Got a new 3-4" fahaka last friday from florida. He looked great and is eating snails just fine, but he just sits in the corner of the tank behind some driftwood and is not active until I throw the snails in. How long will it take before he acclimates and becomes more active? Or will this be his personality? What I have read is that fahakas are very owner responsive and active, which is one of the reasons I wanted one. Water parameters are find and water temp is about 78 degrees. Do dithers work for puffers? I just wish he didnt lay there all day long.
New Fahaka Q
- Thread starter stuckinthemiddle
- Start date
My fellow just hangs out in his mangrove cave most of the time:
But comes out to greet me too:
Give him some time & make sure he has plenty of cover to retreat to, so he feels safe being out in the open. More than likely, he'd eat any dithers.
But comes out to greet me too:
Give him some time & make sure he has plenty of cover to retreat to, so he feels safe being out in the open. More than likely, he'd eat any dithers.
Unfortunately that was the personality of mine as well.
Hopefully yours turn out to be a much more active puff!
Try dimming the lighting by putting some floating plants in, and don't power feed as they're more likely to slug out
Hopefully yours turn out to be a much more active puff!
Try dimming the lighting by putting some floating plants in, and don't power feed as they're more likely to slug out
Im really hoping he turns around. He is more active now, but only when i drop a few snails in. Ive got a black substrate with a large fake plant and huge piece of drift wood. He is in half of my 125 for now so he last plenty of room as he is only about 4" now.
Do yall think he could come out of his shell so to speak? I'm ok sacrificing a few silver dollar fish it will make him more active.
It almost makes me want to get another.....
Do yall think he could come out of his shell so to speak? I'm ok sacrificing a few silver dollar fish it will make him more active.
It almost makes me want to get another.....
Getting another I think would be a bad idea.
I just picked up one for my lab, and he is only about an inch long right now. Was seeming active in the store, and even in the tank the first day, but today he seemed a little more sluggish. I added a lot of DW roots coming down from the surface, and they were covered in snails, so hopefully that will feed him for awhile until I can find something he will take.
In the meantime I have to go around all the tanks picking out snails I guess.
I just picked up one for my lab, and he is only about an inch long right now. Was seeming active in the store, and even in the tank the first day, but today he seemed a little more sluggish. I added a lot of DW roots coming down from the surface, and they were covered in snails, so hopefully that will feed him for awhile until I can find something he will take.
In the meantime I have to go around all the tanks picking out snails I guess.
Mine has a favorite plant which he hides under and covers himself with the sand. He will sit in the same spot for hours and usually comes out around the time I feed him. I put two Chinese algae eaters with him expecting them to be quickly devoured; however, he doesn't seem to have any interest in them currently. Yesterday I saw one of them land on his head to which he responded by thrashing out of the sand and chasing the algae eater for a bit. I was having some trouble cleaning the sand substrate which is why I got the algae eaters in the first place. You might also want to treat him for internal parasites because mine did not show the stringy poo or any other symptom other than being very thin to which I mistakenly attributed to his age. After I treated him he put on girth much quicker.
I know how you feel right now but please don't get another one.
Did you pick up this fish in person?
If so, I'm guessing that you must've picked out the most active/desirable one..
Give it some time to get used to the surroundings.
These puffers are much more complex than people give them credit for - and they need to settle in when they first arrive. It may take a while, but you will notice a huge difference in their behaviour when they do.
I noticed that mine was much more active with no lights.
Have you got some floating plants?
You can also use paper towels under your lights to dim it down.
You may, to your discretion, try a tankmate while it's still young.
Choose carefully if you do. It may be on a trial and error basis.
I highly agree with the person who said to treat for internal parasites just in case.. I almost lost mine to an illness, and it's better to be preventative than panicking later... trust me on this.
Wait until they see you as the bringer of food, they'll be begging/dancing every time you walk up to the tank.
These are highly rewarding fish to take care of.
I really miss mine actually.. Probably the most fun fish I've ever had.
Did you pick up this fish in person?
If so, I'm guessing that you must've picked out the most active/desirable one..
Give it some time to get used to the surroundings.
These puffers are much more complex than people give them credit for - and they need to settle in when they first arrive. It may take a while, but you will notice a huge difference in their behaviour when they do.
I noticed that mine was much more active with no lights.
Have you got some floating plants?
You can also use paper towels under your lights to dim it down.
You may, to your discretion, try a tankmate while it's still young.
Choose carefully if you do. It may be on a trial and error basis.
I highly agree with the person who said to treat for internal parasites just in case.. I almost lost mine to an illness, and it's better to be preventative than panicking later... trust me on this.
Wait until they see you as the bringer of food, they'll be begging/dancing every time you walk up to the tank.
These are highly rewarding fish to take care of.
I really miss mine actually.. Probably the most fun fish I've ever had.
We have only had him for two days now, I guess I will spend some time doing observation tomorrow just to see if he is picking at the snails/being active/etc.
I have some squid and raw shrimp that I could feed him...going to try doing that tomorrow. I never saw if he took squid the first day he was in the lab, but I will try the shrimp tomorrow.
I have some squid and raw shrimp that I could feed him...going to try doing that tomorrow. I never saw if he took squid the first day he was in the lab, but I will try the shrimp tomorrow.
It took some time for mine to start eating, hopefully you'll have better luck.
Started out with earthworms to frozen silversides (similarly phallic looking? lol). This transition took about 3 days of starving.
From silversides to assorted seafood took another few days of starving.
Try giving it some mussels on top of the shrimp and squid.
Started out with earthworms to frozen silversides (similarly phallic looking? lol). This transition took about 3 days of starving.
From silversides to assorted seafood took another few days of starving.
Try giving it some mussels on top of the shrimp and squid.