The Puffer Forum

Hi all,

I have ordered two new tanks for my fish room. They are 5x2x2 I plan to put a fahaka in the new one of these and some oscars in another.

In the brand new one, can I add tetra safe start and add a juvenile fahaka straight away? I have never used this and so not 100% sure how it works. I have read the articles about cycling, however I don’t want to do fishless cycling as I am not overly keen on the idea of playing with all the chemicals.

I know puffers are particularly sensitive so wondering whether if I put say 1.5x the recommended amount of tetrasafe in the same time as I introduce the fahaka – would that be OK?

I would plan to do 10% water changes every other day. Would this be sufficient. Is there anything else I should do to help?

Thanks

Yes, Safestart will work just fine, especially for a juvie in an over-sized tank.

Additional point.. the Fahaka that I can get is only 2 cm at present.

Is it OK to put a 2cm fahaka in a 5x2x2? I feel like it would get lost and would be impossible to feed it (i.e. how would it find out when I’m putting food in).

Also if I am putting in safestart for such a massive aquarium, despite being messy fish, I can’t imagine the bio load of a 2cm fahaka will be very much until it really starts growing? That being the case when I add safe start – should I add a school off other fish (that I intend to move on when the fakaha grows and starts to attach them)?

If so, what would be best? Guppies? Tetras? Barbs?or possibly I could add a few 2cm fahaka’s and rehome when they get a few inches – or will they be violent from the start even at that size??

The tank setup will have plants/rocks/wood/caves – so he will literally dissappear!!

Thanks

Thanks Puffer Punk for your response

Any fish you add will be eaten by the puffer. As far as him getting lost in there or not being able to find food--they live in the Nile river & find food just fine!
With his size & the dilution of a tank that large, I wouldn't even worry about adding Safestart.

"they live in the Nile river & find food just fine!" - I never even thought of that haha very good point.

Hoping to pick him up on friday

Hi!

The tanks arriving tomorrow!!

I have tetra safe start at the ready. No LFS's have had fahaka's in stock for months so I was planning to buy online. I called my fave LFS on Sunday and by chance they received a fahaka last week!! it is only a small one (one inch). They have reserved it for me until tomorrow.

I plan to set up the substrate, fill the tank straight away, given I have the safe start am I ok to add the fahaka tomorrow afternoon?

I also have an industrial amount of API stress coat that should deal with any chlorine issues.

Thanks!

one issue i thought of - how long will the water take to heat?

Can't you add warm water from the tap?
I prefer Prime to Stresscoat.
Be sure to shake well & add the Safestart directly before you add the puffer. Try adding it as close to the intake of your filter as you can.