, ammonia should be 0 do since they are very affected by ammonia. But if it is possible you could do less waterchanges in 1 time and see how he reacts to that. (60% or 50 a week). but the pleco and the puffer both are really really messy eaters, so im not sure if you can keep ammonia low with less waterchanges.

 

[quasar]

they are great at camouflage. I had a dragon puffer, sadly had to give him away, but he blended in with the wood ()/turned brown, then when he layed down on the white sand turned yellow white, and when he was under the filter he turned dark.
Also after feeding he always changed a bit of colour.

His eyes look great, sharp, and a lot of colour, no hazy layer on it so he should be perfect. They arent the biggest fan of massive water changes, ammonia should be 0 do since they are very affected by ammonia. But if it is possible you could do less waterchanges in 1 time and see how he reacts to that. (60% or 50 a week). but the pleco and the puffer both are really really messy eaters, so im not sure if you can keep ammonia low with less waterchanges.

Ty for that!

I'm considering selling the Pleco. They don't really fight over food, but the pleco gets aggressive when it decides to steal some shrimp from the Puffer. If it was a regular pleco I wouldn't care as much but the cactus spikes worry me vs the soft squishy puffer.

 

[neko1]

Ty for that!

I'm considering selling the Pleco. They don't really fight over food, but the pleco gets aggressive when it decides to steal some shrimp from the Puffer. If it was a regular pleco I wouldn't care as much but the cactus spikes worry me vs the soft squishy puffer.

wait what ? do u think he is gone eat the puffer? I know that they are carnivorous but i didnt know that they were agressive enough to go after something alive