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Fahaka Arrives next week!
Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2011 5:57 pm
by cfl1974
I'm so excited! Next week I finally get my fahaka! He/she is a Christmas gift from my husband. The 120 gallon tank he/she is going into is currently being used for dicus (they will be moved out prior to arrival). Anyway, to keep nitrates down for the discus there is only a really thin layer of sand for the substrate.
The fahaka I'm getting is ~ 6". Should I increase the substrate? If so, to what depth?
Thanks!
Re: Fahaka Arrives next week!
Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2011 6:20 pm
by Pufferpunk
Congrats! My fahaka never burrowed.
Re: Fahaka Arrives next week!
Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2011 2:41 am
by PolishPuff
Pufferpunk wrote:Congrats! My fahaka never burrowed.
Mines not only that buries, but my wife and my daughter seen it puff.
I love my Fahaka, too bad I can only get 125 gal tank for her.
Re: Fahaka Arrives next week!
Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2011 9:17 am
by cfl1974
Yeah. Moving a large puffer would not be fun, but right now the largest tank we have available in the house is the 120. In the not too distant future we could make a 180 available, but right now those are occupied by 2 ex-cichlasoma Pearson in one, and an 18" dovii (so I know what an 18" fish looks like, and that 120 gallons is not really adequate for life) in the other.
The fahaka could go into a bigger tank, from the start, in the fish room, but I feel like it would would be more cruel to put an intelligent, interactive fish in a tank by itself, where it wouldn't get as much interaction.
Anyway - would it be better to have a thicker layer of sand, where s/he can bury, if s/he wants, or a thinner layer that will trap less waste, as we currently have it for the discus?
Re: Fahaka Arrives next week!
Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2011 11:58 am
by Puffer King
i've got sand in my fahakas tank , although im seriously thinking about replacing it with a different substrate as it looks nice when spotlessly clean but doesn't stay that way for long with the way lilly tears her food up !
Some fahakas burrow in the sand , some don't ......mine did when she was smaller but seems to have grown out of it........i've seen her a couple times practising inflating herself, very amusing to watch
If you do opt for sand , then a good couple inches is plenty , bearing in mind as you vacuum up the debris you'll lose a small amount of sand every time ..
Sand seems to be more susceptible to BGA , which can be a problem in a puffer tank due to the nutrients from waste so ' wash ' thoroughly any sand you put in .