going to get my fahaka today

[ozzy47]

i am very excited i have an empty 4ft tank and decided to put an oddball in and decided on a fahaka, done lots of research and i am really looking forward to looking after him, my only question is, is it only snails from the lfs you can feedhim as they only sell apple snails if so are these ok to feed him. will post some pics once i have him settled in.

 

[Erised]

Quoting from SirMinion here:

We feed Martha & Cookie on:

    * Cooked or raw prawns in the shell
    * Cooked peeled prawns
    * Cooked or raw mussel in the shell with the shell slightly crushed or shell-less
    * Cooked or raw cockle, same as the mussel
    * Live river (like ghost) shrimp
    * Live jumbo bloodworm
    * Live mealworms & mealworm pupae
    * Crab claws (from fishmonger)
    * Occasional live red crabs


Other things to try are:

    * Oyster (are you rich?)
    * Scallops (clams)
    * Squid
    * Live or cooked yabbie (crayfish, crawdad, freshwater lobster-mind the claws!)
    * Live crickets
    * Live locusts
    * Live CLEAN earthworms
    * Anything crunchy that wriggles.

Plenty of choices it seems

--Edit--
I do think apple snails would be ok as well, but not a 100% sure ... I'm sure someone else will come along to give you a proper answer though

 

[pica_nuttalli]

sorry if this is a silly question, but its not just a standard 4ft tank, right? large puffers are on the spherical side of things so they need a wider tank than most other fish. the suggestion in this thread is a absolute minimum 4x2x2 tank.

just thought i'd bring the issue up; better safe than sorry, no?

 

[GSD]

good luck with it
oh and dont forget
WE WANT PICS

 

[SirMinion]

Four feet is fine as a grow out tank, but it will need double filtration very frequent large water changes as the fish grows.

This species can grow to 18 inches within 18 months, so a much, much bigger tank will be needed, and soon!
The tank needs to be wide and tall as well as long.

Ask yourself if you are prepared to dedicate an eight foot tank to just one fish.

Fahakas are NOT easy fish to keep, so good luck!

 

[ozzy47]

hi many thanks for the advice he is only approx 3 inches at the mo o he is fine in his 4 footer at the present and i think he is such an awesome fish that he will get what he needs as he grows, i plan on turning the garage into a fish room so he will get his 8 foot tank eventually but in the mean time when he is a little larger he has a 6x2x2 waiting for him, and as for his appetite WOW thought he may have been a bit subdued today with the move from lfs to his new home but no chance has taken some earth worm just trying to get hold of some snails for him now, and will get some pics up asap. just one more question do they like alot of plants/hiding places or not the chap in the lfs told me he would be better in an non decorated tank obviously just the sandy bottom for him to burrow.

 

[SirMinion]

The sand is vital, well done for that!

Martha liked to hide in a 'sunken wreck' ornament when she was little, but now prefers just to lurk in a pit in the sand.

Here's Martha when she was about 5 inches with her galleon.

 

[chris_1127]

a bit o/t but where in plymouth are you getting him? there don't seem to be too many places in the south west that stock many oddball fish, at least not around newton abbot or torbay anyway