| Harlequin tuskfish | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Labriformes |
| Family: | Labridae |
| Genus: | Choerodon |
| Species: | C. fasciatus |
| Binomial name | |
| Choerodon fasciatus (Günther, 1867) | |
| Synonyms [2] | |
The harlequin tuskfish, Choerodon fasciatus, is a species of wrasse native to the western Pacific Ocean. It occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade.
The harlequin tuskfish grows to length of 30 cm (12 in). [2] It is a brightly colored marine fish with shades of blue, green, and orange. It has sharp blue teeth. The specimens found in Australia generally have brighter coloration.
The harlequin tuskfish is a carnivore, eating mostly benthic invertebrates such as echinoderms, crustaceans, molluscs, and worms. [2]
The species is anti-equatorial. In the northern hemisphere, it ranges from Okinawa in southern Japan to the northern Philippines. In the southern hemisphere, it's range includes Papua New Guinea, the Queensland coast of Australia, Lord Howe Island and New Caledonia. [3] This species inhabits reefs at depths from 5 to 35 m (16 to 115 ft). [2]
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The harlequin tuskfish is a moderately difficult fish to maintain in captivity. Juveniles can be shy and easily bullied by aggressive tankmates, while adults will be quite aggressive. [4] At a minimum, they should be kept in a 120-gallon tank for a single specimen. They will accept frozen and meaty foods such as brine shrimp, mysis, and shellfish. It is a semi-aggressive fish and ideal tankmates would include angels, tangs, and small triggerfish. However, it will not tolerate its own kind, so there should be only one specimen per tank. They are not reef-safe. Although they will typically not nip at corals or sessile invertebrates, they will attack and consume crabs, hermit crabs, snails, and shrimp. [5]
A reef temperature of 25–28 °C (77–82 °F) is ideal for maintaining the harlequin tuskfish. [2]
Reef safe is a distinction used in the saltwater aquarium hobby to indicate that a fish or invertebrate is safe to add to a reef aquarium. There is no fish that is completely reef safe. Every fish that is commonly listed as reef safe are species that usually do not readily consume small fish or invertebrates. Fish listed as reef safe also do not bother fellow fish unless in some cases, for instance tangs, they do not get along with conspecifics and sometimes fish with similar color or body shape. Every fish has a personality, is different, and, in some cases, are opportunistic feeders. Tangs, which by most accounts are reef safe, may in adulthood eat some crustaceans shortly after they molt. Many larger predatory fish, for instance eels and pufferfish, will adapt very well to a reef tank and will be problem-free as long as they have sizable tank-mates and no crustaceans. Some aquarists have also had success in keeping smaller fish with predatory ones in reef tanks by adding the smaller fish at night, sometimes with newly rearranged rockwork.
A marine aquarium is an aquarium that keeps marine plants and animals in a contained environment. Marine aquaria are further subdivided by hobbyists into fish only (FO), fish only with live rock (FOWLR), and reef aquaria. Fish only tanks often showcase large or aggressive marine fish species and generally rely on mechanical and chemical filtration. FOWLR and reef tanks use live rock, a material composed of coral skeletons harboring beneficial nitrogen waste metabolizing bacteria, as a means of more natural biological filtration.
The fork tailed paradisefish, or paradise gourami is a species of gourami found in most types of fresh water in East Asia, ranging from the China to northern Vietnam. This species can reach a standard length of 6.7 cm, though most are only about 5.5 cm . Paradise gouramis were one of the first ornamental fish available to western aquarium keepers, having been imported 1869 to France by the French aquarium fish importer Pierre Carbonnier in Paris. The paradise fish is one of the more aggressive members of its family. It is more aggressive than the three spot gourami, yet less pugnacious in nature than the less commonly kept combtail.
The tomato clownfish is a species of marine fish in the family Pomacentridae, the clownfishes and damselfishes. It is native to the waters of the Western Pacific, from the Japan to Indonesia. Other common names include blackback anemonefish, bridled anemonefish, fire clown, and red tomato clown.
The halloween hermit crab, also known as the striped hermit crab or orange-legged hermit crab, is a brightly colored aquatic hermit crab of the family Diogenidae. Besides its ability to routinely clean algae in aquaria, the halloween hermit crab's festive striped coloration also appeals to enthusiasts; it is considered the most brightly colored hermit crab in normal aquarium use.
The royal gramma, also known as the fairy basslet, is a species of fish in the family Grammatidae native to reef environments of the tropical western Atlantic Ocean. They are commonly kept in aquariums.
The pygmy gourami, also known as the sparkling gourami, is a freshwater species of gourami native to Southeast Asia.
Choerodon is a genus of wrasses native to the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean. They are commonly referred to as tuskfish, because most species have sharp tusk-like teeth.
The snowflake moray, also known as the clouded moray among many vernacular names, is a species of marine eel of the family Muraenidae. It has blunt teeth ideal for its diet of crustaceans, a trait it shares with the zebra moray.
Algae eater or algivore is a common name for any bottom-dwelling or filter-feeding aquatic animal species that specialize in feeding on algae and phytoplanktons. Algae eaters are important for the fishkeeping hobby and many are commonly kept by aquarium hobbyists to improve water quality. They are also important primary consumers that relay the biomass and energy from photosynthetic autotrophes up into the food web, as well as protecting the aquatic ecosystem against algae blooms.
The blue tuskfish, Choerodon cyanodus, is a species of wrasse native to the Indian and western Pacific Oceans, where it is known to occur around Australia, but has been claimed to occur more widely. It inhabits reefs. This species can reach a length of 70 cm (28 in). It can be found in the aquarium trade.
The pearlscale butterflyfish, also known as yellow-tailed butterflyfish, crosshatch butterflyfish or Philippines chevron butterflyfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish belonging to the family Chaetodontidae.
The honey gourami is a species of gourami native to India and Bangladesh.
Pseudochromis steenei, also known as lyretail dottyback, is a saltwater fish from Indonesia that is occasionally kept in aquariums. The specific name honours the Australian naturalist and underwater photographer Roger C. Steene who assisted in the collection of the type specimen.
Chrysiptera parasema, also known as yellowtail damselfish, yellowtail blue damsel, goldtail demoiselle and other variations, is a saltwater species of fish from the Indo-Pacific. It was described by Henry Weed Fowler in 1918.
Chrysiptera hemicyanea, known commonly as the azure damselfish, azure demoiselle, half-blue demoiselle, and yellow-dipped damsel, is a species of damselfish.
Pseudanthias bimaculatus, two-spot basslet, twospot anthias, twinspot anthias and bimac anthias, is a species of marine ray-finned fish from the subfamily Anthiinae of the family Serranidae, the groupers and sea basses. It is an Indo-Pacific species of reefs.
The blackcap basslet, or blackcap gramma, is a species of fish inhabiting reefs in the tropical western Atlantic Ocean. It prefers vertical surfaces with crevices in which it can hide. It can be found at depths from 10 to 180 metres. This species can also be found in the aquarium trade.
The orange-dotted tuskfish is a species of wrasse native to the Indian Ocean from Sri Lanka eastward to French Polynesia in the western Pacific. Its range extends north to the Ryukyus and south to New Caledonia. It inhabits reefs at depths from 1 to 25 m (3.3–82.0 ft). This species can reach a length of 50 cm (20 in). It is commercially important, and can be found in the aquarium trade.
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