The Puffer Forum

Pufferpedia says 18 inches but out of all the youtube fahaka videos (theres a lot) all look to be less than 10 inches. Is this a MAX max size or an average max size? What IS the fahakas true average size? And Ive heard 100 gallon tank estimates for these guys, that seems a little small, what would you say?

I would say that it is pretty hard to judge a size just by the video, mine is almost 10" and he is not even a year old. I would also say that 100g is to small for a fahaka. I think one of the reasons why you don't see many full grown fahaka's is the fact that alot of people who get them don't have a clue and once it starts growing they then realize they don't have a big enough tank and get rid of it .

Still growing or stunted. Some fahakas will never grow to the full 18 inches but that is you can't bet on that to keep them in a smaller tank. It's also depriving the fahaka of its rightful tank size. A 100 gallon tank might work for a 7-10 inch fahaka but any bigger then that should be at least 135.

the one in Vancouver aquarium is huge under cross river puffer on youtube

DracoRJC wrote:Pufferpedia says 18 inches but out of all the youtube fahaka videos (theres a lot) all look to be less than 10 inches. Is this a MAX max size or an average max size? What IS the fahakas true average size? And Ive heard 100 gallon tank estimates for these guys, that seems a little small, what would you say?

That BuG* drives me nuts! I need to find something like that that say perhaps fills the whole screen or perhaps a screensaver like that..

johnnyfishtanks wrote:the one in Vancouver aquarium is huge under cross river puffer on youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Olp39C-vbZ8
it looks way bigger then 18 inches in real life

Not too sure on true max size as my puffer is 7 years old 14- 15 inches long and still growing....

Pics please!!!

My fahaka is about 13 to 14 inch from tip of nose to tip of tail and i have had him for 3 years now i will add a picture soon

Here is a picture

Wow he is gorgeous! I really think a fahaka needs at least 135gallon to grow appropriately. What it comes down to really is the depth of the tank for me. I think a fish needs enough turning space to even hope to be a able to reach max size.

I'd agree. Most of the tank sizes are quite generous IMO however for the fahaka I feel they're too small. If I got a fahaka I'd keep it in a larger tank than that.

hes in a 165 gallon at the moment and i will upgrade if i need to ,he is very active at teatime but quiet through the day and if i clean his tank he sulks for a day ! but yes i agree that fahakas need very large tanks in order for them to swim and turn properly. When i first got him he was very bent because he had been kept in a small tank but he has straigtened out a lot now and i am pleased with his progress

DracoRJC wrote:Pufferpedia says 18 inches but out of all the youtube fahaka videos (theres a lot) all look to be less than 10 inches. Is this a MAX max size or an average max size? What IS the fahakas true average size? And Ive heard 100 gallon tank estimates for these guys, that seems a little small, what would you say?

my interpretation is that they will grow up to 18" in the wild.... where if you keep them in captivity they won't reach that

I think the size could also depend on genetics, just as some people remain relatively short (like myself), and others grow fairly large. I'm sure that's got to play a part.