advice on new fahaka

[ele]

Just joined. After lots of reading and research I decided to buy a fahaka puffer. I have been into fish keeping for some time now, however, this is my first puffer. I have a 75gal planted pleco tank, 75gal african cichlid tank, and a 30gal with some baby tropheus cichlids. At the moment I have my new "buddy" in a 35gal. For filters I have a aquaclear 70 and a emperor bio-wheel 280 stuffed with as much bio-media as I can w/o affecting performance. I also have a aquaclear 30 powerhead for water movement and to add O2 to the tank. I do 50% water changes on all my tanks once a week. I have had him about 1 month now and no problems. I have a 10gal qurantine tank that I am breeding snails in for him. I also buy ghost shrimp and qurantine and gut load them in the 10gal also. I will not be using any "feeder" fish at all for him. Not worth the risk and the nutritional intake is like zero in my opinion. He is 4inches total length, tail included. I am already in planning for a set-up of a 125 or 150 once the time comes for him to make the move to a bigger home. I am trying to find a tank that is a little deeper than most standard measurements.

One question I have is if anyone has any tricks to help acclimate him to taking prepared foods. The only thing that gets interest is live foods, which isn't a suprise being it was wild caught. I have had a little luck with frozen blood worms, only ate three though. Have also tried mysis and brine shrimp with no luck. I want to very the diet as much as possible to ensure good nutrition and proper growth. What are some things that seem to go over well with a high rate of success? Any and all advice on food and nutrition is definitely welcome please!!!

Also, I have been in debate with my brother-in-law that fahakas are a true freshwater species. There seems to be a long standing myth that all puffers have to have a certain level of salt present in their tanks. From everything I have read, all indications point to this not being true as there is a small group whose natural habitat is freshwater streams and rivers. The three classifications I run into are fresh, brackish and marine. I have not read that fahakas need salt in their tank. Am I missing something or is he right in that there should be salt present? Please set me straight as he has almost got me doubting myself. Its funny because he is the one that got me into fish keeping but I have become so much more obsessed that I am now teaching him things in regards to fish.

All help and advice is welcome and wanted as most of you on here have much more experience in keeping puffers than me Im sure. I am really looking forward to raising this guy (or girl) out to monster size and the most vibrant colors I can achieve.

Thanks to all that respond,
Bryant

[Christemo]

You need to upgrade your tank very sooner then later. Fahakas are pure freshwater.

[Pufferpunk]

Check the feeding articles in our Library. All the Qs you have posted are answered in there. I do agree, you will be quite surprised how quickly he outgrows the 35g.

[LilGreenPuffer]

Hi!

Yep, freshwater, and a good way to introduce prepared food is to soak it either with fresh crushed garlic or a product such as Garlic Extreme.

[edmlfc1]

100% freshwater. My fahaka grew from 2" to 7.5" in less than 6 months. That's conisdered a slow growth. She was ill for over a month (another story). Fahaka's grow about 1" per month for the first year. You will need to upgrade very soon.

[Irisis]

Hi!

Yep, freshwater, and a good way to introduce prepared food is to soak it either with fresh crushed garlic or a product such as Garlic Extreme.

I'm not sure all puffers actually like the taste of garlic. I tried soaking a raw king prawn and cooked mussels (his favourite) in with a garlic clove and when it came to him eating it he made the weirdest face ever, and gave me a look as if to say "What have you done to my dinner?! This tastes funny!"

Welcome to the great and very very addictive world of puffers

[ele]

Thank you guys for responding. From the reading I did before I purchased him I was aware of the growth rate and mature size of these puffers. I am trying to find a 150 thats a little deeper than the standard 20inches or so. I think I will run a fluval FX5 and two AC 110s for filteration, that should do the job, right? How would live plants do, survive or get shredded? Suggestions on this set-up?

In regards to my previous Q's I was looking more for personal experience in the acclimation process. I read the articles in the library. I have kept some solitary species of piranha in the past and it seems the same theories in feeding apply. I had one piranha go about 3-1/2 weeks without a bite of food before it started to eat. However, this little guy was eating the next day so that will not be my problem.

On the upside he actually ate some of a silverside last night. I was hoping he would tear in and eat the whole thing but he didn't. Its a start though. Until he readily accepts more prepared foods, will the ghost shrimp and snails be sufficient? Like I said I will be gut loading them on a wide range of traditional fish foods. I just want to make sure my short term actions don't impact long term health.

Thanks again

[edmlfc1]

Annabelle's favorite food is scallops. She also likes shrimp, clams, mussel's and another favorite is crab.

