Fahaka pufferfish

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Fahaka pufferfish

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Tetraodontiformes
Family: Tetraodontidae
Genus: Tetraodon
Species: T. lineatus
Binomial name
Tetraodon lineatus
Roberts, T.R., 1986

The Fahaka puffer (from Arabic: فهقة), Nile puffer, Globe fish, or the Lineatus puffer, Tetraodon lineatus, is a freshwater pufferfish found in the Nile river and other river basins of Africa. Like all puffers, the Fahaka has the ability to "puff up" when threatened, and carries the deadly Tetrodotoxin in its flesh.

The Fahaka puffer feeds on mollusks and crustaceans, using its large beak-like teeth to break open the shells of prey. They grow to a maximum length of 18 inches.

Contents

[edit] Common Captive Fed Foods

  • Freeze Dried Krill
  • Earthworms
  • Mealworms
  • Market Prawn and Shrimp
  • Rosy Red Feeder Fish
  • Live Ghost Shrimp
  • Apple Snails
  • Blood Worms

[edit] External links


 This fish-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.


[edit] Hobbyist Experience and Advice

The Fahaka puffer, or Globe fish, is a good pet for an advanced aquarium hobbyist. While very aggressive towards any other fish, for the most part they are very lazy. Many hobbyists have had limited success keeping them with other tank mates. Fahaka puffers are slow hunters and decent at ambushing. They enjoy burying themselves in a sandy tank bottom when frightened.

They eat snails, shrimp, crawfish, meal worms, earthworms, krill, shrimp, and anything they can catch and swallow. It is best to feed them fish with tough shells so that there teeth stay filed down. They have a great personality and are very doglike. Some will even let you pet them. It is said that Fahakas can recognize their keepers and are often playful in nature. They can grow up to 18 inches and require a minimum recommended tank size of at least 125 gallons.

[edit] Captive Community Housing Advice and Risks

The Fahaka puffer is typically known as a solitary fish and is commonly kept by most hobbyists in tanks by themselves. Some hobbyists have had limited success keeping them with other fish in community tanks with certain guidelines and expectations.

  • Make sure the other fish are of similar size and can out maneuver the Fahaka
  • It's generally better to get a young Fahaka to introduce to a community tank
  • Other fish may get eaten at some point, so be prepared if they attack other fish
  • Be prepared to provide alternate adequate housing in the event the Fahaka does not adjust or decides to eat its tank mates.