My Tank Has Turned Into a Nip Fest!

[Pigpen17]

So I just added my last two fish to my 56g tank, and my goodness! Everyone has lost their minds! I added two Vanderbuilt Chromis. It started with my Red Elongated Dottyback chasing and nipping at them. Now my Midas Blenny has joined in. The Dottyback is attacking the Chromis. The Blenny is attacking them. They are attacking each other! Is this just an entrance phase? Or should I expect this to continue? For a relatively peaceful tank, it's turned into a warzone. Someone has to go?

[flooddc]

Sump the dottyback if you have one. They are very territorial. They are usually the last fish to introduce to a tank.

[Pigpen17]

Yeah. I am thinking if this doesn't calm down, it's the one I have to try to catch. Funny. I waited over a year for the Red Elongated to come up for sale on L.A. It boasted how it was peaceful compared to other Dottybacks. And until these Chromis, it really has been.

[dbigfoot111]

hope you can catch that bastard!

[MMacro]

Might want to rethink the title :lolspin:

Vanderbuilt chromis are BEAUTIFUL fish. Dottybacks are notorious for being agressive, especially in smaller tanks. I have a midas blenny who is very peacful and doesn't bother anyone. It varies from fish to fish though. I say remove the dottyback.

[Pigpen17]

Might want to rethink the title :lolspin:

Vanderbuilt chromis are BEAUTIFUL fish. Dottybacks are notorious for being agressive, especially in smaller tanks. I have a midas blenny who is very peacful and doesn't bother anyone. It varies from fish to fish though. I say remove the dottyback.

Yes they are. The Vanderbuilt chromis are amazing. I have waited for over a year to add those guys too.

Well, the nighttime was peaceful, but it's started right back up again this morning. Even my Circus Goby is getting in on the action! I have never seen a new fish so completely disliked by the whole tank! Before this, there has been absloulty no aggression. The biggest jerk in the tank to this point has been my Cleaner Shrimp! Now? Crazytown!


So nobody thinks this might calm down? Even with this supposedly peaceful Dottyback? I should have added a Dwarf Angel.

[GimpyFin]

Might want to rethink the title :lolspin:


Haha, I was thinking the same thing.

[PAXpress]

Haha, I was thinking the same thing.

Wow took me a minute... Now I see it... Lol

[Pigpen17]

Yeah. I would prefer that actually.

[Pigpen17]

But seriously. Is there any point in me waiting a few days to see if things calm down? Or am I stressing out my Chromis for no reason with no hope of this getting better? I'm still wondering if this is just an entrance issue, or a compatibility issue. Maybe there's no way to tell at this point?

[flooddc]

it's going to be hard to tell since every fish is different. But I leaned more toward it killing the 2 chromis. If you really like the dotty, find a away to contain it (sump is best, but look like you don't have one) and reintroduce it in a few weeks and monitor to see if cooled down. It's going to be a PAIN to catch it! GL

[Pigpen17]

I was thinking of making a fish trap, or I could get lucky with the net. There's a spot where it loves to ambush from that I could have a net right above it without it seeing it. Probably going to have to pull most of my rocks though.

[BrokenSpoke]

The few times I have had aggression like this I turn out the tank lights, completely cover the tank with a blanket so there is zero light, and leave it that way for a day. Remove the blanket at night so the tank lights are still off but there is some ambient light and, for me anyway, the aggression has stopped.

[SALTYwaterDOG]

:eek2::eek2:Any pics

[Pigpen17]

The few times I have had aggression like this I turn out the tank lights, completely cover the tank with a blanket so there is zero light, and leave it that way for a day. Remove the blanket at night so the tank lights are still off but there is some ambient light and, for me anyway, the aggression has stopped.

Oh yeah. I think I will try that. Things were all calmed down after lights out last night. I am a bit worried though. I've been at work all day. I hope I don't come home to a dead or dying fish.

[heathlindner25]

If you got a video that would help.....I'm not sure if it's going to calm down, but unrelenting aggression lead to the other fish not eating and eventually death

[Pigpen17]

If you got a video that would help.....I'm not sure if it's going to calm down, but unrelenting aggression lead to the other fish not eating and eventually death

Oh yeah. I can upload one when I get home.

I did notice that the Chromis were not eating very much this morning, and I started to think about the fact that they might stop. Man. You spend all this time getting things together, picking fish you think will work out, and then boom. I should have known better with the Elongated Dottyback. I totally bought into the description. And actually it's been really good up till now.

[heathlindner25]

I seen dottybacks ram the side of other fish until their guts come out..... they're kind of aggressive
There's a real skill in picking fish and the order you put them in.

[Pigpen17]

WOW! So I get home and the Dottyback and the Chromis are all three swimming together. Might just be because the Dotty knows it's chow time, but I am hopeful! I'm going to keep watching, obviously, but maybe the reputation of the Red Elongated Dotty is true. Everyone is eating too. Maybe I am safe.........for now.

[heathlindner25]

Great to hear, good luck.

[flooddc]

That's great news!

[Bent]

Totally filled with glee when clicking on this thread....


Complete let down.




But, the issue is with the ditty back, everyone else is just defending themselves. Get rid of it and you should have peace again.

[Pigpen17]

Heck yeah! Thank you for everyone who helped. So far so good. I think I got lucky. Now I just have to worry about the two chromis, but I expected that challenge. They do have two totally separate sleeping holes on opposite sides of the tank that they are using. I hope that's enough.

On a side note. The Circus Goby still hates theses guys around his den. That's just gonnna happen though. Grumpy old Goby.

[monkeyruler90]

great to hear a happy ending

[Pigpen17]

Thanks! I am exited, The tank is full and active. After two years up and running, I finally have completed my stocking. And with fish off my original wish list! Now to start looking at bigger tanks. :lol:

[GimpyFin]

Glad to hear everything is good. I still laugh every time I see this thread title. Priceless.