Harlequin Tusks

Zionas

Member
Anyone have long-term experience with HTs? I want to know:

(1) Are they fast growers?

(2) How big can I expect one to reach in captivity?

(3) Are they highly active?

(4) Any risk to smaller fish?

Thx.
 
I've had 6 HTs over the years.

1. Medium (0.5" every 6-8 months)
2. Given proper tank size (long 125g, 180g or 300g) and feeding like I do (Download then read, the Fish Nutrition document) 12"
3. Relatively so. They like to swim the length of the tank. But will hide for quite some time if people are around.
4. They are 'semi-aggressive' and are carnivores. Small fish and invertebrates may appear to be food. But if fed well and properly, most of the ones I had leave the other fish alone. They will eat invertebrates, though. One I had would not stop attacking smaller fish and I re-homed it. So, there are differing personality issues within the species. The smaller HTs are timid. But as they grow, they grow in confidence and aggression.
 
Anyone have long-term experience with HTs? I want to know:

(1) Are they fast growers?

(2) How big can I expect one to reach in captivity?

(3) Are they highly active?

(4) Any risk to smaller fish?

Thx.
1. 1.25-2.5 inches in 6 months in a 40 gal breeder
2+ inches to 7 inches in 4-5 years. Slow down a lot when get neat 6 inches in my tank 320 gal tank

2. 7+ inches in large tank
3. They are active and docile unless they get hungry. Very personable. I hand feed my HT until he about to bust every few days.
4. Newly added disoriented small fishes and shrimps WILL BE FOOD. They will eat small snails <1/4 inch. I had a thriving population of Trocus snails, Stomatella, wipe out in several weeks when I added my HT. He is too lazy to hunt, prefer to eat out of my hand but I always count all my small fishes and cleaner shrimps after vacations. So far only fish I lost to him is when I make a mistake of adding fish before waiting for him to go to sleep.

Without fail, every body commented on HT and his blue Tusks when they first see the tank.
IMG_0163.jpeg
 
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