Got a new 2" fahaka on Thursday, I'm having some trouble feeding it. All it accepts is bloodworms, i tried a small fiddler crab but it couldn't get through the shell, didn't even look at the market shrimp, and could care less about the 20 ghost shrimp in his tank. Any tips? Also, this is my first fahaka but not first puffer, is it normal for him to lay on the substrate most of the time?
Feeding baby fahaka
- Thread starter aidenb
- Start date
Your puffer could still be adjusting... but how fat / skinny is it? coz it could be IP's causing problems...
As for feeding, you could try cutting the food into smaller pieces so its easier for your puff to get at.. also, if worst comes to worst, try rubbing some fresh crushed garlic on the food, the smell seems to entice puffers to at least try the new foods...
As for hanging out on the substrate, mine does it a fair amount unless i am home in which case she will come up to the glass looking for food whenever i pass by her tank
As for feeding, you could try cutting the food into smaller pieces so its easier for your puff to get at.. also, if worst comes to worst, try rubbing some fresh crushed garlic on the food, the smell seems to entice puffers to at least try the new foods...
As for hanging out on the substrate, mine does it a fair amount unless i am home in which case she will come up to the glass looking for food whenever i pass by her tank
try pond snails.. those lil' peky ones you always see covering the LFS planted tanks.. not MTS's ( the spiral shaped ones, they are too hard) this is what I use at work to get new puffers eating. our fahaka also only ate bloodworms the first week or 2 we had it, but we added the snails to the tank, and let him settle in. he now also takes nightcrawlers, clams, and NLS pellets. and just recently crayfish. You can also try frozen or freezedried krill.. it's stinky and most fish can't refuse it. hopefully by now he's takeing other foods for you.
Your puffer may still be adjusting to his/her new environment. From what I experienced is when they are comfortable with their new tank they arnt picky eaters. My fahaka lays in the substrate all the time.
what size tank is he in, I start my small guys off in 10's NOTHING bigger until they get bigger the 10g. seems to ease them it also lets them get use to YOU personally as the one who feeds and talks to me if you do that and really brings their personalities out at an early age