Harlequin tusk wrasse id . Indo or aussie

[Specfishin]

So yeah I thought I was buying an indo harlequin tusk wrasse. But a month later the more I look at him, he looks like pics of an austrailian. He's got plenty of blue features to him, just wondering if any experienced keepers could clarify he is aussie or indo for sure. Either way he's awesome!

View attachment 20161105_153939.jpg

 

[tj w]

He's an indo, no red in the tail. Still a beautie!

 

[lion king]

I don't think there's much of difference, except in the price tag. I bought an indo tusk at about 3.5", at 4.5" this fish looks exactly like the one on liveaquaria; as an aussie. He's such a rock dweller and with my crappy camera, i can't get a good picture. He has alot of blue, his backend is very dark and blue, his stripes are are a darker orange and he has the magenta tail. A collector told me the indo and the aussie are collected in overlapping areas.

 

[Specfishin]

I thank you both for your answers and experience. i pretty much came up with the question of what I had due to a picture of an identical fish being sold as an aussie tusk on this very forum. which got me wondering if I misshappenly bought what I originally wanted , an aussie tusk. I asked around locally and they're harder to get than i originally thought.Thanks again

 

[Dragonreef202]

I thought the Indo was more brown like the Australian was orange and blue. Or is it the area they come from

 

[ws6kid]

I think the red in the tail and the teeth being blue are 2 attributes for the Aussie in specific.

 

[4FordFamily]

Honestly I cannot quantify how I identify the two but yours is an Aussie.

The teeth is a myth they both have this feature. It's the color and the ratio of white to black in the back end of the fish that give it away.

That's an aussie or a prettier than typical indo if it's an indo.

@eatbreakfast @evolved

 

[eatbreakfast]

There are Aussie ones that aren't that colorful, there are Indo ones that are very colorful. As juveniles the bands appear more brownish, but as they mature they get brighter. The blue also develops as they mature, and finally, the red margin on the tail develops.

Maturation is not based on size, but rather other factors, such as health, food, social queues, and environmental queus. Unless you're there when a direct shipment arrives, or the price reflects Australian over Indo, it really is near impossible to tell.

One reason that Aussie ones are initially brighter could do with the difference in how they are collected and handles. Indonesia is notorious for using cyanide. I'm not certain if tusks are targeted this way, but if they are it would definitely have an affect on their vitality when they first arrive.

 

[#thematrix]

Id say its an indo that may have been collected at lower depth hence its colors. The aussie does have a red tail and vibrant colors.

Look at the teeth. The indo will have white. Where the aussie will have blue teeth. There will be an easy ID with the blue teeth for aussie.

Also. As for the blue in the fish...lighting plays a part in this. An aussie will look amazing in brights and blues. Where the aussie will look decent in whites and good in blues

 

[eatbreakfast]

Blue teeth are not an accurate indicator. I've had many Indo tusks cross my path with blue teeth.

 

[#thematrix]

An indo will show light blue teeth at adult size. Ive seen amazing blue in 2in aussie with red tails and orange fins.

Again my thing with indos is they will look whitish in daylights where an aussie will show blue in daylights.

The indo will show colors in antinics similar to the aussie any light colors.

To the OP thats a very nice looking tusk you have. Im not ready to replace the one i lost to dropsy

 

[eatbreakfast]

I've had Indo ones come in direct with the deep blue teeth, develop the red margin on the tail, and have bright orange striping and fins. IME, any difference between the regions based on color is only what the consumer wants to tell themselves. A healthy specimen, regardless of collection point, will be dynamically colored.

 

[Specfishin]

Thank you all for the help in figuring it out. but, I'm happy with my tusk and I guess that's all that matters. Even under the whites he has beautiful blue coloring, missing the red features has a light blue mouth/teeth defiitely not dark blue. This all came to mind on how some fish I see being sold as Aussie, when they look no different than mine, which I believe is just a really healthy beautiful indo. But thanks everyone for the help and clarity.