Harlequin Tusk - reef safe or not?
- Thread starter texman
- Start date
I've kept tusks in reefs before and never had any problem, even with snails, crabs, etc. Even had a cleaner shrip and a peppermint shrimp in with him and he didn't bother them. Tusks have a lot of personality, though, so it could be an individual animal thing. Mine was a very aggressive feeder, but very well-behaved in knowing what was food and what wasn't.
-John
-John
I hear mixed experiences. While some say they're perfectly peacable towards everything, I've also heard/seen them eat snails, crustaceans, and even clams. It's a toss up. I think it's best to acquire a juvenile so it's trained on introduced foods.
Now if it could eat mantis shrimps for sure, I'd be the happiest fella alive.
Now if it could eat mantis shrimps for sure, I'd be the happiest fella alive.
That is a beautiful fish Terry. I have had one in the past, in fish only tank, but think that I will try one in my reef. Do you recommend getting a juvenile specimen if possible. I do have a few hundred hermits and probably thousands of snails in my tank. I am not too concerned about the hermits, but think that I do need the snails for algae control. I don't know about you, but once a fish is in my tank, it is almost impossible for me to remove it without building a tiny spear gun. Give me some odds as to whether a juvenile will eat all my inverts!
Sharkky - I looked through some old posts on this topic and noticed that you had gotten a juvenile tusk. In your response above, you seem to be using the past tense when talking about the tusk that you have known. Is it still swimming, or did it go to the big reef in the sky?
I got a Halequin Tusk for the last 8 months. He is about 5 inches now (was shy of 4 inches when I got him)
He is reef safe except that he ate all my tiny baby snails. I have a thriving snails population in my tank with thousands of snails that is smaller than 2 mm. He decimated them. Hi did not touch corals, clams, shrimps, or larger snails (4 mm+)
He is a great feed. He eat out of my hand (I be carful because he may rip a picece of meat and skin right out of my finger.
He is reef safe except that he ate all my tiny baby snails. I have a thriving snails population in my tank with thousands of snails that is smaller than 2 mm. He decimated them. Hi did not touch corals, clams, shrimps, or larger snails (4 mm+)
He is a great feed. He eat out of my hand (I be carful because he may rip a picece of meat and skin right out of my finger.
Terry,
Your fish is beautiful. I am very curious as to how my fish will turn out. If you don't mine me asking, I would really love to have the following questions answer.
1. Was your Tusk from Australia?
2. How big is he now? How big was he when you got him? How long ago?
3. How have his color change over the time that you have him?
4. Does diet make a difference, big or small, in his color developement?
TIA
Minh
Your fish is beautiful. I am very curious as to how my fish will turn out. If you don't mine me asking, I would really love to have the following questions answer.
1. Was your Tusk from Australia?
2. How big is he now? How big was he when you got him? How long ago?
3. How have his color change over the time that you have him?
4. Does diet make a difference, big or small, in his color developement?
TIA
Minh
Minh Nguyen":e4yq529j said:
Minh,
1. It supposedly came from Australia, but you never know for sure.
2. It was about 2.5 inches, with the juvenile false eye spots in the dorsal area. These are juvenile markings, which disappear. It is now about 7 inches.
3. As a juvenile it has very little red coloration. The iintense red markings came with maturity.
4. I suspect that diet does make a difference in coloration and general health. Its main stable is OSI marine flakes. I use OSI flake food because it is the only flake food that my Achilles will eat. The Tusk also gets frozen plankton and Nori. In fact, like most wrasses, it will eat almost anything offered. A good diet is important, because Tusk fish are susceptible to eye problems which are caused IMO by poor diet.
Incidently, I have had it for about ten years.
texman":11xo0y6m said:
You've got a good eye. Yeah, I waited 2+ years to get a juvi tusk. He was only about 2 1/2 inches and gorgeous. In perfect shape, ate like a horse, got along with everything, etc. About a month after adding him to the tank, he strayed too close to my gigantea anemone and was killed. I cried. Feel kinda silly admitting that, but the tusk is by far my favorite fish, and I had planned on keeping this one for a long long time. As tempted as I am, I'm not getting another tusk until I get my 125 set up this winter and get stuff rearranged into there. Then I'll start the waiting process again for another Australian juvenile.
-John
I have been thinking of getting a tusk for a while. I already have a red fairy wrasse. Will they get along? I also have 2 tangs one yellow and one hippo, 2 percula clowns and a square box anthias in a 125 sps tank. Is that overkill with the fish? This tank also has 2 t. max clams.
bayondai":20zwwx3m said:
When adding new fish to a reef tank the question always is can one maintain a balance between the producers of waste (fish, for example) and consumers of waste (clams, skimmers, macro algae, for example). If you are now having trouble keeping nutrients like nitrate and orthphoshate low than don't add another fish, but if that is not true than go for a juvenile Tusk.
Tusks usually are relatively peaceful toward other fish other their own species. Like most wrasses Tusk fish eat a lot, and grow fast.
Great, thanks for the response. I have no problems with nitrates, etc... Now I just have to get the courage to buy another fish. I am always afraid that the new fish will have problems in one way or another. Once they are in the reef tank they are almost impossible to get out if there is a problem.
My first post so bear with me!
I've had my Tusk for a few months and he's wiped out every snail/crab in the tank. He does eat the big ones, but took out over 100 Nassarius right off the bat. My tank is littered with shells.
I bought 5 (and 5 only) Bumblebee snails too see if he'd leave them alone, and so far so good. If they stay in the tank for a week or so, I may get some more.
My biggest disappointment is the fact that he eats my Feather Dusters. He grabs the worm out of the tube from behind, and if he has to move rocks to get to it, he does.
I've had my Tusk for a few months and he's wiped out every snail/crab in the tank. He does eat the big ones, but took out over 100 Nassarius right off the bat. My tank is littered with shells.
I bought 5 (and 5 only) Bumblebee snails too see if he'd leave them alone, and so far so good. If they stay in the tank for a week or so, I may get some more.
My biggest disappointment is the fact that he eats my Feather Dusters. He grabs the worm out of the tube from behind, and if he has to move rocks to get to it, he does.
Sponsor Reefs
We're a FREE website, and we exist because of hobbyists like YOU who help us run this community.
Click here to sponsor $10:
