The Puffer Forum

I really dont think it is a good idea in any circumstances to make a puffer (fahaka) share its tank but i constantly see people whom have successfully introduced other species into their tanks as additions just looking for your views guys?????

The only tank mates that I have in with my fahaka is 2 Paratilapia Bleekeri. There was 2 but he ate one of them. So unfortunately they are going to be moved eventually. Before Kaiser gets too big.

It totally depends on the individual fahaka. 99% of the time, he will murder most fish, practicly before they hit the water. There are about 1% of the Fahakas that do allow tank mates. Even though, everyone needs their own territory & the tank has to be large enough. I happen to have a 10" fahaka that was moved to a 55g (at 5") with 2 with plecos & a softshell turtle. Within 2 days, the whole back rim of the turtle's shell was scallopped, so he got his own tank.

He now lives in a 125g with:
12" Goldspot pleco
6" sailfin pleco
10" Yellow-finned chalcius
2 7" Clown loaches
9" Lancer catfish
5" Rainbow shark
6" Redtail shark
5" Bosmani rainbow
7" Frontosa
8" & 9" Elephant noses.
Occasionally there is a fin nipped but all in all, he's a wimp & the Goldspot & Frontosa is always kicking him out of his cave.

ok, so if I did decide to try and mix fish with the fahaka is it better to let him get used to the tank first or should I put teh tank mates in first or would it not really matter?also what would teh best tank-mates be would you say?tahnks

I started with a redtail shark. 1 sign might be the reaction to the fish floating in the bag. You're going to need tons of decor for the fish to hide in.

Bowen17 wrote:I really dont think it is a good idea in any circumstances to make a puffer (fahaka) share its tank but i constantly see people whom have successfully introduced other species into their tanks as additions just looking for your views guys?????

Even if it allows tankmate(s) for a period of time; prepare yourself for a sudden change of heart (or stomach).
My specimen lived peacefully with a well sized Pleco for about a year.
Then one morning; the Pleco was gone.
All that was left was a scrap of skin ans a few bones...
My Fahaka lives alone.

Whatever you try, take it from me, don't spend a lot. Try with things that your conscience can take because it is definitely more likely than not their funeral will play out in an untimely manner. I thought my fish might have a soft spot. It kept a stray endler male that came in bags of ghost shrimp when it was 2 inches long. I have tried 22 other kinds of fish in the 150 gallon tank with it since. Small and fast moving, slow and docile(pleco), you name it they have all cashed the check I wrote by putting them in there. My tank is planted with driftwood, slate, rocks etc. It will move mountains. It will bury itself and act like a lurker suvatti to nail them if it has to, its all sport. It doesnt even eat them all the time. My fish is still juvenile, it was 2 inches in May the first time I got it to hold still for a ruler and 10 inches today. Still buries itself and pushes up clumps of pearlgrass all the time The only thing that it ever let live was that boring little endler. I havent seen it since before christmas tho Fish is a well fed beast. I mix it up, it gets live fw shrimp and crayfish I quarantine and gutload,and frozen seafood counter finds I thaw with vitamins. It lost interest in the pond snails. That old fable about well fed fish not killing tankmates...yeah that fat thing in my tank never heard it.

I'd say it's safe to say, no. The insanity of trying to get something else to live in there isn't worth the torment to the endless amount of tankmates you keep trying.