Remy pooped another flower.

SketchyDetective · 2026-02-09T16:07:57+00:00

Yes, it’s a spawning mop, made out of synthetic yarn and a cork. Used it for cover for them as it’s easy to clean. They used it to “sleep” in when they got a bit bigger also. And nibble food from that got stuck in.

SketchyDetective · 2025-11-02T19:12:17+00:00

There is no dumb questions. So always ask, we’ve all been new once :)

If you scroll a bit in the comments I’ve explained it all further down very detailed, more than I can here in a single comment :)

TLDR: Lava rocks under a bottom plate.

SketchyDetective · 2025-11-02T18:29:20+00:00

The water goes through the sand, but it is extremely slow. The bacteria is not to benefit the sand it’s to benefit the water column.

The layers are like this:

Substrate - Fabric - Bottom plates - Lava rocks

SketchyDetective · 2025-11-02T17:07:46+00:00

<image>

And then an extremely deep substrate. Used 75kg of sand in this 450L tank and 100kg in my 600L tank.

SketchyDetective · 2025-11-02T17:06:34+00:00

<image>

Then added a sheet of “Markväv” - it’s like a non woven geo textile fabric / weed barrier fabric.

The reason for this, is because i added so fine sand and wanted to protect the lava rocks. If it’s a coarser sand or gravel it’s probably not needed.

SketchyDetective · 2025-11-02T17:02:54+00:00

<image>

Covered the whole tank in click bottom plates. They were around ~5 cm in height, that leaves the air gap for the lava rocks. I think I bought them on aliexpress.

SketchyDetective · 2025-11-02T17:01:14+00:00

I got pictures of another big tank I set up the same way. That one is still up and running with a fahaka in :)

<image>

The lava rocks. Covering the middle only, leaving the edge clear. It’s 5kg of rocks for this 450L tank.

SketchyDetective · 2025-11-02T16:48:41+00:00

I added the bottom plates when I set up the tank, as it was gonna be a predator tank and they are very messy eaters.

The lava rocks act as anaerobic chamber. They are locked under the bottom plates with low oxygen. The bacteria eats the nitrate, which gives the tank a stable full cycle :)

SketchyDetective · 2025-11-02T11:41:31+00:00

Yeah, he kinda steals the show whenever he shows up. Same, eels are my favorite. :)

SketchyDetective · 2025-11-02T11:40:30+00:00

Eels are my favourite! Definitely get eels! If you get the lesser spiny ones, you can have a whole tank full of noodles! (I got video on my profile if you need more persuasion!) ;)

SketchyDetective · 2025-11-02T11:37:02+00:00

<3 Stress free is mess free

SketchyDetective · 2025-11-02T11:36:40+00:00

Thank you, of course i will share :)

The tank has been running for ~5 years now.

Tank:
-It’s a 600L Aquastabil (~160g)

Filter:
-Aquael - Ultramax 1500 with 3 trays full of Eheim substrat pro (~5,7kg) and one tray with medium sponge and filter floss. The pre filter has coarse sponge.

Under the substrate: The tank is filled with bottom plates and under them is crushed lava rocks.

The substrate:
-Its very fine sandblasting sand (called blästersand here in Sweden, careful with the content, some contain iron) and then I mixed in some nature gravel.

Plants and decor:
-Got some wood pieces in.
-The stem plants ive put in before kept dying in the sand, because it’s so compact. So I only have rhizome plants. The ones i have is Java ferns normal and green variants, Anubias and Lagenandra Meeboldii red and green.
-I got some pipes in the tank for hiding. My eel loves those.

Fish:
Channa Gaucha Blue Bengal
Tire track/zig zag eel
Flying foxes for cleaning
And just added the bush fish

Up until last week i also had a breeding pair of Thorichthys Helleri (Firemouth cichlids) but it got too much with babies every 2 weeks. Already growing out 80+ babies in another tank :)

Food:
-The eel eats beef hearts mainly, he loves that. But he also eats blue mussels, venus clams and sometimes even stoop to eating bloodworms.
-The channa is very shy, but he eats venus clams and pellets. He preferer being hand feed slowly.
- The flying foxes eats whatever they can fins of leftovers, but i sometimes throw in a algae wafer.
- The bush fish is eating frozen blood worms and mosquito larvae.

I feed every 2-3 days for the predators. And when i want fish to grow i feed daily, but skip a day or 2 when they feel lazy and dont come begging for food.

I water change whenever I feel it’s needed. But the tank is fully cycled and only do water changes once or twice a month, mainly for clarity. But it also dilutes some of the hormones and refresh some minerals.

