Harlequin Tusk not eating .. :(

Lion-o

Lion-o

Member
Hello, I've had a beautiful Harlequin Tusk in my tank for a few years now, and lately he has become less and less aggressive during feeding time. Sort of nonchalantly hanging out on the other side of the tank when every one piles up for dinner. I have not made any changes to the population of the tank in over 2 years, so nothing environmentally should be affecting him. This morning during feeding time, he didn't even leave his favorite home-made cave. I'm quite worried and don't know what to do.

He's always loved checking the empty snail shells in the tank (I presume he originally emptied most of them out himself), and gets pretty feisty when he happens upon a clam snack. But I don't want to spoil him on nothing but clams and live snails. But can't tell if it's sort of a spoiled/depression thing or if it's mood/age/something else?

Any suggestions are welcome. thanks!
 
Maybe try stick feeding him, so that you are target feeding just that fish. Does he appear to be getting thinner?
 
Honestly can't really tell if he's getting skinnier as I normally only get the side view and he's more shy if I try and pull a camera out or get too close.

What would you recommend stick feeding? I normally feed a mix of mysis, brine, rod's predator blend, other frozen stuff all cocktailed together. Occasionally I'll throw in a clam or a chunk of silverside or something as a bit of a snack. I was worried by doing so too often he'd get spoiled and wouldn't eat the other stuff. He normally would go nutty for clams/live snails, so I always fed them only rarely.
 
Nope, just even more shy than normal.

It is true he could be sick, but again, nothing new was introduced. He was out and swimming a bit today, but again didn't eat for dinner
 
Lion-o said:
Nope, just even more shy than normal.

It is true he could be sick, but again, nothing new was introduced. He was out and swimming a bit today, but again didn't eat for dinner
Click to expand...


Do you have a QT to try different treatments?

If not, do you have corals or inverts in your DT?




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I do have a QT, but capture at this point sounds almost impossible.

There is a single serpent star fish in there, aside from that invert free (he ate all the snails many moons ago i think).

Saw a video of someone stringing a shrimp to a rock and having their harley go at that. I was thinking of trying something like that, is there any favorite foods?
 
They love shrimps. Live food such as ghost shrimps is their fav. Is he breathing hard? Suggest to put up a video.


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If he will eat clams, feed him clams. Keep him eating and then worry about if you are spoiling him later. Experiment with different foods. Also maybe soak the food in Garlic guard. Can also use metroplex, Kano Plex added with focus. First things first is to keep him eating. Then worry about diet diversity
 
Scotch_c said:
They love shrimps. Live food such as ghost shrimps is their fav. Is he breathing hard? Suggest to put up a video.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I'll grab some raw shrimp and try that. Need to find more clams - anything wrong with the stuff at the supermarket vs LFS? I have pretty slim pickings these days here in Phoenix.

His breathing didn't appear to be abnormal, but I know that when he (and my big rabbit fish) get spooked, they tend to look like they're breathing harder in general.

I have been trying to capture a video, but like I mentioned, he has always been camera shy. Used to be the best time was feeding time, as he'd ignore me for that food.
 
Lion-o said:
I'll grab some raw shrimp and try that. Need to find more clams - anything wrong with the stuff at the supermarket vs LFS? I have pretty slim pickings these days here in Phoenix.



His breathing didn't appear to be abnormal, but I know that when he (and my big rabbit fish) get spooked, they tend to look like they're breathing harder in general.



I have been trying to capture a video, but like I mentioned, he has always been camera shy. Used to be the best time was feeding time, as he'd ignore me for that food.
Click to expand...



The frozen food from LFS is better and cleaner for fish in the aquarium. The market one could do the trick but they are not as consistent. Try the following site if you haven't considered

https://m.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+7927+8038+23950&pcatid=23950


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Checked a couple LFS, no clams in stock but I did grab a bag of silversides. Have one more clam left that I'm going to try feeding today.

https://youtu.be/JYcZb7RA5-0

Captured a vid of him in another cave. He is breathing pretty rapidly, so stressed about something. IIRC he was out and swimming until he saw us arrive home, then he popped into the cave.
 
I think he is sick. Even tho you haven't introduced anything new, fish can still get sick from other stress factors. I would get the inverts out and treat the DT with cupramine.


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Anybody happen to know what healthy wrasse poop looks like?

His appears to be these tiny black balls, so maybe that is a clue to what he might have?

As he is in this cave now, i tried to plug up his other tunnel and I'm going to try and capture him and move to QT when I have an extra pair of hands around to help out.

thanks,
danny
 

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Managed to get him out of the cave and into QT. Didn't put up too much of a fight...

https://youtu.be/xfzLH3KhvIo

Not looking good, but I'm crossing my fingers that part of that is due to the scare of being moved. My guess is I lose him in a day or so. :(
 
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