Fahaka set up

[Charney]

Next week I am picking up a used 120, which will become my fahaka puffer tank. THe tank is coming with two aquaclear 110s (I am guessing is equivalent to the old 500s) will this be enought fitration or should I pick up a canister filter as well? I also want to put a decent number of plants in the tank and use a substrate that consist of gravel and plant substrate. Will this be all right? I will also put in a bunch of drift wood. Lastly, if I wanted to try a pleco in the tank would I want it to be bigger or smaller then the puffer or does it not matter?

Thanks

Mike

 

[PufferXtreme]

I don't think the plec and puffer will get on that well. I'd recommend a canister filter. Plants are ok-ish I've found Nile puffers to be rather destructive when it comes to plants. Bog wood may have to be removed to offer more swimming space as the fish grows (and it will grow quickly).
For more info try using the search facility. there have been quite a few threads about Nile puffers recently.

 

[Charney]

Is it a bad idea to use black sand for a substrate? I do not want the fish to supress any of its yellow color.

 

[PufferXtreme]

I don't think the sand would supress the colours, more likely it would enhance it.
but I must say that using sand was my biggest mistake as my mbu puffer blows it everywhere and it gets in all the filters.

 

[Fella]

I don't think the sand would supress the colours, more likely it would enhance it.
but I must say that using sand was my biggest mistake as my mbu puffer blows it everywhere and it gets in all the filters.

But it's fun watching him blow it around right?

My 150 I've ordered for my fahaka will have a giant canister filter, and white sand substrate. I might go for black if I can find it cheap enough anywhere, but the chances of that are low...

 

[davo]

i think youll end up with a dead pleco

 

[PufferXtreme]

But it's fun watching him blow it around right?

My 150 I've ordered for my fahaka will have a giant canister filter, and white sand substrate. I might go for black if I can find it cheap enough anywhere, but the chances of that are low...

yeah, it's fun to watch my puffer blow the sand around.

I don't think you'll find black sand that cheap anywhere. I know BD black sand is horrendously expensive Maybe you can source some other black sand but the only other stuff i ever found is more grey/black. I'd personally use the 2-3mm black gravel that d-pac make. It's light enough for puffers to blow around and heavy enough to not get blown into the filter this is the stuff I mean:
www.amazinganimal.co.uk/23mm-black-p-3862.html

BTW which filter will you be using?

 

[Charney]

Thanks for the black gravel idea. I am going to see if my lfs can get it. I am defiantly going to be running two aquaclear 110s and I think I am going to pick up a filstar xp3.

 

[RobD23]

Charney thats halarious because i have a 3'' fahaka that i am setting up in a 120 with a 110 aqua clear, I was thinking of getting a bio wheel penguin that filters 75 gals in total filtering 185 plus adds the bio support...I'm probably going to get white fine gravel to get my fahaka to look lighter in colour... .....

 

[Charney]

I am trying to figure out if I want to get one on the smaller side such as 2-3 inches or the somewhat larger around 8 inches. Is there an advantage or disadvantage to either? If I was to be dumb and try to throw a rainbow fish in as a tank mate would one size be better?