Learn to use and love veggie filters. It means adding extra tanks, but they can do wonders for water quality. They can be linked to the specimen's tank for best results, or simply used free-standing to age make-up water and water for partials. A mat of Java Moss will be a help in cleaning up water. If you use RO water, you may need to add some electrolytes back into the water.
HTH
fahaka puffer damaged teeth ...now not feeding
Forum rules
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
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RTR
- Mentor
- Posts: 6155
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 4:39 pm
- Gender: Male
- Location (country): East Coast, USA
Re: fahaka puffer damaged teeth ...now not feeding
Where's the fish? - Neptune
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Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32975
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Puffers I have kept:
T lineatus
T miurus
A modestus
T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
C lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Greenville, SC
- Contact:
Re: fahaka puffer damaged teeth ...now not feeding
I should have at least gotten a pic of yours in the works!
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
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carlov2004
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 40
- Joined: Thu Feb 25, 2010 3:48 pm
- Location (country): south east, UK
Re: fahaka puffer damaged teeth ...now not feeding
RIP Donnie, he died today, the best fish in the world i had had him for 12 great years. when we took him out the tank we measured and weighed him, he was 14" long, 4 and a bit " wide and a very heavy 1.1 kg in weight ...i got to take a good look at him and i think the damage was too great to fix it looks like he ran into the glass with enough force to push his beak into his head, he had blood in his eyes, i'm only glad he is not in any more pain and it didn't drag out longer for him, but he will be sorely missed. Donnie was the cleverest fish and i'm privileged to have had him with me so long .
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Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32975
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Puffers I have kept:
T lineatus
T miurus
A modestus
T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
C lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Greenville, SC
- Contact:
Re: fahaka puffer damaged teeth ...now not feeding
OMG, that's so sad... 
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
-
bertie 83
- Moderator
- Posts: 5298
- Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2011 4:28 pm
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: lineatus R.I.P, South American puffer. Valentini puffer, porcupine puffer.
Non puffer
Danios, Tetras, Redtail Rasporas,
Harlequins, CAE's, Yoyo
Loaches, Clown loaches ,Eels, various shrimp, tangs,wrasses, damsels, chromis - Location (country): Brighton, England
- Location: brighton , england
Re: fahaka puffer damaged teeth ...now not feeding
That's terrible news, so sorry
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
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carlov2004
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 40
- Joined: Thu Feb 25, 2010 3:48 pm
- Location (country): south east, UK
Re: fahaka puffer damaged teeth ...now not feeding
Its very sad but he had a very long life and i can't seem to find cases of older ones. I managed to get hold of some fish vets but they all said they had never heard of any that old before and they hadn't seen any that big ..., so maybe it was just his time. I will certainly keep another of this species again such great personalities... but at the moment its too soon, should i get some tetras or something to keep the tank running till i'm ready to re stock, as at the moment there's nothing in the tank.
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carlov2004
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 40
- Joined: Thu Feb 25, 2010 3:48 pm
- Location (country): south east, UK
Re: fahaka puffer damaged teeth ...now not feeding
Also i saw a load of fahakas for sale but they are real young and i'm not sure how they would get on in a big tank on its own as when i got Donnie i had him in a smaller tank and just upgraded all the time .
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Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32975
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Puffers I have kept:
T lineatus
T miurus
A modestus
T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
C lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Greenville, SC
- Contact:
Re: fahaka puffer damaged teeth ...now not feeding
Any small fahaka would LOVE to grow into a larger tank! They come from a BIG river, ya know...
My Filbert is 12 years old.
My Filbert is 12 years old.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
-
RTR
- Mentor
- Posts: 6155
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 4:39 pm
- Gender: Male
- Location (country): East Coast, USA
Re: fahaka puffer damaged teeth ...now not feeding
Not many Fahakas have made full size or full lifespan in captivity, because we have not learned to handle them correctly. That actually is true for many puffers, likely most of the giant puffers. The active hunter predators need space, current. and proper feeding from the very beginning to avoid stunting and few of us have the space and money and time to keep them in conditions allowing full size and long lives.
I'd bet on 15-20+ years being possible for most of them other than the Carinotetraodons. I have not worked with enough of that group to have a feel for them.
I'd bet on 15-20+ years being possible for most of them other than the Carinotetraodons. I have not worked with enough of that group to have a feel for them.
Where's the fish? - Neptune