The Puffer Forum

Hi all,

I just bought a young fahaka. He is ~6" long.
His stomach is concave and was living in 6.0ph water at
The lfs. I slowly brought him to 7.0.
He is alert, swims around, watches ghost shrimp swim by, and
Doesn't eat.
I have an older fahaka (in a different tank) that at this ones age loved
Small snails and krill. This little guy has nothing to do with them.
I've even offered him small fish assuming that's what he was use to from the fish store and his previous keeper.
But no go. No to snails, frozen krill, ghost shrimp, and young guppies. He did however eat 1 grass shrimp but never again.
I've tried finding crawfish but can't seem to find any. Out of season or something.
I've also tried adding garlic extract to his water.
What can I do to get him to eat?!!
He is in a temporary 20 gal with lush vegetation and a fine substrate with dozens ofghost shrimp running around.
Should I speed up my process of getting him into a bigger tank?!
Thanks!!

What are the water parameters? (Am, Nitrites, Nitrates)

IME Fahakas don't adapt well to change. I have moved mine on 2 separate occasions. Each time he didn't eat for almost 2 wks after the move.

Same here, mine went on a hunger strike for 3 weeks after upgrading him to a nice, roomy 125g from his 55g.

Earthworms are what finally broke him.

I hope you're giving your older fahaka a more varied diet?
More info: library/feeding/feeding-your-puffers/
library/feeding/problems-feeding-your-puffer/
library/feeding/feedingproblems/
library/hospital/internal-parasites-pre ... treatment/

Pufferpunk wrote:Same here, mine went on a hunger strike for 3 weeks after upgrading him to a nice, roomy 125g from his 55g.

Earthworms are what finally broke him.

I hope you're giving your older fahaka a more varied diet?
More info: library/feeding/feeding-your-puffers/
library/feeding/problems-feeding-your-puffer/
library/feeding/feedingproblems/
library/hospital/internal-parasites-pre ... treatment/

I have to agree... Mine was on a 3 week strike when I first got him. I've moved him once more (75 to 150) and he did it again, but only for a few days. He now eats like crazy!

This makes me feel better to hear the hunger strike is common. I just wish he was fatter before starting it. I cantfind the krill that I left in his tank. We are hoping he ate it in the night.

The tank parameters taken a minute ago:
PH 7.4
Temp: 80-82 F
Ammonia nitrates: 0.0
Lights are on for 10 hrs/day. As I write that I'm thinking I should cut that back a bit. Any suggestions?

This tank has been set up for about 3-4 months already and been at 0ppm ammonia/nitrates for 2-3 months.
Housed a breeding pair of angels during that time.

As for my older fahaka, she eats shrimp, several different snails and clams. Should I be trying to find more variety?
I can get my husband to start feeding her crawfish. And we were starting to consider crab legs.
But she is very rotund and active with a great appetite. I thought her diet was pretty good.
We don't use vitamin supplements either. Is that something y'all are using?

You mean nitrite? You should be showing some nitrate.

My test is for NH3 and NH4. nitrate and ammonia.
Both are at 0.0 ppm.

Test your nitrite. You should be showing some nitrate in a cycled tank. Are you shaking the test liquids as instructed?

Maybe I need a new test kit.

Could bring some water to your LFS for comparison. While you're there, buy a new one.

my nile puffer went on a huge hunger strike about 4 years ago it lasted 2 months and he didnt lose much weight at all, i think he put himself on a diet, by the sounds of it lots of the Niles have hunger strikes

Good news! He ate an earthworm today!!
I hope he gets over his hunger strike soon.

Thank you so much for the suggestions!