New Australia Harlequin Tusk

[ben jammin]

Nina, thanks for fixing the pic - I just posted that from my phone and don't know what I'm doing in that regard.

Goreef, I have a 260 gallon FOWLR. What you have heard is consistent with my experience - shy at first but eventually got his confidence up. It really did take quite awhile and I was surprised he really didn't even lose weight or develop ich from not eating for the first several weeks.

One thing about feeding - when Raymond (Raymond Tusk, get it? Ha ha. If you watch House of Cards you will) did start to eat, it began with him going after pieces of PE Mysis I squirt into my tank with a turkey baster for my other fish. It took even longer for him not to be scared of the feeding tongs I use to feed the frozen krill. Now he practically swallows the tongs though.

 

[goreef170]

ben jammin, How about a pic of your tank ? You know we love to see pics

Question: Was the goby in the tank first, or added after your Harlequin ?

 

[goreef170]

Update, Day two Aussi is still chilling on the sand in my sump. Lays on sand most of the time, with a occasional short swim. Not sure if he's eating yet...

 

[Kyuss]

Looks like a really colorful little guy. Hope everything goes well with him.

Snapped a pic of mine yesterday when he was doing his hot laps lol. His stripes will get real greyish-blue as in the picture and he'll circle around to the power head and ride the current across the tank a bunch of times. He usually does this in the evening. Normally the stripes are much lighter.

 

[Nina51]

that's a gorgeous fish!

 

[goreef170]

Cool looking Aussi Kris !

I like how he changes color when he's swimming. You can really see the difference from the pic in your avatar

 

[goreef170]

that's a gorgeous fish!

Nina, yours isn't bad either.

 

[Nina51]

i don't have one of those, tank too small. booo hiss!

 

[goreef170]

i don't have one of those, tank too small. booo hiss!

Sorry, I got you confused with ben jammin.....

Then just upgrade and get one... haha

 

[Nina51]

i just upgraded to a 75g 3 months ago. yeah, i know, prolly shoulda gone bigger!

 

[Kyuss]

Thanks. He definitely ranks up their in personality with any trigger I've had as well. He's not a bully, but he sure likes to get up in everyones business, including mine when I'm doing maintenance in the tank. He certainly puts a few of the letters in the word Wr***e.

 

[goreef170]

update... Well after 4 days of being in the sump, he continues to just lie on the sand. So I decided to put him in the DT after the lights go out. Here is a pic, he started swimming all over the tank. I think he was just so depressed being in the small sump, now he's glad to be in the open. I will take more pics when the lights come back on.

 

[goreef170]

Here is a pic, after the lights come on. If you look at center of pic, you will see him wedged between the rocks. This is what he did in the sump. Going on 5 days, still not eating. What do you guys think ?

 

[Nina51]

what have you offered him in the way of food?

 

[goreef170]

Krill, Squid, Mysis, Brine, Marine Crusine,/ with garlic extreme....

 

[Kyuss]

They're known to be shy fish at first (though mine never got that memo), is he staying in there all the time or is he in and out? I wouldn't worry too much if he's in and out.

For food I had luck with NLS pellets when I got mine, he wouldn't touch anything else in QT for weeks but was eating NLS pellets within a half-hour of me bringing him home and putting him in QT. Might be worth a shot as I've heard other have similar success with picky new additions and NLS pellets.

 

[goreef170]

Thanks Kris, Will try the pellets..

Yesterday he stayed in that same position, as in the pic, for pretty much all day.

When the lights go out, and moon lights come on, then he comes out and swims around.I guess he feels safer to swim around when its dark ?? Very weird behavior..never had a fish do this...

Still not eating

 

[Mr tap water]

Mine prefers dried river shrimp and the odd piece of cooked prawns but if I was you I would buy some small live river shrimp which may catch his eye and encourage him to Feed.

 

[desjardinii]

Try some fresh squid, they really love it and it may bring him around.

This is my one, a couple of years ago

And a more recent pic

 

[sc50964]

Here is a pic, after the lights come on. If you look at center of pic, you will see him wedged between the rocks. This is what he did in the sump. Going on 5 days, still not eating. What do you guys think ?

My tusk does the same when he is scared. So to me that's a normal behavior. But the not eating part isn't. It's tougher to get these larger tusks to eat. They are active swimmers coz they belong to the wrasse family, so the no swimming with light situation isn't normal either. Is he being harassed? If not, it just means that he is still not used to your tank. It's not unusual for larger tusks needing longer acclimation period than smaller tusks, but you must get it to eat. Try live ghost shrimps.