The Puffer Forum

im so excited my new fahaka is ordered and will be coming in tomorrow *knock on wood*. this will be my first puffer so still a noob to these guys and still have lots more to learn. I have a 5ftx18in 120g set up that it will be going into (will eventually upgrade to a 180 when the width becomes an issue) I usually keep large new world cichlids but had a big die off in my tank awhile ago from a filter mishap and have been kind of uninspired with my tank lately so i thought i would go a totally different route to get back into it with a bang (there are still some silver dollars and a delhezi bichir in the tank from the previous stock, but other than that it will have the tank to itself, will these tankmates be ok?) i have researched these guys but any advice for a newbie puffer keeper would be greatly appreciated, how active are your guys' puffers? also i live right by the beach in NC and was wondering if the little Coquina (Donax) clams were good to feed as treats? was just wondering if there was any risk of parasite infection or anything like that, i didnt think there would be since they are salt water going into freshwater for the puffer but just wanted to be sure. my little guy is already going to be 5-6in, ill be sure to post pics when it gets here

Welcome to the forum!

We always like pics!

It's more than likely that your fakaha will end up eating any and all tankmates. Those clams should be fine as food as long as you freeze them first.
+1 to lots of pics

thanks guys and yeah thats what i figured about the tankmates lol, as of right now the delhezi is larger that the puffer will be so will probably be ok for a little bit but yeah i figured that eventually they would most likely be eaten, at least the silver dollars will be good at eating his messy leftovers while they last.... oh and would the same also be true of the little grass shrimps in the estuaries here? just freeze them first and they should be good? though both the clams and shrimps are starting to go away for the winter and my fahaka will probably be too large for them by the time the water warms up again haha

I feed mine clams, mussels, crabs, crayfish, worms, shrimp and scallops (her favorite). I buy most of my food from the local grocery store, freeze everything then defrost it in vitamin water before feeding. My local butcher knows me and my fish very well.

I'm afraid that puffer will rip those other fish to shreds. Especially the birchir. Looks way too much like a tempting worm. Even my very mild-mannered fahaka, who allows several tank mates to co-exist with him (one of the only 1% who do), chewed a quite large birchir's tail down to the bones.

Welcome. I would rehome the other fish as stated above it will kill them in a flash. Also I would upgrade sooner rather than later as catching a 12+" fahaka is a pain in the buttocks

Catching my Fahaka was a breeze...very nerve wrecking, but easy. I agree though...he will kill EVERYTHING! Ares tried to take off my finger last night during feeding time...If it wiggles, they will eat it!

I do confess to using small Cichlid fry as feeders when the batches needed thinning, but only before their dorsal spines harden.

yeah rehome the other fish. the puffer will be enough in that tank to look at. he will fill it with personality. and you dont need the silver dollars to clean up his scraps, my puffers generally clean up all of their own scraps. i have always wanted a fahaka.....