Quick tip - tusk fish like crabs - a lot!

[jnfallon]

so, I'm excited today because my reeftopia order gets here.

Got a million tiny hermits, lot of snails, a few sally lightfoots, and 4 emeralds, since warren gave me valonia. (heh)

So, I acclimate, and do lights off (but its still daylight) and drop in the stuff and BAM! harlequin tusk (whom I love) slams both sally lightfoots and 2-3 Emeralds almost instantly.

Grabs one - rips off legs - goes back for another.

Expensive meal, i'd say. :hammer:

 

[jnfallon]

Update - they like peppermint shrimp too.

 

[billsreef]

That's what they have those awesome teeth for

 

[jnfallon]

yeppers. I have had a large peppermint and hermits for years with him - and no big deal.

Today, he was insane. Bad kitty!

Little fish ate about $50 in critters so far.

And....... I still need to get rid of this valonia.

 

[cb747]

Tusky gotta go! Or the Valonia takes over! Dont feel bad my snowflakes had the same affect on my Emeralds i had bought for the same reason. Expensive dinner!

 

[Fragmented 99]

How is the tusk with other fish, sps, lps. Any problem other than the crabs shrimp. Would like top add one to my tank

 

[jnfallon]

Chris, I cant do that!! I'm just gonna have to bite the bullet and buy a whole batch and hope a few make it long enough to clean up.

i havent had any real issues. doesnt nip corals as far as I know. Wish he'd eat mushrooms and nems.

A long while back however I had an explosion of tiny snails. 1000's of them. They were a mixed blessing. Were good little algae eaters, but got into pumps, etc.

Anyway, there arent many anymore. either their population crashed big time, or he took a liking to them. little m&m's. yummy.

I still have some of the hermits I added at least 3 years ago, so I guess he doesnt go after them w/ a vengeance either, and my big cleaner shrimp was ok for a long time.

He's great with the other fish. Totally non-aggressive in any way. Great fish, imo.

Today hes looking at me with a $4.99 jumbo peppermint hanging out of his mouth.

 

[cb747]

Maybe on your next attempt try feeding the Tusk first so the crabs have a little time to run for cover

 

[gman107]

you cant sump him for a week or two

 

[jnfallon]

next time i think i will do it in pitch black.

I did see a sally lightfoot eating algae last night, so I guess he missed on of those.

he must have gotten all four emeralds.

I need to get bigger emeralds I think. These were really bite sized. If anyone sees any locally pls let me know.

gman, I cant get anything out of my tank if I tried. Its 30" deep with lots of sps, so even moving a net around is impossible.

Maybe with a hook/line.

 

[pecan2phat]

Dood,
You need like 24 emeralds for the alleged valonia.

 

[jnfallon]

heh.

I do. but what will they eat when its gone?

 

[cb747]

Theyll become part of the food chain Tusk style! LOL Theyll eat anything they can find. I have 1 giant one in my cube and hes eaten every litle piece of algae he could. He happily eats silversides and whatever else he can get