Harlequin tusk dying

[bshake]

Hello everyone today I saw my Harlequin tusk laying on its side on the sand and not really moving much but his breathing is very heavy. I put him in an acclamation box he’s laying in his side 95% on the time heavy breathing sometimes he swims but not much

 

[bshake]

Hello everyone today I saw my Harlequin tusk laying on its side on the sand and not really moving much but his breathing is very heavy. I put him in an acclamation box he’s laying in his side 95% on the time heavy breathing sometimes he swims but not much

PH- 7.4

Ammonia- 0

Nitrite - 0.25

Nitrate - 5.0

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hello everyone today I saw my Harlequin tusk laying on its side on the sand and not really moving much but his breathing is very heavy. I put him in an acclamation box he’s laying in his side 95% on the time heavy breathing sometimes he swims but not much

Sorry to see. While these guys are generally hardy, I have seen a number of Philippine specimens not making it and question how they are being caught and shipped.
They start out eating then hiding until they starve and become weak.
Did it eat for you and when did it stop, If it stopped eating?
Any other occupants, and how do they look?

 

[bshake]

Sorry to see. While these guys are generally hardy, I have seen a number of Philippine specimens not making it and question how they are being caught and shipped.
They start out eating then hiding until they starve and become weak.
Did it eat for you and when did it stop, If it stopped eating?
Any other occupants, and how do they look?

He was eating in QT for 2 week and he was eating in the display tank for like another 2 weeks but I haven’t seen him eat in a few days. The other fish in the tank seem fine I see a few spots on fins of 2 fish a bullet goby and I thought the smile coat on a scopes tang was coming off but he seems fine a few hours later all my other tangs, triggers and clowns and everything is fine

 

[vetteguy53081]

He was eating in QT for 2 week and he was eating in the display tank for like another 2 weeks but I haven’t seen him eat in a few days. The other fish in the tank seem fine I see a few spots on fins of 2 fish a bullet goby and I thought the smile coat on a scopes tang was coming off but he seems fine a few hours later all my other tangs, triggers and clowns and everything is fine

Same symptoms as I described. Other fish I understand doing good, or experiencing issues also? Spots on fins can be sand, viral or fin ray. Cant tell with no pics of them

 

[MnFish1]

Have you treated the fish with any medication while he was in QT/ It looks like it's severely ill - and not sure what can be done now - except to put in a hospital tank and treat with a copper based product.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I agree, it looks like it has a severe gill disease.

One other factor to consider - this is a small one. Do you know if it was one of the Bali Aquarich captive raised ones, or wild caught? There are a lot of young wild caught ones coming into the market right now (I think they are seasonal) and those have a very high mortality rate for the first 40 days or so. It may be that they are collected with cyanide.

Here is an article I wrote on these:

The Harlequin Tuskfish – All Dressed Up, but Anywhere to Go?

This article gives my take on Harlequin Tuskfish in home aquariums. Updated from an article published in TFH magazine.

www.reef2reef.com

Jay