The Puffer Forum

Well to my surprise he came right to the glass as soon as i tapped on it and was deff; looking for food. so i gave him some more treated [shrimp] and some ramshorne snails which i got my hands on, and he ate like a little piggy.and his little fins were going 100-miles an hour lol-poor little guy the only humane attention he's got in about 2-months other then me popping in to see him when i could.He is a total different fish today just very happy fins going trying to hunt and looking very bright, and comfortable. So i managed to get the owner to feed him tonight before he leaves. Now they all know he's going tues; they are certainly showing a big interest in him-even marked sold on his tank-even though i didn't buy him[given to me].i am soo thrilled with his improvement just in a few days. Boy what a difference.He looks very bright and lively=which he was not before. Oh buy the way he's having crabs and clams for his supper lol-spoiled baby this little Survivor.I took all this stuff in for him in a big bag and i knew they would not feed anything other then b/w's so i took my own food in for him.Nothing but the best for my boys[ha ha] But if you can't feed them right you should not have them as far as i'm concerned.I am just soo happy he's inproving well in this short time.Will update again tomorrow when i get back from feeding him. river-7 PS; I am waiting until tues; to pick him up just to make sure his tank is stable-so far so good still feeding tank with ammonia right until tues;am then i will do a large water change as PP says and put him in his new home.

Good work, hopefully the store has learnt something too

Thanks Bertie; I don't know if they would have a learned another thing but they will have an empty tank and i think that is their concern lol-and the $$$$ not the fish.Staff don't know he was not a paid purchase they all think i paid for him. And i never told them any different. river-7

You are doing great, well done. You will soon be in my boat- wanting more and more for him. I have a job coming up with lots of pounds for hard graft. I have already planned to buy a 6x3 ish tank with approx 80 g sump for my fahaka and his friends to reside in, the sump will be joined by 4 large eheim cannisters lol. Ps don't tell my wife. Lol. The saps tank ( still awaiting new arrivals grrr) will be the tank I already have for the fahakas upgrade

Bertie; That's a lot of our problems=MTS; catches like wild fire. Then we want the best for our guys and then better and thus it starts lol, but as long as the species is happy that's what counts.I have 2-eheim filters and 2-marineland hob's for their tanks the hob's are 400's and just came in handy as i was going to sell one of the eheim's and 1-of the 400's and now glad i didn't. They do a great job on my huge tanks.My guy is in a 120-right now and i'm having a 180-by 30-wide brought in for him, and i don't know how long it is. It's quit long and lots of room so 2-large tanks you can bet i don't have too much room in my place.Oh well their having lots of fun. Bertie; I meant to tell you this for a little laugh. Another forum i used quit a few years ago-the guy said 'Don't' tell my wife and unknowing to him she had joined the same forum-Quite the good laugh especially when he posted referring to his wife, and didn't know it was her lol-river-7

I will be extra careful then lol. Nah she leaves it to me as a whole. She likes aqua scaping but leaves maintenance and research etc to me. To add she is not impressed with the 10 tanks in storage, especially when I keep turning up with new tanks. I am supposed to be running down but keep planning new builds lol

Just got back from feeding him and there was no left over food-so i don't know for sure if he was fed or not.But i gave him some halibut and clams with shell
And a piece of shrimp-man did he dive into them. His colouring is a little strange to me he has a lot of green on him. Or doe's that mean he's young?? mine was kind of yellow and white when i got him. I don't know if this was stress or not but i just saw one fahaka with that colouring and it was here on the board. Doe's it mean that he is young??. but he ripped apart the clam shell with it-but not too much shell as he is little yet.He appeared very hungrey like he was not fed last night. He was not active today-just a little swimming but did come to the glass to see me.Hope he's not going to regress. river-7

Their colour varies to what substrate etc is in the tank, also young fahakas are very different in colour to adults. When I had black substrate my fahaka was dark green, with lighter substrate he is yellow.

