Tusk looks pitiful... Not sure what to do

[gbreef1]

Small australian tusk from another reefer's tank. Currently placed in a 40 breeder (holding tank) with a lot of rock/ hiding spots with a small sailfin tang and small foxface.

Was planning on keeping him in there for at most 2 weeks. First night he was in he was swimming around and even ate. However, now he just wedges himself in the smallest space and does not move/ has no response to food. Checked twice to make sure he was alive and when he swims he doesn't look all that energetic/ able to. The sailfin even though smaller than him seems to be a bully (does not act up towards the foxface though).
(Water params are perfect).

Is this simply normal tusk behavior (wrasses in general seem to hide for the first few days, maybe because he is larger than most wrasses when I first get them I am noticing him more).

Should I just get him into the larger tank asap and not leave him in the 40 breeder for up to two weeks?

 

[saltyphish]

I wouldn't risk him having something wrong and infecting your DT. If he is being bullied by the sailfin that could be it. Anyway to separate without placing in main tank?

 

[sc50964]

Try using an egg crate as a divider for the holding tank to separate the tang and the tusk.

 

[FilterFreak]

Tangs can be very aggressive towards other fish, this is not the first time i have heard something like this and im sure it wont be the last... Definately need a seperator/divider in the tank for the Husk's well being...

 

[nitrodude]

I would definitely do like they said and use a piece of egg crate from lowes or home depot to make a divider for the tank to keep them apart.

Try feeding meaty foods like small chunks of shrimp, scallop or krill.
How big is he?

Worst case-if it comes down to the sailfin or the tusk- ill take the tusk! They are one of my favorite fish.

 

[ZoaCollector]

Could be internal, hospital tank 20g use furan 2 and kanaplex. It might be too late if he's not swimming. Best of luck

 

[gbreef1]

Thank you everyone for your replies.

I was planning on getting the sailfin out this morning... very sad to say I was too late. I know Tangs can be pretty mean, but this sailfin is slightly larger than a half dollar (the body without fins if probably the size of a half dollar) and shows no aggression to the foxface... I changed up all the rock work that night so that territories would dissolve. I also already shortened the light cycles and left all white lights off. I think the tang didn't kill him directly but stressed him out to death.... It is just hard for me to believe a tang that small could kill a tusk 4-5" especially when he was eating the first night. I wish I just would have put him straight to the very large DT and not the 40 Breeder holding tank (though there were tons of rock with many caves/ small spaces for hiding). I would have gotten rid of the sailfin in a heart beat.

Maybe there was something wrong with him to begin with, but I don't think that's the case. In any respect, extremely sad right now and feel terrible for the tusk.

 

[michellejy]

I'm so sorry. Sometimes we use our best judgment and still end up with the worst outcome.

There is a chance something was wrong with him already and the sailfin was reacting to the weakness in the fish.