The Puffer Forum

Hello All

I was wondering whether Fahaka Puffers are very friendly?

Do they start to bond with the owner?

I've read a lot about Mbu's being very tame and friendly with their owners, also Stars and Stripe and Porkys

My lfs told my that they're not as nice to keep because they're more agressive than the Mbu

Has anyone got a Fahaka that can tell me what they're like to keep?

Thanks for your time

I only just got my little guy last week and he is only 2". So far he is pretty relaxed but every large Fahaka I have ever encountered tend to be VICIOUS bastards!!!

But then again they were also in a store setting and stressed out.

In a stable home they might be less crazy, But I'm still not there yet..

I'm pretty good friends with my Fahaka. He just tries to bit my finger whenever I put it above the tank, and he even jumps out of the water if he is teased enough. I don't tease him, but my mom does when i'm not looking

They will follow you around the tank, but they will also bit you if you get too close though.

Puffers are very social puffers when it comes to people outside the tank. But once inside... it becomes your enemy no1, or not He'll just do as him is pleased. Sometimes I can play with him and the other time I've to watch my fingers because they are not safe.

I've noticed they respond to very bright colors, it's like they are setting a switch. From sweet and calm to aggressive.

Quoting from the PufferPedia: "Extremely aggressive, No tankmates tolerated." I guess that would tell all about the Fahaka.

Mine seems to be a big softy - he is on his own in the tank but never looks aggresive at all. Even when eating he doesn't really attack his food and he jas never tried to bite me (thank goodness!). Heis a little over a year old, about 8" total length and appears to be very happy and healthy

Like the people above, I have found my fahaka fairly unpredictable.

He's pretty big at about 8 inches, he begs like a puppy whenever I am in the room.
When I open the lid he's up to the top sticking his nose out of the water straight away.

He lets me stroke him & makes no effort to bite etc.

Nonetheless I still have to remove empty mussel shells with tongs as I don't trust him.
Occasionally he will bite the tongs.

If my daughter puts her hands on the glass he tries to bite her fingers.
More out of curiousity than aggression though - he likes to 'taste' things. My plants are destroyed....

No plants are ever safe with puffers.

I had my hand in the tank yesterday cause I was adding some more plants and he was coming right after me...

I had to shoo him away a few times and he would come right back at me again.

When he gets bigger I dont think I will be putting my hand in the tank without penning him in first...

Mine will try to attack you through the glass of the tank if he isn't being fed as quickly as he likes.

If by friendly, you mean, interactive, yes, very. You just have to accept that the primary way a a fish, having no hands, interacts with it's environment is by biting stuff, and that your fahaka will be able to remove fingers by pure curiosity some day.

Nick wrote:If by friendly, you mean, interactive, yes, very. You just have to accept that the primary way a a fish, having no hands, interacts with it's environment is by biting stuff, and that your fahaka will be able to remove fingers by pure curiosity some day.

Very well put!

Nick wrote:If by friendly, you mean, interactive, yes, very. You just have to accept that the primary way a a fish, having no hands, interacts with it's environment is by biting stuff, and that your fahaka will be able to remove fingers by pure curiosity some day.

lol

Mine is a WUSS! when it was 2 or 3 inches i got 2 comet feeders, he wouldnt eat them, now the comets are as big as the puffer. I can tell he hates them, but wont do anything about it. It differentiates what is food and what is tankmates. When he kills crayfish, he will usually eat most of the tail and the claws, then he leaves the crayfish for the comets to peck at.

One of the comets is missing the lower part of his mouth, from when my fahaka was about 3 inches long, they got too close to his crayfish.

I just moved the comets out of the fahaka tank, he seems alot happier now. The comets was the boss of the fahaka tank... weird huh?

Fahaka is now 7 inches, I'm bringing the comets back to the LFS since they will take them back. The comets was about an inch long when I bought them, now they are about 6 to 7 inches as well.