Sexing/Breeding Fahakas

[fahakaking]

Does anyone know how to sex Fahaka's? I was also curious if anyone has successfully bred tehm in captivity if so how? All I have read states that they are all wild caught.

[Troender]

Read this topic. It will give you some answers you are looking for.

[groovitudedude]

So basically they'll kill each other if they are in the same tank, even if they are divided?

[Corvus]

viewtopic.php?f=40&t=2640

http://web.archive.org/web/200508281539 ... e_puffers/

[crazedpuffer]

Thats awesome! The pictures didn't work for me though.

[The Bruce]

yeah they won't work for me either, but i have a feeling that "ancient picture of a fahaka" is the same one i have in my gallery......i wanna see those pictures

[apachepufferman]

Thats an old article (2003) The only reason i think it really worked is that there were more than 2 fahakas in the tank. I believe their territory was established and they were to worried about singling out one fish to go after in fear of losing there area to another fish. I plan to test this theory when I finish my 500g. I'm thinking about getting a total of 4 fahakas in there to see what they do. I'm goin to talk to my lfs in case it doesn't work to see if he will help rehome them in case of emergency. I"m kinda interested to see if it works. Imagine 4 full size fahaka cohabitating!!

[The Bruce]

you're insane, but i love it

[apachepufferman]

Hey why not give it a shot. there will be pleny of room its gonna be a 48x68ishx30 tank with some good aquascaping too. I think/hope that it will be a four fahaka paradise. I might do some partitioned off shelfs to hold lobsters and clams as well.

[Pufferpunk]

I have read that the experts aren't sure how they spawn even in the wild, w/o killing each other. Good luck!

[apachepufferman]

i just got some hope when reading that article and thread. They have to be in the same water somehow so I'm gonna try to find out.

[Pufferpunk]

Will you have 4 seperate tanks ready if tghey start fightint? What about at night? Personally, I wouldn't try this. Are you an experienced breeder? What will you do with all the fry? They will have to be housed individually, as they will certainly eat each other. I'm sorry to be so discouraging but I'd hate to hear of 4 beautiful dead puffers. Just call me the Devil's Advocate!

[groovitudedude]

Will you have 4 seperate tanks ready if they start fighting? What about at night? Personally, I wouldn't try this. Are you an experienced breeder? What will you do with all the fry? They will have to be housed individually, as they will certainly eat each other. I'm sorry to be so discouraging but I'd hate to hear of 4 beautiful dead puffers. Just call me the Devil's Advocate!

I actually kinda agree with PP here. As extreme as it sounds, I actually think that taking some precautions would be a good idea. Large fahakas aren't cheap....

[apachepufferman]

I'm not really to interested in the breeding of them I was just wanting to have four of them in the tank. I have read both ways on the keeping of them. One says they will do anything to kill the other and the next kept 5 together in a 240. I theorize that it is a numbers game. With only 2 there will be an expressed dominance issue. With 4 or more the expression of dominance might be played down.

I also will be getting them as babies and I'm a firm believer that if you start something out in an enviroment as a baby and they grow to adulthood they won't know any difference.

I'm still kicking the idea around. Not totally set on it. I just think it would look really cool in one tank.

[flash.dan]

sometimes females will bloat with eggs then dispose of them 99% of the time they will eat them themselves. This behavior is not very common as they are kept alone usually it will only happen once maybe twice a year. but thats the only way i knew my old one was female as i saw her discard the unfertilised eggs