H. Tusk

B

billyzbear

Active member
I always wanted one so I pulled the trigger and got an aussie H. Tusk. He's kinda big close to 7". When I first put him in my desjardini tang would not leave him alone. Following and flashing him close to non stop. I put the tang in fug, he's is not happy about it. All my other fish are scare of him. My exquisite wrasse jumped ship found him on the flour, guessing when I pulled tang. There are two 1" holes in the top with cables going down that are open, he could have gotten through I guess. My naoko wrasse has gone MIA. I have no idea where he is. Midas blenny hides until there is food, use to come out. 10 year old clowns are hiding under frag rack. Melanurus swimming in open but only on one side and at top. Small tomini tang about the same, not in front though and away from tusk. Mandarin is about the same but in the open as much. Royal gramma comes out but if the tusk come to close hides.
Is this normal? Will the other fish except the tusk at some point? Should I atempt to re introduce desjardini? What other fish should I look into adding? Would small anthias get scared of him too? Other wrasse? Scott's or pink margin other fairies?
How much food should I be feeding him? I've been feeding the tank a little more than a thumb nail size of mysis a day. I also add some pellets and a little flake. Tusk is only interested in mysis at this point.
Thoughts, ideas would be great.
 
The tusk needs bigger chunks of food. Cut up shrimp, squid, silversides, etc. HTs are big, robust carnivores and you have to feed them appropriately. Your tusk is likely to eat small fish; like your gramma and fairy wrasse. IMO, an HT does not belong with these small fish. Of course, they're afraid of him. HTs rarely bother fish they can't eat, but you have potential food in the same tank with him.
 
I did talk to a couple other HT owners before getting him. They never had one eat small fish. They had them eating pellets. Reading about them mentions they are timid.
What other fish would you have with him?
 
billyzbear said:
I did talk to a couple other HT owners before getting him. They never had one eat small fish. They had them eating pellets. Reading about them mentions they are timid.
What other fish would you have with him?
Click to expand...
The timidness disappears in time.
Triggers, large Angels, etc., make good tankmates. Like most fish; there are individuals that may not eat small fish. I'm keeping 3 now and had 3 before Katrina. All 8"-10". All 6 of these would eat any small fish they could. Usually, the fish have to be small enough for the HT to get the head in-between its blue teeth; I've never seen an HT attack and just rip up the fish, like many triggers do.
 
Well, you really should be waiting 4-8 weeks so you can QT your fish... I'd really hate to have a fish of such beauty succumb to a disease that can be prevented by QTing for several weeks. That is just my opinion, however.
 
Ambition said:
Well, you really should be waiting 4-8 weeks so you can QT your fish... I'd really hate to have a fish of such beauty succumb to a disease that can be prevented by QTing for several weeks. That is just my opinion, however.
Click to expand...

+1

Not just your opinion; but the opinion of every author of every book I've ever read on the hobby. Also the opinion of anyone I'd take advice from.
 
It looks like the Scott's is spoken for. He has had the fish for awhile.
Should I give the desjardini a two week time out and then try to reintroduce? I was thinking I would rearrange the rock work some. Maybe I'll sell him. Still can't find any sign of naoko wrasse, major bummer. I don't think the tusk is big enough to eat the intire fish.
I was really hoping for a smaller one so I wouldn't have to change fish list so much but you get what you get. He's eating good. I've been giving him the big mysis for now and have some other frozen food with bigger meaty bits.
 
The Naoko wrasse has been coming out some. It seems the others are warming up to the tusk.
If I were to add some other fish like anthias would it help draw out naoko?
What do you think my chances are of getting the desjardini back into the DT without aggression?
 
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