The Puffer Forum

My new 2 inch Fahaka arrived this morning and is very happy in his new 150 gallon tank. He's ate a few snails before I left to the store, and when I got back, he was burrowed in the sand. No surprise at that, but when he came up, the sand was stuck to his body. I tried fanning some water on him lightly to get it to come off, but it appears stuck in his slime coat. I haven't even had this happen to my Congo and he was is the sand all the time. This is the first time I have purchased Petco colored "aquarium sand", and am hoping that wasn't a huge mistake. Has anyone had this happen before? I'm hoping it will go away. Even if it doesn't hurt him, it does affect the way he looks lol. I haven't been able to get a clear picture because he is such a busybody. Thanks for the help!

Never mind it. It has gradually come off, as I thought it might. I'm just anxious about anything out of the ordinary since he's new and I haven't raised one before.

I was gonna post that to you. You just sound like a worried dad.

LOL

Bloat always seems to have sand stuck to him since he is always buried

I AM a worried dad lol. I've cared for many puffers, but this is the largest one I have gotten, or at least, will become the largest. He is so happy in his tank, and just buzzes all over the place exploring.

im in the same boat man i just got my 1st fahaka too and im a worried sick dad! ha ha 50% water changes a day for me and i boil everything that goes in his tank except food... better safe than sorry but mine is happy as ever and well fed and he has grown about 3 inches in 2 months! crazy growth rate!!! feed feed feed water changes water changes water changes

How long did it take for yours to start eating? I got my from liveaquariua and he seems very active, but hasn't done more than bite AT a ramshorn snail.

well i got mine from the LFS and he was only about one inch then and when i brought him home the only thing he would eat was bloodworms... i got him to eat some ramshorn snails but you must break the shell for them because i heard their shells are so hard they will crack the fahakas beak... not sure if its true but Cuda my fahaka loved the ramshorn snails he would start to eat about 30 in a sitting! but it took him about 3 days to starts eating regurally...

Wow, yours was tiny! Mine is currently 3 inches, just got him a few days ago. I've tried every puffer food you can think of(prawn pieces, tiny crayfish, ghost shrimp, silverside, bloodworms, blackworms, earthworms, you get the picture), even using the garlic trick, but no luck yet. I think the snails you are thinking of are Malaysian Trumpet Snails, but maybe ramshorns are in their too. I've just been feeding all my puffers ramshorns for the last 9 years and haven't had a problem, so maybe Buzz is a wimp lol. 3 days is tomorrow morning for us, so I'm trying not to be a worrywart.

Cuda LOVES krill and frozen mussels thats what i mainly feed him but trust me just wait it out he is probably just getting used to the tank environment etc... just hold off trying to feed him and he will eventually beg for it! thats what i had to do once. after two days he went nuts when i walked up to the tank! talk also to pufferpunk she wil help!

Gilbert is the same way! lol he lays there in the sand with just his eyes poking out! just wait till you seem him "burrow" it is an awesome thing to see!

i agree ive seen cuda borrow once and it was badass!

Yes it is! I will see if I cant get a video!

I shouldn't have been worried in the first place. For whatever reason, the sand stuck to him for a good few hours after he came out the first time. Now it falls right off. He acts a lot like my Congo did, burrowing often before and after meals, and only coming out when he wants to explore. He's eaten both of my marmorkrebs I stuck in there with him, a cherry shrimp, an earthworm, and several snails. Hungry little guy.

Try a fat, juicy, Earthworm.