Fluffy the fahaka!

[kzimmerman]

So I went into my lfs last week, and they had little tiny fahakas, about 1/2” long for $14.95. And they were captive bred. So I got one and put it in a 20l. He’s so small that I think he will be good in there for a month or so while I build the big tank. Current plan is a 7x30x30. I think that should do! I also have a 75 available if I need a little more time, but I want to move him out of that when he’s about 7-8”.
Fluffy is eating bs like crazy, I’m going to try him on krill, but I don’t think he can eat them whole. Fish can surprise you though!

 

[Deadeye]

Congrats on the new puffer!
That tank should be good till about 3 inches or so. Puffers aren’t too fast growing either.
Variety is key with fish, especially puffers. Too much of any food isn’t good so be sure to rotate foods.

 

[kzimmerman]

My wife and I are thinking of ditching the tank and getting a 300 gallon Rubbermaid stock tank. It’s foot print is 5’3” by 5’9”. I think that will be plenty enough room for fluffy as an adult, right? Fits right into the corner of the main room. My wife really liked the idea, it’s cheaper, easier and she can put some plants in. God I love my wife!

 

[Deadeye]

That should be good for the puffer.

 

[kzimmerman]

So, a little update.
The krill were not touched, but he eats a ton of brine shrimp. He’s grown some already, but I want a more varied diet. I’m not going to feed him again for a couple days to see if fluffy gets more motivated to eat the krill. Any other suggestions, particularly if it’s from a freshwater organism?

 

[Deadeye]

Mysis is a good food. More nutritious than brine shrimp.
At his current size, it’s best to feed him smaller foods like mysis, brine, bloodworms, tubifex, and snails. As he grows larger foods can be offered.

 

[kzimmerman]

I’ll try a bloodworm tonight, it will be hard to get it in front of it though.
I finally managed to get a fewdecent pics.

 

[kzimmerman]

So fluffy ate two bloodworms last night, he looked almost like a marble! I was unable to get much food at the lfs, but I did find daphnia, hopefully he will like them. I’m worried about them disappearing into the gravel though, as fluffy likes to let the food fall to the bottom so he can hunt for it. I need to get him on sand, I think. I have a 29 I can set up with sand, maybe I’ll set it up with sand for him.

 

[UnclePat]

I've got one about that size, and he's big on the bloodworms and brine shrimp...definitely recommend a sand substrate for them, not only when they're little to help the food stick around so they can find it, but eventually, they'll need it to furrow in. I'm using a pool filter sand, which is working great (cheap off amazon). I've also started working in some freeze dried baby shrimp and plankton via a feeding stick...trying to get him used to other food stuffs and the feeding stick in general.

 

[kzimmerman]

I’m more worried about finding thiamine free foods, and I do agree with you on the sand, but he is in a 20gl right now, and is moving soon, so I used what I had. I’m going to try the daphnia tonight. Fluffy has also started to associate me with food, so I’m going to start training him to eat in a corner, makes it easier for fluffy to find the food.