Shrimp: Instead of feeding ghost shrimp try people shrimp. I cut Annabelle's in bite size pieces. She's so spoiled and won't eat it any other way. I figure once she get's larger I'll feed it whole.

Mussel and Clam: It took me a few tries to get her to eat a mussel. If I drop it in the tank and leave it and ignore her she will eat it. If I watch her she won't eat it.

Crabs and Scallops: They don't stand a chance in the tank she rips them apart. I buy 2 crabs from the local grocery store, break it in half and cut the halves into 3 chunks. I feed her one chunk at a time.

Filters: Filtration that you have planned sounds good to me. I have an Eheim 2213 and Rena xp3 on my 125 for Annabelle. If I can find a cheap tank that will fit under my stand I'll be changing it to a sump. It's much easier to clean.

Plants: Plants are hit and miss. Some plants that I've put in her tank she ripped apart. Other's she don't touch. Val grass seems to be doing good and she has left it alone.

[Bogwoodbruce]

Some great advice on this thread, i dont really have a contribution to make other than saying, best of luck and any chance of seeing some pix

[ele]

Well the good news is that "he" or "she" is starting to accept prepared food. The only thing that stinks is that I have to leave the room. If I try to watch all he does is swim around looking at me because he now associates me with food. Just a matter of time at this point!

Also, when I bought him the eyes had the appearnce of being slightly scratched. It is only a small area in the center of the eyes. I am sure that this is due to shipping and rough handling during transport. I was hoping to fix this through good water quality and diet. If this approach does not work, what are some options for me to "clean" him up sort of speaking.

I will try to post some pics when I get a chance. I do not have the best camera. Its a had me down so you know its been "dropped" a few times. lol. To be quite honest, I am not that savy when it comes to posting pics online. I have not really done it that much. I do have a photobucket accont. But I guess you could say Im a idiot when it comes to that type of stuff. LOL

One last thing, I know some puffers like to bury themselves in sand sometimes. When setting up my bigger tank is it that big of a deal to use a small grain rounded gravel? I have tried sand in the past with some other tanks and I cannot stand the fact, that after a water change or routine maintaince that it looks like I have done nothing. I like my tanks to look and be clean all the time. Is there any bona fide health improvements to sand for a puffer. Im assuming its just a matter of personal preference. Plus fahakas are a hunter so its not like it needs to ambush its prey?

Thanks again,

[LilGreenPuffer]

As far as I know, fahakas don't bury themselves. Gravel vs. sand is pretty much a matter of personal choice, unless you do have a burying puffer. Gravel is easier and less messy during setup; some people prefer the look of sand. Sand does require that you stir it every so often to release any buildup of anaerobic gasses. However, it's waaay cheaper, especially when you've got a fahaka and a 120g. I have gravel, myself, since I only have a 10g, and I was looking for convenience.

[Nugget_Cupcake]

i've seen a couple of vids of fahakas burying them selves.

[LilGreenPuffer]

Whups. Thanks!

[ele]

Sorry my computer went down when I lost power 2 weeks ago. Great news is that my fahaka is readily eating prepared food no problem. I also got a 180us gallon tank. Its used but will clean up easy. I will be moving in the next 2 months give or take. As soon as I move, its a fix-it-upper, the first thing on my list is to get this tank set-up and cycled. My fahaka is now about 5 inches tail included. I want to add more water volume to this tank so I was thinking of running the new Marineland wet/dry for 300gallon tanks. Part of my theory is that such water volume and space at a small size and age will lead to a FASTER growing, BIGGER and most important HEALTHIER fish! Correct me if I'm wrong. Where can I improve on this logic? Also with the bio-wheels of the sump, the continous running of water over them would in-turn lower the chances of the so-called nirite trap? I am thinking that waste can not build up as easily as it does on bio balls. That would obviously lead to better water quality? I was thinking of, money allowing, running a fluval FX5 canister in conjunction with the sump. But, second thought, would I be better off just running a bigger sump with a koralia power head for water movement?
Thanks to all that reply.

[edmlfc1]

It would be called a nitrate trap. And you are right about everything else.
I would hook up the wet/dry let it run on the tank with the puffer in it, get the new tank ready and move the wet/dry and filters you have on the current tank to the new tank for an instant cycle. Btw: Congrats on the new tank!
About the sump: If you have a sump rated for a 300 gallon tank then your good there. The rest would depend on what size pump you have. Is the tank drilled? I used a 55g aquairum to make my sump and I'm running a mag 24 pump
(I think) I can't remember. Anyway I was looking into getting a mag 36 and upgrading my pump for more current in the tank. I also have powerheads in there. No need to spend extra money on a canister, I think what you have will be fine.