Fahaka puffer in a standard 125 gallon?

[BIG-G]

I take it a fahaka puffer just isn't going to be ok in a 125? So he is out all together?

No not necessarily , in the end it's up to you. A lot of people ask for what fish for this size tank or that size tank. I feel it's up to me as a fellow fish keeper to give my best opinion as to what the long term care for an animal might be.
The width of the 125 and the possible full grown size of the animal is to closely matched to say.
Some will say that you can keep fish in smaller than recommended aquariums as long as you do the corresponding maintenance.
Seriously Fish says min tank size for a fahaka is 48x24x24 which is 120 gallons
Its the tank dimensions that are critical in this situation.

 

[MistyDawn1214]

No not necessarily , in the end it's up to you. A lot of people ask for what fish for this size tank or that size tank. I feel it's up to me as a fellow fish keeper to give my best opinion as to what the long term care for an animal might be.
The width of the 125 and the possible full grown size of the animal is to closely matched to say.
Some will say that you can keep fish in smaller than recommended aquariums as long as you do the corresponding maintenance.
Seriously Fish says min tank size for a fahaka is 48x24x24 which is 120 gallons
Its the tank dimensions that are critical in this situation.

Yeah, it's the dimensions that I didn't think about when we first decided on one, because likewise I was seeing alot of places saying min 120/125.

It wasn't until I was doing extra research about their care before we bought him that I noticed the dimensions being a key factor.

 

[Def Leppard Hysteria]

Yeah, it's the dimensions that I didn't think about when we first decided on one, because likewise I was seeing alot of places saying min 120/125.

It wasn't until I was doing extra research about their care before we bought him that I noticed the dimensions being a key factor.

We have our Fahaka in a 125 gallon, for now. We do have plans to purchase either a 120 or a 180 before the end of this year. The 2 foot front to back length, I feel, would be very beneficial to a puffer who will potentially get 17 inches. I'm leaning toward the 180 at this point, even though it will be considerable more money than a 120 (at least 3 times more expensive). Our 6" Fahaka loves to cruise the 6 foot length of the 125 it currently resides in, so going down to a 4 foot long tank would be my second choice of the 2 for sure.

Good luck in whichever way you decide to go.

 

[Fat Homer]

I had my old girl in a 200G and at 15" the tank looked a bit cramped when she was turning around...

I've also heard of them reaching upwards of 17-18" in length, so honestly in the long term i would have to say 125 really will be pushing it...

 

[PYRU]

I've seen this done many times with people I know. It always ends with a stunted fahaka. Puffers need a lot more turning room than a std fish

 

[knobhill]

I have my Fahaka, Francisco, in a 125g corner tank. He is at least 12" long and is having no issues turning or moving. It is actually a good footprint for a single fish since the sides are 30" and the tank is 30" tall as well. It showcases the fish and doesn't seem cramped at all.

 

[magpie]

But he's not full grown. The OP wants to know if the tank is good for life. Seems like the consensus is no.