Need assistance with Fahaka

ALaake · Post by **ALaake** » Thu Apr 06, 2006 7:34 pm

I am searching for some help with a newly acquired Fahaka puffer. He was recently acquired from an Earl May store. He was in fairly bad shape when I got it. It was successfully treated for fungus upon bringing it home and also ick after that. The fish has been doing great since then. Still has a bit of salt in with him since waters only been changed twice since ick treatment. It is being kept in a 20 long for now, and has an open cycled 55 waiting for it with some live plants, snails, and ghost shrimp. There is a decent sized chunk of coral in the 20 with it. Parameters are ph 7.8 -8.0 Nitrites 0 nitrate 10-15 (will change water again this weekend) ammonia 0.

Diet is krill freeze dried and frozen, blood worms (frozen), night crawlers, shrimp (frozen), snails, and occasionally formula 2 gut loaded and quarantined rosies. And occasionally gut loaded ghost shrimp.

The lil feller is about 3 inches.

The problem......It seems as though it has lost the sharpness in its teeth. the lil guy still eats eagerly. Just doesn't appear to tear through stuff like it had been. Almost seems as though its teeth are just really dull. I mean it looks as though it struggles to tear apart freeze dried krill.

I am guessing this is due to not enough snails in its diet? Is there anything I can do right now to fix this before it gets any worse?

Thanks for any help!!!!!!!!!

The Fisherman · Post by **The Fisherman** » Thu Apr 06, 2006 9:53 pm

well, the teeth may have overgrown. a picture would greatly help with this. are the teeth sticking out of his mouth?

are you aware that a fahaka will eventually need a 125g? i would move him to the 55g ASAP.

im assuming its fake coral thats in with him?

ALaake · Post by **ALaake** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 12:08 am

The coral is real, have heard that this may help with it's teeth......didn't think it would hurt anyways......

I figured the 20 long would be a large enough QT tank for a 3 inch feller....But I will move him asap if you think that is best... I just wanted to make sure that he was not in need of any other sort of attention.

Yes I also realize that this fish gets rather large. I will be upgrading its tank as needed. I have quite a few larger tanks. All the way up to 180. I also realize he is best kept alone. I have also read a good deal of the info that you guys recommend the newbs to read.

His teeth don't appear to me to be sticking out of his mouth.

Here is a pic......I took about 30 but I have a hard time getting them to turn out.

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i145/ ... fahaka.jpg

Raphael · Post by **Raphael** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 3:18 am

That's a good picture. The tooth is not overgrown, it could be that it broke off when he tried to bite something hard.

lisalisa · Post by **lisalisa** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 8:56 am

His teeth do not look over grown to me, but that pic is rather blurry (I know how hard it is to get good pics!). I would just keep up with the varied diet; so long as he's getting food down, he'll be fine.
You really do need to get him into a larger tank asap. These fish should grow at an alarming rate. He'd be great in the 180; mine is in a 210 and loves it. If you put him into that 180 soon, he'll be able to swim and grow his whole life there, instead of having to change tanks many times, which is stressful on both of you!
Good luck with your little guy

.

ALaake · Post by **ALaake** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 11:24 am

I have been looking at him closer and it appears to me as though his bottom teeth come up to a point a little "spike" if you will. It almost looks as though this little spike or burr is growning back deeper in his mouth. I am not sure if this is right but is it possible for its teeth to be over grown but going back into its throat rather than coming forward out of his mouth?

Thank you all for your advise so far. He is being moved today to an acrylic tank of roughly 100 gallons.

Post by **Myaj** » Fri Apr 07, 2006 1:59 pm

ALaake, I have a SAP who's bottom teeth do grow backwards into his mouth, they are very hard to trim and he has sort of a "parrot mouth" look to him (I'm not sure if its apparent in my avatar).

However, SAP's teeth grow very, very fast, much faster than a Fahaka, so its a pretty big issue with him, he needs them trimmed constantly. I've never owned a Fahaka and I wouldn't think their teeth are usually a problem, but if it is, I'd think the best time to trim it and hopefully get the teeth growing straight again would be when he's smaller.. but its hard to say either way without a good clean shot of his mouth, which can be nearly impossible to get.

ALaake · Post by **ALaake** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 10:07 am

The Fahaka was examined upon being moved. His teeth appear to be fine maybe slightly chipped......But definetly not overgrown.

It has not eaten since being moved. It has been almost a week. Starting to get worried. Looks skinny.

onebadpuffer · Post by **onebadpuffer** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 10:53 am

In my experience, it is not uncommon for a puffer to get stressed for awhile after a move. Stress of being moved and all. He'll come around. Just keep doing the things you always did. Keep enticing him with food and removing any uneaten after it has been in for 20 minutes or so. Keep an eye out for any signs of sickness though, just to be on the safe side. It was almost three weeks after I moved this last time before my figure eight ate again that I saw. He had to eat something in that time though, I believe. Feed his normal favorites and try giving any safe, live food that you can. Sometimes it helps stimulate their appetite again and you can try Garlic Extreme also. It can be purchased for Petsmart. It is an appetite stimuli.

Post by **Pufferpunk** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 11:40 am

My fahaka want on a food strike for 3 weeks after being moved from a 55g to his now 125g. You'd think he would be happier! I am concerned w/the description of your puffer's teeth though:

it appears to me as though his bottom teeth come up to a point a little "spike" if you will.

This sounds like they need to be trimmed to me. It wouldn't hurt to tranquilize w/clove oil to take a better look, being prepared to trim, if necessary. 1 drop/cup of tank water. See the article in the Hospital Forum.

ALaake · Post by **ALaake** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 8:40 pm

Actually the little "spike" I saw wasn't his teeth at all. I made a mistake I did not realize until I took him out and took a closer look. I was looking into the tank at him and I thought thier teeth sat back a lot farther than they actually do. I'm sorry I should have mentioned this after I took a closer look.

Post by **Pufferpunk** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 11:01 pm

Try offering him live nightcrawlers then. Mine never pass those up.

ALaake · Post by **ALaake** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 10:32 pm

OK...Here are some recent pics of the puffer. Something is definitely wrong I think. His face appears to me to be inflamed. It looks very swollen and also looks to have a reddish tint to it.

It still has not eaten anything. We have tried night crawlers, blood worms, snails, and even a small crayfish.

It appears that it's teeth are OK but rather there is a problem with his jaw. Like he is unable to chew. It also appears that it's mouth is so swollen that it is unable to close.

If you can't tell we are inexperienced with puffers, but I know that this puffer did not look like this a few days ago. [/img]

Bred · Post by **Bred** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 11:20 pm

Did you treat him with any drugs? Have you taken readings on ammonia, nitrite and nitrate? How long have you had this fish?

ALaake · Post by **ALaake** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 11:51 pm

Had the fish for about 5 weeks.

It was treated with pimafix when we got it home. About 2 weeks later was treated for ick with ick away.

Readings are Nitrite 0, Ammonia 0, Nitrate 10-15.

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Need assistance with Fahaka

Need assistance with Fahaka