Tempted to Get a Fahaka Puffer Again
- Thread starter jakezori
- Start date
My Fahaka buries himself every second day when he's not eating. PH of 8 is fine. I use Aragonite sand for the substrate ( used for marine tanks, a little $$ ) and it's pure white, looks awesome. Mine will take nightcrawlers right from my hand, but I never pet him, he just tries to bite fingers right away and he's only like 5" right now. Ramshorns and giant columbian ramhorns are great food also. They will keep his beak trimmed. A few snails a week will suffice. Some of theme will eat fish, others won't... depends on the fahaka.
I just re-read your first post and realized your planning on keeping your puffer in a 90G and then moving it at 12" or so... The problem here is moving a large puffer, especially something like a fahaka at that size will be quite difficult, especially since they aren't supposed to take in any air when they puff or else they may not be able to release it and cause them to die...
With all that being said and done, i would advise you to try and setup a larger tank before getting the fish just to help save you a lot of headaches later down the line...
-EDIT-
About the PH, 8 should be okay, i personally have my puffers in at around 6/6.5 coz of the driftwood etc in my tank bringing it down a little, but to be honest, its better to have a constant reading then to be tampering with your parameters which can cause a lot of inconsistencies in readings...
With all that being said and done, i would advise you to try and setup a larger tank before getting the fish just to help save you a lot of headaches later down the line...
-EDIT-
About the PH, 8 should be okay, i personally have my puffers in at around 6/6.5 coz of the driftwood etc in my tank bringing it down a little, but to be honest, its better to have a constant reading then to be tampering with your parameters which can cause a lot of inconsistencies in readings...
fat homer... i am well aware, but thanks for the heads up anyway.
geron thanks great help... still looking for more info tho
geron thanks great help... still looking for more info tho
1. Sand:
My 9" fahaka still buries himself. I currently have mine in silica sand,
however his markings are rather dull with it. When I went to go pick him up a few months ago he looked a lot better with black gravel. I would go with
darker sand if I could start again, brown, maybe black.. I know my puffer would look a lot better. However I admit silica looks good in my tank.
2. Food: This is perhaps my biggest concern. I would love to know more specifics on feeding. I know I need to mix it up and make sure to give him hard food for his teeth, but I have no idea where to get it how to feed it.
Should I raise my own crayfish? Should I buy frozen food? How often should I feed this or that food etc.?
I've probably fed mine crayfish twice. I started from a week on earth worms -> silversides (phallic looking lol, I think that helped) -> seafood medley that you can buy at your grocery store with less than 4 days of starvation at each tradition. He's healthy and still adding on size every time I measure.
3. Enviornment: I have driftwood, I assembled a cave with 3 large pieces.
They like caves from what I understand (I know pufferpunk can vouch this). Mine only was interested in plants (although I have very little, and they are fake) the first day I put it in. He actually bites one of them constantly and spits it out (thankfully).
4. Water: Toronto tap water has ph around 8 as well. Your puffer will be fine.
5. Petting: I pet my fahaka. Not like a dog faced puffer that I've seen videos of, but more like a quick stroke on his back with my index.
It's true what they say, be prepared to upgrade that tank quick, otherwise your puffer will be stunted/deformed.
My 9" fahaka still buries himself. I currently have mine in silica sand,
however his markings are rather dull with it. When I went to go pick him up a few months ago he looked a lot better with black gravel. I would go with
darker sand if I could start again, brown, maybe black.. I know my puffer would look a lot better. However I admit silica looks good in my tank.
2. Food: This is perhaps my biggest concern. I would love to know more specifics on feeding. I know I need to mix it up and make sure to give him hard food for his teeth, but I have no idea where to get it how to feed it.
Should I raise my own crayfish? Should I buy frozen food? How often should I feed this or that food etc.?
I've probably fed mine crayfish twice. I started from a week on earth worms -> silversides (phallic looking lol, I think that helped) -> seafood medley that you can buy at your grocery store with less than 4 days of starvation at each tradition. He's healthy and still adding on size every time I measure.
