Harlequin tusk

[haanstang]

So when I finally get my build done the first fish Im putting in that I don't already have will be an Australian HT. It has always been my dream fish. Is there other reeffers like me out there? Let's SEA your tusks. Or any other wrasse for that matter but especially harlequin tusks

 

[Ubans13]

I added a 3 1/2" Aussie Harlequin Tusk as my 5 fish. Does great no picking on hermits or snails or any other tank mate. Currently with a niger trigger, fox face, clown and melanurus wrasse.

 

[bpinkstaff]

Will he chomp on my cleaner shrimp or CBS shrimp?

 

[Ubans13]

I have fed small shrimp and he takes the entire thing and then shoves his mouth up against rocks to stuff it in! Thought he was gonna choke!!! I have seen and read some stuff that says they are ok with cleaner shrimp and clams! But I have no shrimp.

 

[haanstang]

I added a 3 1/2" Aussie Harlequin Tusk as my 5 fish. Does great no picking on hermits or snails or any other tank mate. Currently with a niger trigger, fox face, clown and melanurus wrasse.

Nice.

 

[lion king]

Here's mine, he's in a 210 fowlr. Wish I had a better camera.

 

[4FordFamily]

A beautiful fish I find quite alluring as well. Lost mine in a power disaster along with another 50+ treasured show fish. Some day!

 

[haanstang]

A beautiful fish I find quite alluring as well. Lost mine in a power disaster along with another 50+ treasured show fish. Some day!

I can only imagine how bad that must have been.
Didn't know you ever kept anything other than tangs lol

 

[SashimiTurtle]

I'd love a tusk, but I like my banded coral shrimpand I'm near the max capacity on my 75g. Maybe when I upgrade to a 120..

 

[haanstang]

I'd love a tusk, but I like my banded coral shrimpand I'm near the max capacity on my 75g. Maybe when I upgrade to a 120..

Once full grown the tusk may be to big for a 75. So this is what you do... get another tank. Because 2 is better than one [emoji51]

 

[SashimiTurtle]

Once full grown the tusk may be to big for a 75. So this is what you do... get another tank. Because 2 is better than one [emoji51]

Yes I already have fish that will be too big for a 75 once grown... I have a 120 in the plans, already know where it's going, I just need funds. By this time next year I should have the tank at least. I can transfer all of my equipment over from the 75, I'd like a better sump and different lights tho. I've got black boxes and a 20L with a acrylic baffle kit from ebay.

 

[4FordFamily]

I can only imagine how bad that must have been.
Didn't know you ever kept anything other than tangs lol

Haha yes. Among those fish were 6 large angels, 5 dwarf angels, 8 tangs, nearly 20 wrasse, and several other fish.

 

[haanstang]

Haha yes. Among those fish were 6 large angels, 5 dwarf angels, 8 tangs, nearly 20 wrasse, and several other fish.

Wow. Multiple tanks? Or one huge one?

 

[4FordFamily]

Wow. Multiple tanks? Or one huge one?

A full QT (55 gal filled to brim), a 180 and a 125.

I was QT some fish for a friend and for my other 180 as well.

 

[DRoth335]

Haha yes. Among those fish were 6 large angels, 5 dwarf angels, 8 tangs, nearly 20 wrasse, and several other fish.

Wow, devastating. We had a similar experience with a tank wipe out from a sea cucumber getting into a skimmer pump a few months ago and lost all but mandarin & 1 clown. We lost about 25 fish total.

 

[Mfreddy]

I am wanting a tusk too. My LFS has one that's been there a while but it wont come out from behind the return and seems very shy. It's about 4-5" long. 2 questions: 1. I thought tusks were rather outgoing or at least active. Does this behavior sound normal? 2. How would a 5-6" one do with a 6" clown trigger, 7" niger trigger, and 6-7" emporer angel? TIA

 

[lion king]

I am wanting a tusk too. My LFS has one that's been there a while but it wont come out from behind the return and seems very shy. It's about 4-5" long. 2 questions: 1. I thought tusks were rather outgoing or at least active. Does this behavior sound normal? 2. How would a 5-6" one do with a 6" clown trigger, 7" niger trigger, and 6-7" emporer angel? TIA

They are normally very active, mine is active but prefers to cruise the rocks mostly. He's out plenty enough and my rockscape is very open so I can see him cruise. I've learned the hard way and will never take a fish from an lfs that's always hiding and afraid of it's own shadow. The tusk looks alot tougher than really are, your tank has some usually aggressive characters. Depending on where your guys are now on the aggression scale it could work, those species would normally just ignore each other. Also how are your guys about new additions; my trigger tank would kill anything added, even twice their size.

 

[jasonrusso]

I've had 2 and I loved them both. That being said, both of mine had vision issues. This seems to be a common problem with HT.

I lost the first one because of this, he bit my lion's spine going for a piece of food and never fully recovered. The second I lost to a velvet outbreak.

They grow very slow. My second one I had for nearly 4 years and he never really seemed to get any bigger. They eat anything, in fact I loved watching him rip a mussel apart!

One last thing, don't ever think about getting another wrasse. This is a little known thing that I had to learn. One day I bought a melanarus wrasse. It buried itself after introducing it to the tank (which I expected) and I never saw it again until 3 months later I pulled out 1/2 a dead fish. I didn't think anything of it. Months later, I bought a good size six line. My tusk promptly chased it all over the tank and killed it within a day. After that, I realized what happened to the melanarus.

That being said, I added MANY fish with the tusk and he never paid any attention to them, but he had it out for other wrasses.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Aren't Harlequin's non-reef safe or am I incorrect?

 

[Mfreddy]

They are normally very active, mine is active but prefers to cruise the rocks mostly. He's out plenty enough and my rockscape is very open so I can see him cruise. I've learned the hard way and will never take a fish from an lfs that's always hiding and afraid of it's own shadow. The tusk looks alot tougher than really are, your tank has some usually aggressive characters. Depending on where your guys are now on the aggression scale it could work, those species would normally just ignore each other. Also how are your guys about new additions; my trigger tank would kill anything added, even twice their size.

The last fish I added was the emporator, triggers have never really bothered anyone. Looks like I need a big tusk and an acclimation box.