Tusk?

[edwar050]

Harlequin Tusk,

Have done the research to find the fish I want for health, size, etc. but am finding these fish pretty hard to get.

I also concerned with there possible aggressiveness towards inverts. I have a cleaner shrimp, valentini puffer, mandarin, Two ocellaris clowns, small chromis, and purple firefish in my 120. This would be my center piece fish. Any advice, suggestions?

[Julio]

I had one in my tank before i had a power issue and it would not touch anything in my tank, infact he loved my cleaner shrimps, he would go to them on a weekly basis for cleaning, but from what most people tell me is that as long as you have the inverts in the tank first the tusk will not bother them.

[Confooseld]

I had one for six months and it was a bit of a bully towards the fish but never touched the shrimp. I ended up selling it. It was also getting too large you might consider that for your 120.

[stykthyn]

I think they do get a little large for a 120. if you do decide to get one, try and find one from australia. they cost a little more, but arrive much healthier and have a higher survival rate in the aquarium. they make good community fish as long as the rest of the community wont fit in it's mouth.

[15nano]

I agree with stykthyn 100% I had one that also loved my 3 cleaner shrimp. He was too much fish for my reef so i gave him to a friend.

[spsdude]

I had one for four years in a 240 gallon reef tank. He did not mess with anything.

[leebca]

In my experience, having the inverts in the tank before the HT is put in is the way to have the two together. After the HT begins to eat, whatever drops into the tank (including new inverts) is just another meal.

Here's some feeding suggestions:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=785228

[edwar050]

Wow, Some really great advice. Pretty much sums up what I origionally thought about the tusk. I figured once it got an established territory that it would harass/eat anything else in the tank. I am going to wait about four months and let some of the smaller fish grow up a bit before adding a small Australian Tusk.

[leebca]

Very smart. :thumbsup:

[edwar050]

Update,

I did not get the Tusk as it was too much risk with the chromis, valentini puffer, Ocellaris clowns, Bi-color, and cleaner shrimp. I went with powder blue and yellow tang instead. They fit better within my peaceful system. There is enough risk in the hobby without having to take unnecessary risk.

[jessp]

the fish is actually very peaceful and timid towards other fish, from what i have read and hear from other fish owners. I think that the tangs are probably more fish aggressive.

[Confooseld]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8255540#post8255540 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jessp
the fish is actually very peaceful and timid towards other fish, from what i have read and hear from other fish owners. I think that the tangs are probably more fish aggressive.
I think it's fish dependent. Mine was somewhat of a bully.

[edwar050]

So your saying that two tangs/powder blue and yellow are more likely to be aggressive than a harlequin tusk and a blue throat trigger?

[jessp]

then the harlequin i think they would be less fish aggressive. the tusk look fierce because of there teeth, but are to the best of my knowledge fish agressive. they are invert agressive though, i.e. shrimp and other crustasceans.

i do believe that most triggers are a bit more fish agressive though they do prey on the same type of items, and then some.

let me know if any of this makes sense to anyone else.

[listen_to_slaye]

in general, blue throat triggers are really well behaved in reefs, they dont seem to bother inverts, and i have a scopas tang that is 4 inches that picks on my 5inch tusk.... so it just depends on the fish itself...

[edwar050]

I have heard to many conflicting views as to the harlequin tusk's aggressiveness. I would gamble with a smaller, "less expensive fish" like the valentini puffer personally becuase of the ability to move it to another tank but was reluctant to try the tusk. I agree totally, each individual fish has its own personality.

[syddakyd]

the valentini is a puffer so it will mess with your inverts as it is lol

[edwar050]

You mean these inverts?

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f251/edwar050/IMG_2332.jpg

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f251/edwar050/IMG_2331.jpg http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f251/edwar050/IMG_1998.jpg


;)

[Majestic71]

I have had both a Blue Jaw and Tusk in my reef. Both of these fish were model citizenz in my reef and I have multiple shrimp, crabs and snails. I did have to remove my powder blue tang due to the fact it was harrassing anything and everything my system. This fish became very aggressive in my system. Just my opinion.