Pufferpunk wrote:I can't believe your fahaka leaves all those plants alone. Great job in decorating!
LOL!!! I hear ya! I put some live plants in ... they didnt even last over night. The only thing i found that stays in one piece is a moss ball. He pushes it around with his beak.
An old thread, but I cannot reist pulling it up to add my two cents.
For both Fahakas and for T. mbu, I used planted tanks, but hardly aquascaped. All use one plant species only, the common Crinum, established well before the puffer went in. all the fish were single-specimen per tank. All the tanks has one multi-plant clump and the fish tended to sleep or nap under the foliage there. Most had smaller clumps in at least two other corners initially. The mbu did not care for that, and removed all the plants but the. one large clump. The Fahakas did bite through some leaves, but did not seem to object to plants that did not interfere with swimming room or block significant areas of substrate. I tried some low-growers but all were excavated or just nipped back to nothing.
Goldfish may not be quite swift as some Cichlids and many hunter-predator puffers, but they are far from dumb. They are very intelligent fish and can train their keepers as well as puffers do. I have a cull feeder that is over 20 now, and blind. But you really cannot tell that easily. He knows the tank and know where to find food, and when it is going to appear, and is almost always there waiting at feeding time. Not a stupid fish, far from it. I agree that you cannot judge goldfish from pet store feeders.
My fahaka has completely destroyed everything i have put in the tank aside from rocks. I have some driftwood in the tank, he even tears it up though, the one big piece i have in with him has little notches from his bites all along the edge he has access to. Even the plastic cave i have in there has notches all over it from the fahaka biting it. Its wierd because there is one fish with him, a single filamentosa barb, that he has never touched, even at feeding time when the barb gets his fair share to say the least.
I tried some live bamboo plants about a month ago, that didnt work either. RTR gives me an idea, think i will try to remove his two other caves then add one large formation of plants as his only cover. Maybe if he doesnt destroy that i can re-add the other caves and cover later.
I definately agree about the goldfish, my kids and a few of the neighbor kids brought home some feeder goldfish they won at a carnival about 4 years ago. They are all still alive and actually seem to be doing pretty well, i have them in with my SAPs now as i have cut down and only have the two tanks, it is not ideal for them i know, it is better then the alternative of the fahaka tank (dont think they would last too long there). That actually has me wondering if he would go after them or not though, i have never feed him anything live except an occasional crab.
based on my fahaka experience..... i never use sand any more.... ive broken so many filters due to them burrying themselves in the sand.... then the sand gets stuck in the filters and jams it up.... then burns out the motor.... also.... i have black rocks in my tank now.... he seems to always be darker than when i had light colored substrate..... i say go for a light colored or a natural pebble substrate to promote a more vibrant coloring.... and for god sake, stay away from sand!!!!!!!
"everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid"
-Albert Einstein
Primus wrote:I definately agree about the goldfish, my kids and a few of the neighbor kids brought home some feeder goldfish they won at a carnival about 4 years ago. They are all still alive and actually seem to be doing pretty well, i have them in with my SAPs now as i have cut down and only have the two tanks, it is not ideal for them i know, it is better then the alternative of the fahaka tank (dont think they would last too long there). That actually has me wondering if he would go after them or not though, i have never feed him anything live except an occasional crab.
"I will give you a talisman. Whenever you are in doubt, or when the self becomes too much with you, apply the following test. Recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man whom you may have seen, and ask yourself, if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him or her. Will she gain anything by it? Will it restore her to a control over her own life and destiny? In other words, will it lead to freedom for the hungry and spiritually starving millions? Then you will find your doubts and your self melt away."
