Harlequin Tusk

[logen32]

would this guy eat my starfish ?
Thanks

 

[aquaman]

Great fish, would love to get one myself someday. I just looked up some info, it does not say it will bother starfish, but will try for shrimp. As with any fish, there are general rules. You might want to do a bit more research on your own first.

 

[liontamer]

Depends on how large yer starfish is. A tusk is designed with those evil teeth to eat inverts, so it is a gamble. THey are great fish though, and it is worth the loss of a starfish. Hers a pic of mine

 

[logen32]

oh it's a fairly large starfish. 5 inches. It is a red general star.

 

[jjspati]

i wouldnt worry about it. i had a harlequin once that was about 4inches with a serpent star that was about 3 inches. they were fine together. once day when the star started to go upside down every day (i think thats when they are dieing or starving, dont know cuz he wasnt eating anything i gave him) and his arms are in the air, the tusk grabbed it and flung it across the tank. i saw him do it twice to the star. never ate it or damaged it (to my vision).

 

[jjspati]

btw- the harlequin will always be my favorite fish. awsome addition. looks deadly, but really a peaceful fish.

 

[discgolfer]

would a harlequin be cramped in a 55 with a few smaller fish like chromis and a cardinal

 

[scott9311]

I would LOVE to get a Harlequin! But alas, my shrimp would hate me for it :nope:

 

[thangbom]

.... bro.. i read that tusk are of the wrass family... and wrasses love to swim.. i dont recommebd a tusk in anything smaller then 100 gal.......

 

[soapbubble]

Plus any fish in the wrasse family will eat shrimp...not a good addition if you have any cleaners in there!

 

[aidos]

Plus any fish in the wrasse family will eat shrimp
not all wrasse eat shirmp!!!! Many are fully reef safe...ie a Six Line Wrasse, Cleaner Wrasse, Filament Wrasse, the list goes on.
btw we have a tank at work thats around 200 gallon, we have a Harlequin Tusk thats about 5 inches...(mediumish sized) with a pair of coral banded shrimp and a blue linka starfish that have been in the tank 2gether for at least 6 months....the Harlequin Tusk doesn't ever take notice of them. that said u never know. but i think that ur Harlequin Tusk will be fine with ur starfish. :happyfish

 

[soapbubble]

You're lucky then. I know from experience that they enjoy dining on shrimp!

 

[jjspati]

i think they enjoy snacking on anything new (anything in their diet that is). perhaps if the shrimp were there before the tusk, and the tusk may consider it part of his home. i had a domino damsel with my tusk for 2 years. every time i tryed adding a blue devil damsel, well bye bye. i tried entering it at night one night, and in the morning when i put my face to the tank to see if he survived, the tusk snagged him in front of me, spit it at me dead, then swallowed it again. pretty tramatizing.