harlequin tusk in a reef tanks?

guppychao · Nov 23, 2009

saw some pics of a Harlequin Tusk in a FOWLR tank, and boy i always wanted one. does anyone have one in there reef tank?

i know they can destroy a reef tank, but not sure if anyone has tried it and gotten away with it?

stunreefer · Nov 23, 2009

I have kept one in a reef with no problems at all, besides making a quick meal of a few small anthias I added (my fault, thought he would leave them alone - WRONG!) and not being able to add shrimp. I did have one large cleaner that he left alone though.

With that said, a fellow reefer I know had one that was a menace! It would go around flipping over his chalice and acan frags in an attempt to find small inverts and such. Most definitely a menace in his situation.

I'm yet to hear of one actually eating coral though, and would be surprised to hear it, although anything's possible. I suspect if your mindfull of what you keep with them, and attach all your corals you should be alright.

CoralBandit · Nov 23, 2009

its just an aggressive fish that eats inverts excluding coral from my knowledge its purely up to you. I have a Fu man chu lion in my reef no problems what so ever

They will eat any small fish that fits in their mouth though (that goes for the lion and the tusk) and Tusks get pretty big

rng_pw · Nov 23, 2009

My friend Shane has had his for about 8 months now and I dont think that he has had any problems what so ever. He even has small Helfrichi fire fish with it. I know that he also has some Harlequin shrimp. Maybe he will chime in.