# More of Linus the fahaka and friends



## Puffer Pita (Jun 16, 2006)

Linus the fahaka is using the pink rainbow slate cave that used to be Lil's (female baileyi puffer). I've discovered that the flat top makes a great dinner plate for his blackworms.  I'm still having a little trouble judging how much to feed him though, so you'll see he's a little bulgy today. I'm not sure if its my imagination, wishful thinking or what, but he seems to look better every day.

If anyone is getting tired of hearing about or seeing him, please let me know and I'll slow down or stop. I'm just a tad obsessed right now but I know that just because I love staring at him doesn't mean everyone else does too. 





































*No, those aren't water marks on the glass, those are bite scars on his tummy. *































































*Lil, my lovely little girl (I think). *









*Oscar, my first betta*


















*Ziggy, who I've had since he was 15 days old.*


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## StarLab (Jan 14, 2007)

Boxermom said:


> If anyone is getting tired of hearing about or seeing him, please let me know and I'll slow down or stop. I'm just a tad obsessed right now but I know that just because I love staring at him doesn't mean everyone else does too.


Yea, right! Who'd get tired of seeing great pics like that!  

Nice!


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## Puffer Pita (Jun 16, 2006)

Thanks!  So what do you think of my hairy girl?


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## thebrick (Dec 20, 2006)

keep em coming the way i see it is if people dont wanna look dont open the thread


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## StarLab (Jan 14, 2007)

Boxermom said:


> Thanks!  So what do you think of my hairy girl?


Very cool! I have never seen those listed, but will keep an eye out now.


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## Puffer Pita (Jun 16, 2006)

They're rather rare and are pretty pricey because of that. Just be prepared if you do see them. My LFS had them for several months and couldn't sell them because of the price.


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## Fishboy93 (Jun 11, 2005)

I've occasionally seen these at my lfs but sadly they are put in little cages and can hardly move around.... 


Very nice pics, beautiful fish.


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## Sicy (Oct 2, 2006)

Wow those are awesome pics and such neat looking fish!!


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## Guest (Jan 25, 2007)

what species is it? and what is the minimum size for a tank for them?


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## Puffer Pita (Jun 16, 2006)

For which? The first one (the yellowish one) is a Tetraodon lineatus, or fahaka puffer. Minimum tank size is 125 gallons. The pinkish one is a Tetraodon baileyi, or hairy puffer. Minimum tank size is 30g.


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## Sue Gremlin (Jan 16, 2007)

I am in love with the hairy puffer. I mean, come on. Look at that face.


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## Puffer Pita (Jun 16, 2006)

She is gorgeous, isn't she?  Her partner, Phil, has a little more "hair" than she does. I periodically remove the divider of the tank they share and let them interact, closely monitored of course, and am hopeful that someday, I may get lucky and they may spawn for me. Of course that's assuming they are indeed male and female, which there's really no external way of telling.  My husband says they look like baked potatoes. He's such a heathen.


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## Christine (Nov 4, 2005)

baked potatoes? LOL Sounds like something my husband would say (afterall he did say guppies were smart and bettas were stupid LOL)

Lovely pics Tina.


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## Sue Gremlin (Jan 16, 2007)

Actually, she does look at little like a baked potato. A really cute baked potato. 
How big is she?


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## Puffer Pita (Jun 16, 2006)

I don't mind baked potatoes. Some else called theirs a "piece of poop" only he used an alternate word for poop. LOL Baked potatoes I can live with.  She swims around and is a bit more active than Phil. Phil really does resemble a baked potato, just laying there not moving, except during feeding time. He got mad at me recently for making him chase his food around and bit the crap out of my finger.  I've got a scar to remind me that he doesn't like to play with his food first. 

Sue, she's about 4" not counting tail.


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## Christine (Nov 4, 2005)

Tina, are the bites on Linus' tummy from being kept with other puffers or ?

4" huh... that's about baked potato sized too! *laugh*


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## Puffer Pita (Jun 16, 2006)

Yup, that's what happens when puffers are kept together. Linus is only 2" long so he's only a couple of months old, and he's got numerous scars on his belly and his sides, and his fins have the telltale circular sections missing from being bitten.  Poor little guy has already been chewed up quite a bit. Not anymore though, he'll never be in a position to bite or be bitten again.

I got a massive deal on a 125g tank and am picking it up this weekend. A guy on Craigslist was selling the tank, wood stand, filters, heaters, glass tops, lighting, decor, substrate, a total and complete setup, for $475. And he may even help deliver it for a few bucks for gas.  So soon my little Linus will have his permanent home where he can grow up happy and healthy.


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## Christine (Nov 4, 2005)

Nice job with the tank!

Wow, thats a lot of scars for such a young fella  Perhaps you should show his photo to those that insist its fine to keep them together. I'm glad he has a good home now.


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## Puffer Pita (Jun 16, 2006)

Yeah, its amazing how mean they can be even from a little age. Here's a couple of others from when he was in the hospital/QT tank still that show the scars on his side better. All of those faint circular marks are bite scars. They are on both sides of his body.


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## Christine (Nov 4, 2005)

Maaaan. I would definitely put those photos to use when people say its fine to keep them together. Thats just crazy. I can't believe with all those bites on him that they were still being kept together!


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## Guest (Jan 25, 2007)

Both of those fish are buetiful and amazing in their own way..not like a etta with bright color and huge fins but they are amazing


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## Puffer Pita (Jun 16, 2006)

Christine, he wasn't being kept with other puffers in the store, he's wild caught and these were from puffers in the wild. Sad, isn't it? But that definitely speaks to not keeping them together. At least in the wild, there's a chance of them escaping from each other. In aquaria, there is no escape, they're stuck in a very small area together. This is precisely why I advocate puffers in species only, usually solo tanks, with few exceptions.


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## Christine (Nov 4, 2005)

Wow, that happens in the wild??? Thats food for thought.


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## Puffer Pita (Jun 16, 2006)

Yes indeed. Its amazing that they ever get along long enough to spawn, eh?


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## lochness (Jan 10, 2006)

whoa - not only are those pics excellent, but the fish themselves are awesome! and in one thread I learned so much about the puffers I see in the lfs (my hubby loves them) but we don't have the room for a 3rd tank :fun: (we've got the 90 tall and the QT)

and *baked potato* is the best description! lol


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## Puffer Pita (Jun 16, 2006)

Thanks!


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## Sue Gremlin (Jan 16, 2007)

Craigslist totally rules! 

I have a 30g, a 55g and at least two Magnum filters and I think an Eheim filter sitting around. I need an aquarium room in my house. 
I should either set those up or post them on CL. It's the only way to shop.


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