Tank size for Tusks

[itom37]

A 65 gallon system sorta fell in my lap, so my roommate and I are gonna make it an aggressive tank. I keep reading on various websites that harlequin tusks require a minimum of 55-65 (that's the range i'm seeing) and lots of hiding places. Frankly I'm a little skeptical... it seems they get a bit larger than that. So what are your opinions? Other inhabitants will likely be a snowflake, puffer (i'm constantly fighting with my roommate on putting fish that are too large in our tanks...), maybe a picasso (again, the size thing...).
Thanks.

 

[aquaknight]

My parents have a tusk in their 65gal. It's a tiny 2" tusk. That's as small I'd I recommend and it is strictly temporary before they set up a "big" tank. However it sounds like your roommate's sitution is a bit more permenant and I'm not positive you'll find one that small. It was truly a lucky find. Typically tiny tusks have horrible survival rates. A bigger one in a 65gal would be too much. I had a 5" in my 125 and he used the ENTIRE tank up.
A snowflake, a small puffer (valentini, or the like), and a smaller blue throat which would take years to outgrow a 65gal would be a pretty cool set-up.

 

[itom37]

Yeah... he wants a porc. I have a hawaiian blue spot in another tank that would be perfect... I'll continue the battle. I can just picture even a smaller porc being too large... not only for its happiness but aesthetically for the tank. I think I'd like to have the hawaiian puffer, snowflake, flame angel, and a young trigger. The tusks are pretty expensive, so maybe he'll give that idea up.

 

[lion_crazz]

I fully agree. A tusk will outgrow a 65 relatively fast and will need a much bigger home in a short amount of time. I also agree with you on the porcupine puffer.

 

[srfisher17]

Originally Posted by lion_crazz
I fully agree. A tusk will outgrow a 65 relatively fast and will need a much bigger home in a short amount of time. I also agree with you on the porcupine puffer.

I agree too, I love harlequin tusks (I have 2 now), but they need more room. Where did you get the 2" tusk? These are hardly ever available, I 'd love one. BTW, most Australian (prettier & hardier than the I.O. type, IMO) tusks are caught with barbless hooks by divers fishing underwater, which is why you hardly ever see small ones.

 

[itom37]

Originally Posted by lion_crazz
I fully agree. A tusk will outgrow a 65 relatively fast and will need a much bigger home in a short amount of time. I also agree with you on the porcupine puffer.
I might win the tusk battle but I don't think I can convince him not to get a porc. I've tentatively agreed as long as it's as small as we can find and we return it when it grows too large.

 

[itom37]

Originally Posted by AquaKnight
A snowflake, a small puffer (valentini, or the like), and a smaller blue throat which would take years to outgrow a 65gal would be a pretty cool set-up.
What's the growth rate on triggers? Are blue throats slower growing than others? I was thinking picasso or niger maybe. Haven't done much research on them since I'm not planning on adding one for a while.

 

[spyker]

never heard of a tusk, mind expaining to me what it is?

 

[itom37]

Originally Posted by spyker
never heard of a tusk, mind expaining to me what it is?
Harlequin tusk. It's a type of wrasse. Incredibly beautiful. They have them on this site, though I think I've seen better pictures.

 

[aquaknight]

Originally Posted by srfisher17

I agree too, I love harlequin tusks (I have 2 now), but they need more room. Where did you get the 2" tusk? These are hardly ever available, I 'd love one. BTW, most Australian (prettier & hardier than the I.O. type, IMO) tusks are caught with barbless hooks by divers fishing underwater, which is why you hardly ever see small ones.
We got him from one of the LFS's. Lucky/rare indeed. Here's a pic of him went they first got him.

And here's a pic of my 6"er for reference (sorry for the blur, that's about how long he'd sit still).

All triggers grow really slow. Blue throats are the most passive of triggers, so even if he gets a tad too big he won't get aggressive. I'd say off hand, less then an inch per year?

 

[pastor b.]

Dear hobbyist ,I presently have an Australian Harlequin tusk within my 150 gallon aquarium .It is presently 8" ,and bothers no one . Not even my coral banded shrimp .Its a healthy eater with beautiful coloring .I've read that H T's normally grow to 10". Mine likes to eat freeze dried jumbo krill . I like to hear it make crunching sounds as it eats the krill .

 

[srfisher17]

Originally Posted by itom37
Harlequin tusk. It's a type of wrasse. Incredibly beautiful. They have them on this site, though I think I've seen better pictures.
I'm almost positive the harlequin tusk pic on swf. com site is an Australian specimen. They sell the Indian Ocean variety and should change the pic. Google Image "Harlequin tusk" and you can see the difference. My avitar is an Aussie, note the red on the tail and all the blue on the rear flanks, the IO tusks are much less colorful.