Fahaka Rescue

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I8b4u2

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Apr 5, 2003
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At one of my lfs there is a Fahaka Puffer that is being kept in a small tank (maybe 8 gal) the poor little gaffer has been there for at least 3 months that I know about and he/she looks soo sad and lonely.
I just purchased a 35 gal tank (36x16x13) that I have yet to set up, and I was wondering if it would be big enough to house the Fahaka comfortably, I'm thinking of performing a rescue and buying it. Presently the Puffer is about 5 inches, so i expect it to get bigger.
I have been reading many posts on this and other types of Puffers, fish on crack:D , so I realise that the puffer would be alone in the tank except for anything meant to be eaten :eek: .
They also have a puffer labled as a "Red eye", but I think it has been mislabled, it is about 3 1/2 inches long and from what I've been able to find the Red Eyes only grow to 2 1/2-3 inches. I am going to try to get pics of it in the hopes of a proper identification.
I may be forced to "rescue" this one as well:D :p
 
Fahakas will need at LEAST a 75 gallon when full adult. They will get about a foot long if not a little more. The problem with the name Red Eye is it is the common name for two puffers, one that gets 5 inches and one that gets 3. BTW, Fahakas need to be fed a lot of tough foods in order to keep their beaks down.
 
I got my fahaka when he was only about an inch. I kept him in a 5 gallon tank :eek: for about 2 months, he got to be about 3 inches while I got his 20 gallon ready. :)

the 20 was fine for him for a couple months, until he got about 5 inches or so. he got pretty good mileage out of my 37 gallon tank. he stayed in that tank for about 4 months until he got to his current size of 8". now he's in a somewhat permanent home. a 90 gallon (5'X18"X18") planted tank with lots of driftwood. I think you could get a little more time out of your 35 gallon, it has a much better footprint than the 37 gallon I used ( an eclipse 3) it was only about 30" long IIRC. but a bigger tank will be needed eventually.

these guys are personable, as I'm sure you've already noticed if your thinking of bringing one home. they seem more like pets to me, I find myself talking to him all the time. LOL. They do eat a lot. I feed him a crawfish just about every day (with a fasting day). he also gets fed frozen Krill and a lot of snails (ramshorns and pond snails). when he was smaller, he loved bloodworms/blackworms, but now I think he sees them as a waste of time. :rolleyes:

I've seen the projected size anywhere from 15" all the way to 20" (some say 24" but I think the may have been confused with the MBU). I planned on getting a large tank for him right away, but a loss of my job put things on the backburner, I would have liked for him not to have changed tanks so many times, but he seems to have handled the move ok. :).

I wouldn't even consider putter the red eye and fahaka together, was that another tank?
 
Definately would be a different tank, but seeing as the tank I picked up would not be a permanent home for the Fahaka I may still decide to use it for the little "Red Eye" once I can get a positive id. I'd hate to assume it was a Red Eye and find out that I'ts really brackish and will grow too big for the tank.
If I can make some room for a bigger tank (without having to throw out my couch) I may still try to pick up the Fahaka. Until then I'll have to be content to talk to him at the LFS (i've visited him about a dozen times now and always take 15 min to talk to him, I think he's starting to remember me...wishful thinking?):D
 
Neither the "real" Red-Eye or its close relative gets that big (standard length), but Tetraodon palembangensis does (larger, actually), and also has red eyes.

The best photo and info I know on that one is on Shannon's site:

http://home.earthlink.net/~snebluemoon/Tetraodonpalembangensis.html

They are really bizarre fish - It would be worth a try if that is what the LFS has.

The Red-lined puffer gets about that size, but is BW. Ian has a fair pic:

http://www.pufferfish.co.uk/aquaria/species/pufferfish/types/index.htm

under Tetraodon erythrotaenia.

I'd consider 75 minimum for a Fahaka, 120 for an adult. There are plenty of these around at 18", which requires a 24x24" cross-section minimum to turn around without caudal fin damage.
 
my fahaka was raised on a no fish diet. he did waste a pair of gouramis when he was only 2" long. he doesnt really see fish as a food. the fish that had to be taken out for not giving him space were an oscar and 2 blood parrots.

while my 125 gallon is being cleaned and leak tested and resealed and cycled [about another month] he is in a 55 gallon.
he sleeps in the sand under stump and right above him sleeps the redtail black shark. they seem to have an understanding.
i'll keep those two together as long as i can as the redtail is a total jerk anywhere else i try to put him.
above them inside the stump, sleeps the chinese algea eater.
he doesnt mind the puffer but isntr getting along with the shark.
there are also 5 barbs and some tetras in the tank. they all seem to be too quick. with the tank being too small, the small fish can get behind decorations where the puffer doesnt fit. maybe i just dont let him get hungry enuff to go after fish.

i think the important thing to remember is all puffers have different personalities. what i experience with my puffer isnt what you might experience with yours.
 
One of the three fahakas I've kept ignored feeder guppies (perhaps too small?). The other two allowed nothing in their tanks, not even siphon tibes. One of those two was the only fish I've kept of which I was afraid.
 
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