puffers

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since this seems like a puffer thread, maybe i can ask my question here.

i bought an 1 1/2 inch fahaka and its been a week and it doesnt seem like it has eaten anything. its by itself in a 10 gallon temp tank until i free up my 60 gallon.

it killed the 2 feeders that i had to help cycle the tank and doesnt seem interested in any of the live bloodworms. what other stuff can i try feeding?
 
Check the temp. It should be 78-82F. The water should be alkaline for these puffers, too (I keep Texas holey rock and limestone fossils in the tank). I've had mine since he was an inch long. I grew him up on minnows, ramshorn snails, crayfish (larvae to adult), raw shell-on shrimp, bloodworms, clams, and raised garden snails. He's always been more interested in going after foods that move and he goes completely nuts whenever I toss a cray into his tank.

Good luck with your fahaka.

fahaka2.jpg

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No need to freak out over it not feeding in the first week, the fish could go a month without food if it had to. It's putting its priority on getting used to its new environment, not eating. It'll change eventually, don't worry.
 
icthyophile said:
It's in my 360 gallon (8' L x 3' W x 2' H). Like all puffers, crustaceans are the bulk of its diet. I use frozen krill because I hate the mess that frozen shrimp makes. Also, I have no problems with its beak growth because it likes to chew on gravel. :)
That's awesome!!:!)

Gravel, That would be nice.
Buying tons of snails is aggriivating when he leaves the shell.
His beak is fine though.
What's my other option if it tries start to become over grown??
Put him out and clip it?

:uhoh:
 
cray fish
every now and again
 
hehehehe we kept this huge midas andhe would devor the crayfish and spit out the shell..

Ever keep a "Syndin?" (SPELLING HELP PLZ) Puffer for s/w. I saw one in a pet store. It cursl up and chills out in an upper corner.. Looks like a dog to me :)
 
I currently have a trio of Dwarfs.

And a Tetraodon baileyi.

And I will be getting my Tetraodon miurus in another 2 weeks. :woot:

But my baileyi is a bit of trouble now. So little is known about them. So everything goes by trial and error. Eating fine, but not eating any crustaceans/snails. It refuses to chew on anything hard. But will take any meaty food heartily. :(

Any solution to this problem?
 
I don't know if I talked to you about this in the other thread..

The 'hairy' beard the Baileyi puffer has, is obviously to help it navigate for food. It is likely that it comes from VERY murky waters, and will use those 'whiskers' to search for food, just like a catfish. There is a good chance that it may not even eat alot of crustaceans, as I have heard some puffers beaks grow at different rates. Try Ghost shrimp and get a snail colony going in the tank.. Also try small red-claw crabs (declawed).. Hopefully that will figure his 'crustacean' feeding trigger, however if he is getting used to the idea of prepared food, he might not bother looking for crustacea anywhere..

Miles
 
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