New aggression

t1a1c1h · 04/19/2017, 11:12 AM

Our tank has been set up for about 18 months now and recently we have had 2 deaths and started having problems with aggression. We have a clownfish pair (not hosting anything) an orchid dotty (until 2 weeks ago we had a breeding pair but the male has died....don't know why), midas blenny, 3 blue star damsels (did have 5 but 1 died about 3 months ago, another about 2 weeks ago with the dotty don't know why), and a male bangaii cardinal. We see a LOT of aggression from the bangaii to the damsels, particulalry in the evening when he wants them to go to bed so he has the tank to himself overnight but he doesn't actually bite them, just chases them. The blenny seems the likely culprit maybe defending his precious hole in the rock against any other fish even coming near. The question is what can we do about it?? We have a yellow tang in QT, is he going to make things better/ worse/ no different?? Should we add more rock? More fish - to dissipate the aggression between more individuals thus each one gets a smaller dose? If so which ones? It's a 90G mixed reef (looking pretty empty of inhabitants right now I wont lie), we feed frozen or pellets twice a day.

bean2986 · 04/19/2017, 11:32 AM

What kind of clowns?

t1a1c1h · 04/19/2017, 12:17 PM

Think they're ocellaris clowns.

sdbc · 04/19/2017, 12:26 PM

Damsels are usually pretty aggressive, especially to their own kind, so they would be my suspects. In regards to the yellow tang, you will have to wait and see. Often, it seems that adding a larger fish will keep the smaller ones in line and aggression will be reduced. On the other hand, the tang could end up being a terror and keep everybody else hiding. Trial and error is the only way to know.

scooter31707 · 04/20/2017, 11:41 AM

That's about right. IME cardinalfish and damsels were very aggressive.

Kremis · 04/20/2017, 02:26 PM

How big is the tank? Damselfish and dottybacks are both really aggressive fish. I dont believe any of the fish will go after a yellow tang.

04/19/2017, 11:12 AM	#1
t1a1c1h Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Birmingham Posts: 31	New aggression Our tank has been set up for about 18 months now and recently we have had 2 deaths and started having problems with aggression. We have a clownfish pair (not hosting anything) an orchid dotty (until 2 weeks ago we had a breeding pair but the male has died....don't know why), midas blenny, 3 blue star damsels (did have 5 but 1 died about 3 months ago, another about 2 weeks ago with the dotty don't know why), and a male bangaii cardinal. We see a LOT of aggression from the bangaii to the damsels, particulalry in the evening when he wants them to go to bed so he has the tank to himself overnight but he doesn't actually bite them, just chases them. The blenny seems the likely culprit maybe defending his precious hole in the rock against any other fish even coming near. The question is what can we do about it?? We have a yellow tang in QT, is he going to make things better/ worse/ no different?? Should we add more rock? More fish - to dissipate the aggression between more individuals thus each one gets a smaller dose? If so which ones? It's a 90G mixed reef (looking pretty empty of inhabitants right now I wont lie), we feed frozen or pellets twice a day.

04/19/2017, 12:26 PM	#4
sdbc Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: San Diego Posts: 94	Damsels are usually pretty aggressive, especially to their own kind, so they would be my suspects. In regards to the yellow tang, you will have to wait and see. Often, it seems that adding a larger fish will keep the smaller ones in line and aggression will be reduced. On the other hand, the tang could end up being a terror and keep everybody else hiding. Trial and error is the only way to know. __________________ Bob - San Diego Current Tank Info: 125g mixed reef, 20g F/W planted

04/19/2017, 11:32 AM	#2
bean2986 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: CT Posts: 54	What kind of clowns?

04/19/2017, 12:17 PM	#3
t1a1c1h Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Birmingham Posts: 31	Think they're ocellaris clowns.

04/20/2017, 11:41 AM	#5
scooter31707 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Virginia Posts: 4,971	That's about right. IME cardinalfish and damsels were very aggressive.

04/20/2017, 02:26 PM	#6
Kremis Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Posts: 799	How big is the tank? Damselfish and dottybacks are both really aggressive fish. I dont believe any of the fish will go after a yellow tang.