Fahaka Puffer...

[JPablo]

HI All..

New around this site... anyhow, I have been fishkeeping for the last 8 years or so... Had gone through all faces from golfish to Marines succesfully... this time, I decided to go for a fish with character so Initially I though about a figure 8 puffer, so I rang my trusted LFS and they had none, but they have a great Fahaka about 4 inches... which I just reserved and probably have him home on Saturday. Also the puffer is already eating a diet of frozen food which is a big advantage.

I have prepared a 55gallon tank for him with lots of filtration... Nice white sand and a plated piece of bogwood.

Now, I have 2 main questions...

1st... I'm very used to let my fish fast when I go on holidays (max 2 weeks)... I presume the same rule apply for the puffer, right?

2nd... I know the diet of a Fahaka is mostly based on shell fish and snails... I'll like to hear a bit about quantities and how many times a day?... be good if someone can describe their feeding routines.

Thanks a lot in Advance.
Pablo

By the way... the 55 is temporal... I'm planning an in-wall project which will be around twice the size.

[Homer]

Okay, let me first start off by saying i do not actually own a fahaka myself, but i'll try and answer some of your questions...

1st... I'm very used to let my fish fast when I go on holidays (max 2 weeks)... I presume the same rule apply for the puffer, right?

you could always feed him a bit extra, and leave some live prey in his tank, and he should be fine in his tank for 2 weeks??? given the tank is really well filtrated?

2nd... I know the diet of a Fahaka is mostly based on shell fish and snails... I'll like to hear a bit about quantities and how many times a day?... be good if someone can describe their feeding routines.

I think this normally depends on how much you feed them each meal, and how often you feed them, but i normally most people would suggest hard shell foods for most, if not all meals to help keep their teeth worn down...

But also, just so you know, its been known that a fahaka will grow about an inch a month for the first 12 or so months, so he may outgrow his 55 pretty quick...

[LilGreenPuffer]

I think the minimum for a fahaka is 120g, but I'm not sure. Check the Pufferpedia.

Amount of food: Feed it until its tummy begins to round out, and don't give in to begging!

Live prey would be good, but honestly, I would get a sitter. If your fish only eats part of something, then the rest of the body would, of course, rot, causing an ammonia spike, and you might well return to a dead fish. Puffers are extremely sensitive to nitrogen, as they are scaleless.

[Pufferpunk]

Look into our Library for more feeding ideas.

[JPablo]

Thanks for the comments... seems like its worthy to wait for a while and get the figure 8 puffer then... I like the idea of the live prey for holidays...

I'll get you up to day as soon as i get the new fella.

Regards
Pablo