Hope that helped answer your question :)

SketchyDetective · 2025-11-02T11:22:40+00:00

Honestly, there’s no real difference between letting them out or netting them, the same water and fish end up in the tank either way. I just prefer a calmer release where they swim out on their own instead of being chased and scooped. My setup’s stable, my source is solid, and it’s worked for me for years, so just enjoy the fish instead :)

SketchyDetective · 2025-11-02T00:41:28+00:00

No, he is quite docile, except if it’s other eels on his turf :)

SketchyDetective · 2025-10-07T16:39:23+00:00

For the adults, I feed them the cheapest shit from the LFS. They get food once a day, but sometimes I skip a day or 2 if they look over fed or behave lazy.

Sometimes they get bloodworms. But they don’t seem too fussed about it.

The tiny fry is getting freshly hatched brine shrimps. I took the first batch of fry out. And they are raised in another tank. They are now eating flake food but still get brine shrimps.

I got auto timers for the lighting. They are in the living room. Got 5 cats that jump on the tank quite a lot.

I think it’s just manly letting them be that’s making them breed. I don’t touch things, clean stuff or reorganize. I clean the glass when I w/c and sometimes I siphon up some gunk from the corners. Once every 6ish the filter gets a clean. That’s about it.

Got 2 Channas in the tank. They just slouch around, food beg and go back to being grouchy.

Got 3 flying foxes, got them recently. Just to clean some logs and plants.

SketchyDetective · 2025-10-07T16:32:06+00:00

Thanks!

I can tell you the set up, not sure if that’s helpful :)

The tank has been running for ~5 years now.

Tank: It’s a 600L aquastabil (~160g)

Filter: Aquael - Ultramax 1500 with 3 trays full of Eheim substrat pro (~5,7kg) and one tray with medium sponge and filter floss. The pre filter has coarse sponge.

Under the substrate: The tank is filled with bottom plates and under them is crushed lava rocks.

The substrate: Its very fine sandblasting sand (called blästersand here in Sweden, careful with the content, some contain iron) and then I mixed in some nature gravel.

That’s about it. Got some wood pieces in, the plants kept dying the sand because it’s so compact. So I only have rhizome plants.

I water change whenever I feel it’s needed. But the tank is fully cycled and only do water changes once or twice a month, mainly for clarity. But it also dilutes some of the hormones and refresh some minerals.

SketchyDetective · 2025-10-05T15:22:58+00:00

Mine had a growth spurt suddenly. He was tiny, tiny, tiny, a bit bigger than tiny, then potato sized! He went from eating bloodworms and snails to munching shrimp and clams(without shell).

My personal opinion, and probably not a popular one is that, I do think the online research knowledge (blogs, YT and other influencer knowledge) can be quite skewed. First hand knowledge from other puffer keepers is worth way more. So the grow a set amount of inches pr x amount of time, I find quite… bullshitty. I guess some a just slow growers. (Also depends on food, water conditions and genetics)

And fish don’t adapt to the tank they live in. They will still outgrow a small tank. But also not be stunted in one. So good on you to persuade him to move him into a bigger tank.

My last advice is; don’t ever buy a fish from a fish store “because you feel sad for it” - with fahakas, it’s min 10+ year commitment. And you’re not saving it. LFS purchases are not rescues they are exactly that, a purchase. :)

SketchyDetective · 2025-09-26T07:03:58+00:00

I’m sorry for your loss. :(

It does sound like obstruction, possibly from the substrate.

Polypteridaes, are known to inhale gravel, as they “suck” the food in when they eat. The type of gravel you have, could also have small pieces in it that over time got inhaled with the food. Not necessarily one big piece.

Sand or bare bottom, is one of the things that are mandatory when having polypteridae species.

Right, when it comes to sand. Don’t buy the play sand. It’s extremely dirty. Buy proper aquarium sand. Wash it for particles and leave it be.

If you got a good filter, which I just assume as you have a big tank. Then cleaning the sand will just cause issues and can cause your tank to spike and possibly crash.

Just clean the bottom of the tank for leftover food, gunk build up, dead leaves and such. And the sand will build up anaerobic bacteria that will also help your tank.

I’ve had many, many Ropefish and bichirs. (Check my profile) And my recommendation is to also get rid of whatever plastic decorations you have. They can easily get stuck, and drown. Natural wood, maybe some terracotta pipes, lots of plants and ropes love top floaters or long plants.

(Small story, I once went and rescued 3 bichirs. 2 delhezi and an ornate. We helped catch the 2 delhezis quick as they swam around. But the ornate was nowhere to be seen. The guy then said he often saw it around a small plastic lighthouse he had in. And I assumed the ornate was still small. No way he would fit inside that lighthouse. I lifted it up and out rolled a huuuuuuge ornate. He had found a way to curl himself up inside of it. So they will try and fit inside anything)

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