LukeV
Active Member
are haqrlequin tusks ok in a reef? I have a 250 and plan to add other wrasses, so any cud is out of question. I have mainly SPS and some lps, mainly trachys. Would the harlequin pick at them? What about clams?
Harlequin Tusk in reef
- Thread starter LukeV
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Lionfish Lair
Renee
He would do fine in there.
OP
OP
LukeV
Active Member
Thank you for the feedback, I currently don't have clans and it's not an absolute. This fish would be one of the last as I don't want it to pick on new fish.
One of the LFS works told me that harlequins would pick on clowns, is this true?
One of the LFS works told me that harlequins would pick on clowns, is this true?
He will not be aggressive to your clowns, or in fact, any fish unless if it's another HT. I've owned quite a few of them, from juvi to large. It is indeed a specie of gentle giant IMO. Their purple teeth are really all for shows.
eatbreakfast
Fish Nerd
Agreed, besides cuc, they do well in a reef.
eatbreakfast
Fish Nerd
When they get larger they can be aggressive toward fairy and flasher wrasses, but can get picked on by Thalassoma wrasses. They are usually fine with Halichoeres and Coris wrasses.
Waters
"...in perfect isolation, here behind my wall."
My 3.5 inch Tusk is definitely aggressive towards both my leopard and flasher wrasses. He leaves everything else along though (aside from the CUC of course).
How big is your tank @Waters and what fish do you have in there, other than the ones mentioned? Is the aggressiveness of your tusk only exhibiting during feed time? Is his aggression only to push the wrasses away from his territory or is he chasing there mercilessly?
I thi op's 250g is gonna provide enough room even if the tusk doesn't play nice.
I thi op's 250g is gonna provide enough room even if the tusk doesn't play nice.
Reefnjunkie
Acropora Junkie
I had 6" HT in my tank, no aggression towards my clowns, nor any of my 10 wrasse. It never bothered my clams either but that may be becuase he was to busy eating all my CUC (snails). I only kept him for a few months, I need snails more than a fish.
It was passive in my large tank, just the snail issue
It was passive in my large tank, just the snail issue
Waters
"...in perfect isolation, here behind my wall."
The tusk is in a 105 gallon along with the other two small wrasses, two clowns, a Kole tang, algae blenny, and Pajama cardinal. For the first two weeks after adding the flasher, he chased him mercilessly. Now he is to the point where he tolerates both the flasher and leopard, but will quickly chase them away if they happen to cross his path but not to the point where it seems to bother the wrasses a whole lot. The aggression actually disappears during feeding. He is fine with the rest of the fish...just doesn't care for the smaller wrasses.
Motoxer310
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I have a 4 inch harlequin tusk in a 100 gal with several species of fish and several soft corals as well as a clam. By far the least aggressive fish. Is actually very docile all the time and almost reserved during feeding. That could be because I have a Picasso Trigger that is very aggressive so everyone else is very chill. The tusk hasn't eaten any of my inverts or touched my clam. He's eating fresh or frozen salmon and shrimp. Very awesome fish! By far my favorite!
Motoxer310
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Also have had him for about 2 years
With my last 6" Aussie HT, I noticed something that's very interesting. Due to the lack of CUC as he quickly snacked them up as I first introduced him to my 180g, he started to hunt for bristle worms. Btw he was well fed. I guess he just liked to have a snack every now and then. He would be looking under and in between the rocks for them and once he found them, he would use his teeth to pick them up, and sort of slam it to the rocks or sand, before eating them whole. I have multiple tanks and when I find these worms in other tanks. I would net them and feed the tusk. He loved them.
scardall
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They look aggressive ,but are not. I have one that was the Only fish for 3 weeks and when I added 2 fish recently he would posture untill that fish ( smaller than him) stood it's ground and faced him. All talk no bite. Last 2-3 days off and on. Now normal. My new Chocolate tang ( the biggest fish) is more of a aggressive fish and looks/postures as if he will bite and never quite does. This was with a fish that 15% of his size. Here to if that fish turned on him he would run like a little girl. Hmmmm