Hi; Bertie; I have a fine light coloured gravel for both of them, which they can bury in if wanted and i bought 2-hampster houses that are just big enough for these guys to get into-I plan on burying it in the substrate and if they want to hide they can[my guy don't hide too much unless he resting[after food lol] And i have lots of deco; for them and i think maybe i bought just too much[ha ha] I have to leave room for them to adjust their own tank. My guy already done a adjustment in his tank, so i think he will adjust his final home to his liking.Well the staff member that knows puffs is there tomorrow after 1-pm so i will wait for him for survivor to be taken out of tank and i'm bringing a big container for him to come home in. and i will cover him so it's dark and i will leave lights out ect; until he settles for at least a day. I am going to try and put a pic up-a before and after if you like.And i will try and take a pic at the shop before i take him for you all to see him.I just hope i don't scare him to death. Well closing for now and will update-river-7

Hiding spots need to be big enough for them when they are fully puffed, you would not want them to get stuck

Hi; Bertie; LOL- I never thought about that but he has no reason to puff unless he does some practicing.I have had people in and he really doe's not bother about them just goes into his hole and stays until they are gone sometimes comes out to say hello. But once he's to big for his hampster hide i will remove and find him bigger> the one i bought him is very large, i would say he can fit in it for at least another 6-months. I bought an extra large one.And being plastic i can cut and file with dremmel to protect his skin and make it larger. . As a matter of fact i am thinking about making it bigger before i put it in. Now that you mentioned puffing, just to make sure he don't get stuck-i wouldn't want to unpuff a puff lol .Boy i have a lot of things i bought for him and 'Survivor' that i have to fix and make to their liking but i'm sure they will rearrange their tanks to their own liking lol.The only one time he got spooked was when i fed him live crabs and he was fixated on the crab and didn't see me coming past and he hit the hood and filter and then settled done once i talked to him and told him it was'mommie' Boy these guys are so loving and strange at the same time. I am expecting a different personality from 'Survivor'. So i can not pick up 'Survivor' today as i have company from England so i will prob; go tomorrow or fri; as i have DR"S appointment thurs; and that's a long time thing here.I am thinking about going to the dollar store for large bowl for him and "survivor' now that you mentioned them puffing. I think that would be more suitable for them.And they are brand new and some are very strong.And lots of colour although i don't know if they can see colours, or care about colours.Well Bertie; i have talked you ear off long enough will update later-river.

Went to see 'Survivor' yesterday and he is in a 1/2 tank size now, as they added another fish to what was suppose to be his tank, thus he is in approx; a 2-5 tank. And someone -in the staff is still adding salt and we had to flush him again due to his breathing.We called all staff members to see who is adding salt to him and of course could not get an answer. Boy i will be glad when i pick him up and get him out of there. i have finished decorating his tank-so that is ready to go. Boy this little 'Survivor is soo smart. As i have treated shrimp to worm him, he knows it and will only take little bites. If he won't eat the prazi; Doe's anyone have another suggestion to worm?? Because i am positive that he has ip's.He takes little bites and looks at me as if to say[ha ha] you can't fool me. Man this guy is very smart, but he is taking little bites. So the staff member who loves puffers is going to give him nothing but the worming food while i can't go so maybe if he don't get nothing else he may eat them.This little guy is very,very, smart. He will not eat if you stand there to watch him. But if you move away he will eat. And i will have to train him to eat from tweezers. At least eating from tweezer's -I can see what he is eating and less harmful to water quality. My guy don't miss a piece of anything-everything goes right into tummy lol. So i know he's eaten well, and begging won't work as he has had enough.I guess it will take a bit to train him. My guy was hand feeding the second day i got him. but of course he is a big food lover. He will beg everytime he see's me.'Survivor' comes right to the front of glass when i tap on it with the tweezers, so that's a start. And i think he will be more relaxed when i bring him home. Will update again and please wish the best for this little one. river

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How is the little fella?

hi: Bertie; He is still hanging in there-i am hopefully going today-with my company from England it has been hard to do anything , but they are leaving thurs; so i hope to pick up 'Survivor' today around 10-am as soon as they open.I have a plastic container for him, and i'm only 10-minutes from store-so should not be too stressful for him.He probably thinks he's never going to get out of there as my plans had changed soo drastically. I was not planning on company but happy to have them as i haven't seen there for a year or more.So hopefully with before and after pics today. When i get back will post.river