Harlequin Tusk ID (Indo or Australian?)
- Thread starter ROB712
- Start date
Marshall O
New member
The Indo pictured from LA is a juvenile, where the Aussie is an adult. Their coloration gets much brighter as they mature. As far as the one in question, I will let an expert chime in.
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scooter31707
New member
+1^^^
Breakthecycle2
New member
As others have said, definitely Australian. I just picked one up yesterday as well.
cougareyes
New member
I've seen vivid indos and I've seen dull aussies, so i would think the collector and source would know. Usually people try to pass indos as aussies and ask a higher price for them. I have rarely seen a verified aussie less than 5" coming in, I'm sure juvis come in but I have never seen one.
Marshall O
New member
Divers Den will have an occasional juvenile Aussie Tusk. Far and few between however.
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ROB712
New member
Thanks everyone! Yeah ive been going to this guy for years hes my main LFS so the last 3 or so times ive been in we have this ongoing conversation about it being an australian and he insists its just an indo haha. Hes a great guy. I had a feeling though that it looked like an Australian. 
Oh my bad, I thought indo stayed darker than the Australian counterparts
cougareyes
New member
I could line up 10 mixed indo and aussie and I bet most of you would never be able to tell the difference, it's mostly people that need the designer label that really cares. If it's a beautiful fish, it's a beautiful fish. And DD really aren't the experts they used to be, right now they have a painted angler listed as a wartskin, so I really wouldn't trust them telling me it was juvi aussie.
Marshall O
New member
No worries, I was just trying to point out the fact that what they pictured is not a fair representation of an adult Indo. When they are real small, Aussie or Indo, they are basically just brown and white. My LFS had two last week come in around 1".
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Yeah my Lfs has a decent size Aussie for $200 and it's about 6"
OrionN
Moved on
I think your Tusk is a nice looking Indo Tusk.
Here is a picture of mine, not very bid, with the eye spot still there. The Red tails are characteristic of both as they get bigger. Australia are more red while Indo are more blue. Both are beautiful but the Australia is lighter/brighter in color while Indo are darker/bluer in color.
Here is a picture of mine, not very bid, with the eye spot still there. The Red tails are characteristic of both as they get bigger. Australia are more red while Indo are more blue. Both are beautiful but the Australia is lighter/brighter in color while Indo are darker/bluer in color.
Dmorty217
Saltwater Addict
Both fish at about the same size, when the eye spots about to disappear. To me the pelvic fins tell the orgin the most. at over 4 inches, Australia Tusk have a completely red pelvic fins.
Australia
IP Tusk at about the same size
lighting plays a big roll in identification. From your prictures I would think you have them reversed. Any place that gets a tusk in knows what part of the world it's coming from and where the collector is located, best to take thier word for it
OrionN
Moved on
Lighting there is identical. 100% Radion brightness 8 over them over my tank. The angle of the pictures are different. The IP Tusk angle toward the camera while the Australia was at perpendicular to the camera view. This angle does add a little brightness to the Australia Tusk.
An no I did not make any mistake in mis-ID my fish. n They are fairly young there. Eye spots not disappeared yet.
cougareyes
New member
OrionN made the most excellent points, those were two at the same size. And to me both absolutely beautiful. I only see the true aussie at larger sizes and they get much more vibrant the larger they get. I see the indos at much smaller sizes, if you compare them at that stage you always think the aussie is so much more spectacular.
