Is this Normal for a Harlequin Tusk?

[mjreefs]

Hi all. I got a Harlequin Tusk since 3 weeks ago, it’s a good 5 inches or so and was eating well. Eats freeze-dried krill (fed sparingly), clams, mysis cubes, and occasionally, pellets. I’ve already did 2 rounds of prazi, and just did a water change now. Since last night, he has been pacing up and down on one corner of the tank, sometimes at front, sometimes at the back. Now he’s usually lying down behind the foam filter. Previously, he would lie down inside a PVC tube, until I disturbed his tube 2 days ago. I realized his breathing is fast, but not sure if this would be a concern. Any thoughts? Thanks!

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I wonder if this is related to you disturbing the tube? Kept the lights dim.
Is it still feeding today? What are the water quality parameters?
Jay

 

[mjreefs]

I wonder if this is related to you disturbing the tube? Kept the lights dim.
Is it still feeding today? What are the water quality parameters?
Jay

There's no lighting in the QT, just natural light that comes from the window. Yes it's eating, it ate a whole cube of mysis for lunch and clam meat for dinner. It wouldn't eat the pellets after I fed the clam meat though. I forgot if it ate pellets toda. I assume it did, since I think I fed it pellets for breakfast.

As for water quality, ammonia as detected by the Seachem badge. I usually don't test for nitrites and nitrates in the QT.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

There's no lighting in the QT, just natural light that comes from the window. Yes it's eating, it ate a whole cube of mysis for lunch and clam meat for dinner. It wouldn't eat the pellets after I fed the clam meat though. I forgot if it ate pellets toda. I assume it did, since I think I fed it pellets for breakfast.

As for water quality, ammonia as detected by the Seachem badge. I usually don't test for nitrites and nitrates in the QT.

Just be aware that window sunlight can be a LOT brighter than the human eye recognizes, and it changes as the sun moves across the sky. Tusks don't like being in confined spaces. and bright light just adds to that.

As long as ammonia is kept below 0.25 ppm, that should be fine.

Jay

 

[mjreefs]

Just be aware that window sunlight can be a LOT brighter than the human eye recognizes, and it changes as the sun moves across the sky. Tusks don't like being in confined spaces. and bright light just adds to that.

As long as ammonia is kept below 0.25 ppm, that should be fine.

Jay

Thank you. I'll keep an eye out, I might think Prazi might have something to do with it, but at least it's done with Prazi. Hoping for the best with its copper treatment.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Bacteria grows in the water during prazi treatments (the bacteria actually consumes prazi) some prazi formulations use ethanol as a solvent - both of these tend to scavenge oxygen from the water, so always maximize aeration during prazi treatments (not sure that was an issue here, just adding that in as a "what if")

Jay