Help!!! Tusk Not Eating!!!

[TheSaltwaterGuy]

My new Harlequin Tusk is not eating and is getting bullied by a damselfish. Please, give me some advice.

Thanks,
Chad

[WaterSplasher]

What are you offering him to eat? Do you have somewhere to put your damsel for a little while until the tusk gets settled in? How's your water conditions?

[JStorey]

I had mine for 9 months and did great until about a week ago he just stopped eating. I offered everything including live feeder shrimp and he didn't take an interest at all. There were no signs of external parasites and he was acting and breathing normally until yesterday when all he did was lay in a cave and not move but was still breathing normally. This morning he died. I have no clue why. I hope you can get yours to eat and it does better. Best of luck.

[TheSaltwaterGuy]

That's what mine is doing, just laying around in a cave all day.

I'm offering him freeze dried/frozen krill, silversides, Marine S pellet food, and a few other things.
I would move my damsel if I could catch him, I might just have to take all the LR out and go from there.

Any other options???

Thanks

Chad

[LukFox]

First is it from the Indo-Pacific? Could be cyanide poisoning discouraging it from eating. You could try a fresh clam. Just crack it up a bit before throwing it in so the tusk can get the idea that it's food. My tusk goes crazy over those Littleneck Clams from the grocery store. It may seem less foreign a food to your fish as it's something he has to work for and wrestle out of the shell himself.

I'd suggest moving the damsel to the sump for now, too.

[Ranzan]

"I would move my damsel if i could cath him":D I know what you mean do you have any ghost shrimp available might entice him to eat wierd that he is rejecting all that food..

O just a note on catching the damsel get 2 people with 2 nets thats what i had to do we didnt even have to take out the LR

[TheSaltwaterGuy]

No, he's from Australia, at least that's what the LFS (work) listed it as.

I might try to get those clams. Hopefully they will work.

I'm about to go to my LFS and get some Stress Zyme (I think thats right) and some live feeder fish or shrimp.

Thanks everyone,
Chad

[ndas2976]

How long has he been in the tank?

Try some live fiddler crabs. My tusk can't resist them.

[TheSaltwaterGuy]

This is his second day. Oh, I got some Stress Coat, not Zyme, hope it helps his tail grow back, I think it will. Also got some live feeder fish.

Chad

[TheSaltwaterGuy]

Where can I get Fiddler Crabs?

Chad

[danorth]

Just give it a few more days of multiple attempts to eat, your water may take a bit of a hit, but the LR will take care of it. Don't go too crazy though.

Raw shrimp, have you tried that? Place some small pieces in front of it and walk away.

Does it come out at night? Mine that hid part of the day would come out at night and check things out, then once it got established it would sleep at night like the others.

[LukFox]

You should be able to find them in the freshwater or brackish section of your LFS.

[TheSaltwaterGuy]

Yes, he is very active at night, when the others aren't.

Chad

[TheSaltwaterGuy]

I managed to get the damsel out of the tank yesterday and took him back to the LFS.

Still haven't had any luck with feeding, but he is getting pretty active during the day. I think it's because the damsel isn't there to harass him anymore.

Just wanted to give you guys an update.

Chad

[TheSaltwaterGuy]

Update:
Good News guys!!! I saw him eat today. All it took was some frozen brine shrimp, he went nuts for it.

You have no idea how much weight just got lifted off my shoulders...

Chad

[LukFox]

Great news! Hopefully he'll take quickly to other foods now.

[TheSaltwaterGuy]

I hope so. All he eats now is brine shrimp. I've been offering him squid, pellets, and carnivore flakes, but he just doesn't go for them like he does the brine shrimp.

[sixball]

If he is eating the brine shrimp, try some frozen mysis. It will have a lot more nutritional value than the brine shrimp.

[TheSaltwaterGuy]

I'll try and pick some up Saturday when I go to work.

[crazinezz978]

hate damsels.

[TheSaltwaterGuy]

Yeah, so do I....now.

[FishyMel]

Definitely get the PE mysis. They are large meaty and full of vitamins. That is what I feed my fish.