I have become fascinated by the Harlequin Tusk and would like to post a care guide on them, here it goes
Name: Choerodon fasciatus
Size: 8-14 inches (20.5 cm-35.5 cm)
Tank Size: 75 gallons, though 120 gallons is ideal (284 liters with 455 being better)
Endemic to: The Indo-Pacific region, mainly Australia, Indonesia, and the Philippines
Temperament: Aggressive to mobile invertebrates like crabs, snails, shrimps, and urchins, but relatively peaceful to other fish that are of a decent size
Parameters: 72-80° F (22,2-26.7°C), dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.020-1.025
Reef Safe: With Caution, Will eat mobile invertebrates like crabs, snails, shrimps, urchins, will likely leave corals alone, though this cannot be guaranteed
Tankmates: Other fish of a decent size, though it may be bullied by larger fish such as larger wrasses, large trigger fish, and even smaller, more aggressive fish like a chromis, angel fish, and damsels, especially if the Harlequin Tusk is added in after the other fish have established territory. I (and many others) have found that large pufferfish, eels, tangs, surgeonfish, lionfish, and other medium sized (6-8 inches) wrasses work well as tankmates.
Diet: Carnivore, will eat squid, shrimp, pellets, krill, scallops, clams, crabs, snails, and other meaty items.
Breeding: Very Little is known about their breeding. They start out their life as female and live in harems (females with one male they breed with), the largest female turns into a male and they mate in open waters where the fertilized eggs drift in the current until they settle into a location where they eventually hatch). Because of this behavior, they have not been bred in captivity so most, if not all specimens are wild caught.
Tank Set Up: Atleast 75 gallons (284 liters), though 120 gallons or more is better (455+ liters). Harlequin Tusks should be added to a well cycled and established tank (it can be bare bottom or have substrate) that has a lot of caves, overhangs, and tunnels for the Harlequin Tusk to hide in, though there should still be plenty of swimming room.
Sources: http://www.tfhmagazine.com/saltwate...dy-and-fashionable-the-harlequin-tuskfish.htm
https://www.aquariumdomain.com/adSocial/index.php/harlequin-tuskfish/
https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Choerodon_fasciatus/
http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/Wrasses/HarliquinTuskfish.php
Name: Choerodon fasciatus
Size: 8-14 inches (20.5 cm-35.5 cm)
Tank Size: 75 gallons, though 120 gallons is ideal (284 liters with 455 being better)
Endemic to: The Indo-Pacific region, mainly Australia, Indonesia, and the Philippines
Temperament: Aggressive to mobile invertebrates like crabs, snails, shrimps, and urchins, but relatively peaceful to other fish that are of a decent size
Parameters: 72-80° F (22,2-26.7°C), dKH 8-12, pH 8.1-8.4, sg 1.020-1.025
Reef Safe: With Caution, Will eat mobile invertebrates like crabs, snails, shrimps, urchins, will likely leave corals alone, though this cannot be guaranteed
Tankmates: Other fish of a decent size, though it may be bullied by larger fish such as larger wrasses, large trigger fish, and even smaller, more aggressive fish like a chromis, angel fish, and damsels, especially if the Harlequin Tusk is added in after the other fish have established territory. I (and many others) have found that large pufferfish, eels, tangs, surgeonfish, lionfish, and other medium sized (6-8 inches) wrasses work well as tankmates.
Diet: Carnivore, will eat squid, shrimp, pellets, krill, scallops, clams, crabs, snails, and other meaty items.
Breeding: Very Little is known about their breeding. They start out their life as female and live in harems (females with one male they breed with), the largest female turns into a male and they mate in open waters where the fertilized eggs drift in the current until they settle into a location where they eventually hatch). Because of this behavior, they have not been bred in captivity so most, if not all specimens are wild caught.
Tank Set Up: Atleast 75 gallons (284 liters), though 120 gallons or more is better (455+ liters). Harlequin Tusks should be added to a well cycled and established tank (it can be bare bottom or have substrate) that has a lot of caves, overhangs, and tunnels for the Harlequin Tusk to hide in, though there should still be plenty of swimming room.
Sources: http://www.tfhmagazine.com/saltwate...dy-and-fashionable-the-harlequin-tuskfish.htm
https://www.aquariumdomain.com/adSocial/index.php/harlequin-tuskfish/
https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Choerodon_fasciatus/
http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/Wrasses/HarliquinTuskfish.php
