Hey so I got "Tonto" my Fahaka right around Christmas this past December. I had done lots of reading. He was just short of 2" (nose to base of caudal fin). Well, almost 9 months later, he is about 2.75".
He was kept in a 20 gallon for about 2 1/2 months and then moved to his own (basically) 125g.
Water params have always been good for this guy, i kept up with awesome water changes twice a week (40-50%), PH- 8.0, Nitrates always very, very low. I had done a few treatments with Prazi-Pro for Internal Parasites during the first month, just from various reading and that he was wild caught (of course). I always vacuum his sand, removing all uneaten food and waste.
He has always appeared very active with a healthy appetite. He has been fed an alternating diet of ramshorn snails, krill, and bloodworms in a rotation.
When I moved him into his 125, i stepped up his diet a little, 2-3 snails per day, 1-2 small krill every other day, his appetite is fine, I have no idea where he puts it!
His belly is always smooth and white, except right after a meal. I think I am familiar with signs of stress, discoloration, and how fahakas will curl their caudal fin when displeased or stressed.
He has a few tank mates that I view as non-threatening. He seems uninterested and unbothered.
4 in. Giraffe cat
3 in pleco
2 in red tip rainbow shark
(2) 2 inch tinfoil barbs
(3) 2 inch female auloncara cichlids
I would like to know if there is anything I can do for him to help him grow at this point, or did I just get a stunted fahaka? Is there something I did to stunt him? I have read that some grow 1 inch per month sometimes from that young. He seems happy and healthy, but if he is not going to grow anymore, I am moving him back to the 20.
Here are some pics
He was kept in a 20 gallon for about 2 1/2 months and then moved to his own (basically) 125g.
Water params have always been good for this guy, i kept up with awesome water changes twice a week (40-50%), PH- 8.0, Nitrates always very, very low. I had done a few treatments with Prazi-Pro for Internal Parasites during the first month, just from various reading and that he was wild caught (of course). I always vacuum his sand, removing all uneaten food and waste.
He has always appeared very active with a healthy appetite. He has been fed an alternating diet of ramshorn snails, krill, and bloodworms in a rotation.
When I moved him into his 125, i stepped up his diet a little, 2-3 snails per day, 1-2 small krill every other day, his appetite is fine, I have no idea where he puts it!
His belly is always smooth and white, except right after a meal. I think I am familiar with signs of stress, discoloration, and how fahakas will curl their caudal fin when displeased or stressed.
He has a few tank mates that I view as non-threatening. He seems uninterested and unbothered.
4 in. Giraffe cat
3 in pleco
2 in red tip rainbow shark
(2) 2 inch tinfoil barbs
(3) 2 inch female auloncara cichlids
I would like to know if there is anything I can do for him to help him grow at this point, or did I just get a stunted fahaka? Is there something I did to stunt him? I have read that some grow 1 inch per month sometimes from that young. He seems happy and healthy, but if he is not going to grow anymore, I am moving him back to the 20.
Here are some pics
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