3. Enviornment: I have driftwood, I assembled a cave with 3 large pieces.
They like caves from what I understand (I know pufferpunk can vouch this). Mine only was interested in plants (although I have very little, and they are fake) the first day I put it in. He actually bites one of them constantly and spits it out (thankfully).
4. Water: Toronto tap water has ph around 8 as well. Your puffer will be fine.
5. Petting: I pet my fahaka. Not like a dog faced puffer that I've seen videos of, but more like a quick stroke on his back with my index.
It's true what they say, be prepared to upgrade that tank quick, otherwise your puffer will be stunted/deformed.
Used to hand feed mine when I had him at my old place, he's abt 8" then. Kept him when he's ard 1"
Nw very tempted to get another one for my new house.
Nw very tempted to get another one for my new house.
My current main concerns are:
1. Sand: What sand is best? I'm looking for heavy soft sand that looks nice. Heavy so that it wont get sucked up when cleaning my tank and debris wont get under it. Soft so my Fahaka will gladly bury himself in the sand. Nice looking so that my tank is awesome =).
I dont think there is a "best" sand. Personally I have playsand and I hate it, Im going to be going with pool filter sand in his new tank.
2. Food: This is perhaps my biggest concern. I would love to know more specifics on feeding. I know I need to mix it up and make sure to give him hard food for his teeth, but I have no idea where to get it how to feed it.
Should I raise my own crayfish? Should I buy frozen food? How often should I feed this or that food etc.?
Snails are great for keeping the teeth trimmed. I feed mine snails, clams on the half shell, raw shrimp with the shell still on, earthworms, and just today started feeding him squid and he loved it.
3. Enviornment: What environment do fahaka's like? Driftwood? Plants?
Driftwood and Plants are good, they need places to hide to feel happy
4. Water: What can a fahaka tolerate. My tap ph is around 8, but I can bring it down some. Will they get used to different water well?
My ph sits at about 7.8, a stable ph is more important then anything else
5. Petting: If i raise the puffer from about 2" and put my hand in everyday and pet him will he eat my hand off later?
I havent tried to pet my fahaka, but when trying to hand feed him he has bit me once and tried to multiple times. Once he gets bigger I would be quite scared of his bite.
1. Sand: What sand is best? I'm looking for heavy soft sand that looks nice. Heavy so that it wont get sucked up when cleaning my tank and debris wont get under it. Soft so my Fahaka will gladly bury himself in the sand. Nice looking so that my tank is awesome =).
I dont think there is a "best" sand. Personally I have playsand and I hate it, Im going to be going with pool filter sand in his new tank.
2. Food: This is perhaps my biggest concern. I would love to know more specifics on feeding. I know I need to mix it up and make sure to give him hard food for his teeth, but I have no idea where to get it how to feed it.
Should I raise my own crayfish? Should I buy frozen food? How often should I feed this or that food etc.?
Snails are great for keeping the teeth trimmed. I feed mine snails, clams on the half shell, raw shrimp with the shell still on, earthworms, and just today started feeding him squid and he loved it.
3. Enviornment: What environment do fahaka's like? Driftwood? Plants?
Driftwood and Plants are good, they need places to hide to feel happy
4. Water: What can a fahaka tolerate. My tap ph is around 8, but I can bring it down some. Will they get used to different water well?
My ph sits at about 7.8, a stable ph is more important then anything else
5. Petting: If i raise the puffer from about 2" and put my hand in everyday and pet him will he eat my hand off later?
I havent tried to pet my fahaka, but when trying to hand feed him he has bit me once and tried to multiple times. Once he gets bigger I would be quite scared of his bite.
Fat Homer;4396632; said:Can you think of any questions about Fahakas you'd want to know??? coz theres only so much advice that comes off the top of ones head...
Fat Homer-
Hello. I am currently living in Hong Kong and looking for a Fahaka or MBU puffer fish. Do you know if they sell any in Mong Kok fish street?? I look forward to hearing from you soon.
