Harlequin Tuskfish acting strange

[reeffirstaid]

I have had an adult H. Tuskfish for just shy of one year. Typically this fish is very active during daylight hours and at night will hide around a filter intake or in the live rock. He is typically a very good eater and one of the first fish to grab at food. Recently he hangs out only at the filter intake in a vertical position. There are no outward signs of parasite infection. He stopped eating several days ago and has been acting like this for just shy of one week. When he does venture out and swim he hangs out at the water's top and acts as though he is gasping for air. Any ideas as to what could cause this? Tank parameters are below

Temperature: 79 degrees F
PH: 8.0-8.2
Density: 1.025
Nitrate: 0-10 ppm

Tank size 55 gallon long.

 

[SeahorseKeeper]

What are feeding? Have there been any new introductions to the tank?

 

[Motoxer310]

I have one as well that is doing the same thing. Mine started acting weird when i had a power outage and my battery backup expired throughout the night and my skimmer stopped starving the tank of o2. All of my fish were gasping pretty hard but all have recovered to normal...except for the harlequin tusk. His symptoms are exact to yours. Luckily he was well fed before hand but after about four weeks he still hasn't come out while the lights are on and is still refusing food. I have been force feeding him but would also like to know what exactly is going on. He almost acts like he is blind....

 

[jsker]

Stray voltage?

 

[Motoxer310]

No. I'm sure of that. All levels are right on target and all my other fish and corals are eating and prospering. Had him for about a year now and never had any signs of parasites in the DT...I'm stumped.

 

[cmcoker]

This thread is from 2012...

 

[Motoxer310]

I'm aware. No sense in starting a new thread with same symptoms and no resolution.

 

[eatbreakfast]

What size tank? What are it's tankmates?

 

[Motoxer310]

I have a 55gal DT with a 25gal sump, refugium, macro, ATS, SCA 302 skimmer rated for 180gal, 110lbs of live rock, 3in fine sand bed. Fish include the harlequin tusk, valantini puffer, Picasso Trigger, snowflake eel, foxface, couple blue damsels and green chromis, 2 clowns, blue starfish, 2 maxima clams, sand sifting star and a bunch of blue and red legged hermits and snails. Corals are candy, frogspawn, couple of yumas, and floridas, duncans, bunch of green mushrooms and a large birds nest. I am aware it may be a bit over stocked lol but it has been like this for going on 2 years without anyone dying and everyone gets along great! Have 2 more tanks cycling as we speak to help thin out. Lighting is a combo of LEDs. Don't have any ph swing and my alk always is kept at right at 9. Calcium at 450 and magnesium at 1500. I test everything once to twice a week for accuracy. I have not pulled the tusk to a solitary tank though so that may be my next route....are there any problems/diseases with tusks specifically?

 

[eatbreakfast]

There aren't any tuskfish specific diseases per se. With a tank that stocked hierarchies can shift rapidly in times of high stress. If it weakened him greater than some of the other fish, he may have dropped in the hierarchy and is still dealing with the aftermath.

 

[Motoxer310]

That makes sense. He wasn't ever hight on the totem pole to begin with. The trigger is a bit aggressive with food but was never a problem getting everyone fed. I'll pull him out tonight and see if he can recover in solitude.

 

[eatbreakfast]

That makes sense. He wasn't ever hight on the totem pole to begin with. The trigger is a bit aggressive with food but was never a problem getting everyone fed. I'll pull him out tonight and see if he can recover in solitude.

I think that's a good idea.

 

[nldemo]

That makes sense. He wasn't ever hight on the totem pole to begin with. The trigger is a bit aggressive with food but was never a problem getting everyone fed. I'll pull him out tonight and see if he can recover in solitude.

What ended up happening here? I found lots of similar threads with similar behavior of this specific fish. Pacing at the surface, mouth open, acting as if it were blind. But no solutions. Mine is doing this for me now in QT, and I'm not sure if this is a downward spiral or what ..