I got a 2 inch fahaka I just picked up a few days ago. I put him in my 55 gallon tank planted tank that was infested with snails. Now 2 days later my tank is snail free. I thought the snails would live a little bit longer than that, but the puffer isn't messing around! What do you guys recommend to feed a shy baby puffer that is relatively cheap. I was thinking of chopping up some shrimp and trying to keep a bit of the shell on for him. I know they need hard shell stuff, but I am not too worried about it yet because he is still so small.
Best food for a baby Fahaka?
- Thread starter DrUgS
- Start date
I have a fahaka similar in size...I've fed him frozen bloodworms and ghost shrimp mostly. I've been trying to get him to come to the top of the tank to get some freeze dried krill but no luck yet. I think next time I'm at the lfs I'm going to get some whole frozen krill and try that. I tried to get him to take a red clawed crab today...he just kinda looked at it and circled it for a while. he did go in for one bite but I don't think he got anything.
I don't think his hunting instinct has quite set in yet.
I don't think his hunting instinct has quite set in yet.
If you want to feed live get FEEDER Grass shrimp (same as ghost just bigger) they are much cheaper and bigger.
I'm feeding mine once every 2-4 days (depending on how much his stomach indicates digestion) (and he's about 2.5-3") individual pieces (up to 3, but usually just one) of krill, live earthworms from the backyard (MAKE SURE your yard isn't treated with pesticides, herbicides, weed killer, roundup, etc. Otherwise just go to a petstore or baitshop and buy worms there), canadian mysis shrimp (small chunk), live small mussell (I did this ONCE so far using a really small mussell (about 1-2"), and I had to crack it open since the puffer wasn't about to crack it himself yet), or live SMALL (finger nail size) snail...
So far as dead foods go he loves the krill the best. As far as live...guess. The snails... I only fed that ONCE though. I bought 4 "mystery snails" all bigger than the puffers head for $2 each thinking that they would be EVENTUAL food for the puffer. The puffer destroyed all of them in less than 20 minutes... He was a very fat and happy puffer for the next 3 days .
I'm feeding mine once every 2-4 days (depending on how much his stomach indicates digestion) (and he's about 2.5-3") individual pieces (up to 3, but usually just one) of krill, live earthworms from the backyard (MAKE SURE your yard isn't treated with pesticides, herbicides, weed killer, roundup, etc. Otherwise just go to a petstore or baitshop and buy worms there), canadian mysis shrimp (small chunk), live small mussell (I did this ONCE so far using a really small mussell (about 1-2"), and I had to crack it open since the puffer wasn't about to crack it himself yet), or live SMALL (finger nail size) snail...
So far as dead foods go he loves the krill the best. As far as live...guess
. The snails... I only fed that ONCE though. I bought 4 "mystery snails" all bigger than the puffers head for $2 each thinking that they would be EVENTUAL food for the puffer. The puffer destroyed all of them in less than 20 minutes... He was a very fat and happy puffer for the next 3 days .
Please be sure to gut-load any shrimp you may feed your puffer.
they contain mostly water.
http://www.**************.com/forum/library/category/feeding/
they contain mostly water.
http://www.**************.com/forum/library/category/feeding/
(in addition to the suggestion of gutloading)Pufferpunk;4029261;4029261 said:
Good foods for gutloading grass/glass/ghost shrimp:
Shrimp meal
Krill meal
Powdered Spirulina
You can find Krill Powder and Spirulina Powder here:
http://jehmco.com/html/powders__spirulina___plankton.html
Personally when i gut load shrimp i try to gut load them with greens rather than "meaty" food since for the most part puffers don't get much greens (unless they eat pellets with lots of green in them)...
Other than that defrosted scallops or mussels usually work as well... but if your having problems getting your puffer to eat, i would suggest getting some aquarium tweezers/tongs and hold it on the end till your puffer eats...
Also works as a good way to condition your puffer so that when it sees the tongs/tweezers it realizes that food is on the end of it and goes in for a bite...
Other than that defrosted scallops or mussels usually work as well... but if your having problems getting your puffer to eat, i would suggest getting some aquarium tweezers/tongs and hold it on the end till your puffer eats...
Also works as a good way to condition your puffer so that when it sees the tongs/tweezers it realizes that food is on the end of it and goes in for a bite...
Off topic but Homer I see on your signature that you have Paratilapia polleni. Do you have the large spot or small spot variety? Nice fish... At least that species will never leave the hobby...can't say the same about the other madagascans though... 