The Puffer Forum

I went to an LFS in Phoenix AZ last weekend and they had 4 fahakas, and I think I have to get a bigger tank so I can get one. I've read that at least 125 gal is recommended, but is that the minimum? or is it good for life? if the puffer gets 1 to 1.5 feet long, is that really enough room? Then today, I went to my only local LFS, and I've always had good luck w/ them, but there was a new lady working there, and she claimed to have several puffers, including a fahaka, so I was asking her about them and she asked what size tank I have. I told her currently a 40 gal, and she told me the fahaka would fit in there! I have been reading about them here, so I said "but they get too big when they're full grown" and she said "maybe, but only sometimes" (!!!!!) kind of scary considering she said she's had one for years and thinks they can live in a 40gal!

wow...she obviously has no clue what she's talking about! Poor puffers. Your puff will be nice and happy in a 125, although I suppose bigger is always better. Just give him/her room to swim and some current and you'll have a happy, active and personable puffer! My 14" fahaka has lived her whole life in her 130 gal.

Sounds like she'll have a stunted, shorter-lived, unhappy fahaka in a 40g. Another testiment not to listen to most LFS workers, even if they say they have puffers.

Yep don't listen. You got it right in your initial thread. 125g is a min.You should always house your fish in the biggest tank you can over the min required.
These people will tell you anything to sell something.Its their busines to sell!

As with anything there are exceptions to the rule. We told the LFS we only had a 55g and the responded with "You're gonna need a bigger tank!". After that the owner starting ranting about irresponsible fish keepers trying to keep Pacu, Oscars, and Flowerhorns when they had no intention of buying the necessary tanks to keep them in.

Hmmm.....I'm not really sure they make tanks big enough for a full grown Pacu.

Go big!

MP

Hey silver, which store in Phoenix has them? I've been looking around for a while now unsuccessfully.

It's Tropical Treasures, just off I-17, on west bell rd. I don't remember the address, but it's behind the first Hooters on the right. I found it in the yellow pages on the internet.

by the way stiki21, do you know of an LFS in Phoenix that mostly carries freshwater puffers? I went to it a couple times several years ago, but now I can't remember where it is or what it was called. And the whole store was freshwater, and they had a mbu that was about 2 feet long in a display tank. I know the store could be gone by now, but I was hoping it wasn't...

Thanks Silver, I'll check that place out.

I'm not sure of the store you're referring to though. The only store I can think of with a large display tank is The Ocean Floor just off the 17 on Thomas. He's not in the tank anymore though if that is the place. Theres a couple good stores that I frequent that I suggest to check out if you haven't yet.

Phoenix Tropical Fish, it's north of Thomas on 37th St. in the middle of a neighborhood. All freshwater fish and a pretty small store. They always carry puffers.

Pets Inc in Tempe on the corner of Southern and Mill Ave. They have a website you can check out too, petsincco.com. It's a pretty cool store with a pretty large variety of fresh and sw fish, a bit on the pricey side though.

Thanks, I'm pretty sure it was Phoenix Tropical Fish that I went to before, as it was in the middle of a neighborhood. But I'm thinking their mbu could have died, since the fish was about 2 feet long, but the tank was way, way too small. I've been to the Ocean Floor, I used to work for the owner when he managed a Petco, so when he opened his own store, I had to check it out, and it's awesome. Thanks for the suggestions of LFS's! I will definitely have to check them out.