bicolor dottyback attacking mystery wrasse

[Kerrie]

Added bicolor dottyback last week. The existing flame angel and mystery wrasse (which I've had for one year) gave the bicolor dottyback grief for their usual 3 days for a new fish. But, now the bicolor dottyback for the last few days has been attacking the mystery wrasse. Tore part of it's tail and now the mystery wrasse won't come out of it's home very much. I was thinking about adding a clown to distract the whole thing. I had a clown a while ago, but it died about 3 months ago and I had it for about 9 months. Everybody got a long. The flame angel and the mystery are actually friends. The flame will go after the bicolor dottyback when it sees it go after the mystery wrasse. Any other ideas? I don't know if I can catch the bicolor dottyback without tearing down the rocks and stressing everybody else out. Only other fish in tank is a Lawnmoor blenny (stays to himself, nobody picks on him)

28 gal jbj w/leds.

K

 

[smoothdog]

Dottybacks are ounce for ounce some of the most aggressive fish I have ever seen. I had a neon that harrassed and killed any new fish that went into the tank and killed a clown headed wrasse 3 times it's size that was in the tank before it. See if your LFS has a trap you can borrow and get it out or you will end up with a dead mystery wrasse.

On a side note, I had a flame angel that chased the neon dottyback too!

 

[Sk8r]

Pump the tank dry into a lined trashcan after digging a small pit in a corner. The dottyback may go there for refuge as the water drains down. Catch your offender, then rapidly, with a potent pump, rewater your tank. Dottybacks are the devil to catch, and their disposition matches.

 

[snorvich]

Pump the tank dry into a lined trashcan after digging a small pit in a corner. The dottyback may go there for refuge as the water drains down. Catch your offender, then rapidly, with a potent pump, rewater your tank. Dottybacks are the devil to catch, and their disposition matches.

Amen to that. The only possible exception (or in any case the least aggressive dottyback) is the orchid dottyback (Pseudochromis fridmani). But for the remainder, the better they look, the nastier they are.

 

[Sheol]

They are not all evil incarnate. But p. bicolor is one of the most aggressive Dotty's available. And wrasses are predators on Pseudochromis eggs and fry. This means Wrasses = Dottyback enemies. Definitely the first fish it was going to go after!

Matthew

 

[davocean]

Pretty much all dotybacks are just plain mean, and the fact all these are in a 28g isn't helping, not alot of territory to claim.
I would not add the clown or any more fish to what you have, and second the tank drain method to catch and rid the dotty.

 

[lazytaper]

I had a splendid dottyback for about 5 years. He was a model citizen for 4.5 of them coexisting with a few blennys, a chevron tang, and even coral banded shrimp. This was in my buy then educate days. Eventually he turned evil. Seriously evil. He destroyed everything in the tank and then 6 months later he died. Probably from boredom.

I do miss him though. They have a very cool personality and are enjoyable fish to watch but there is no way I would keep one in my tank nowadays.

 

[Kerrie]

Thank you for everybody's input. I'm dreading draining the tank to catch him. But, it does look like the best option, which is to get rid of the dottyback. K

 

[small alien]

Draining isn't really that big a deal. A lot easier than swooping around a full tank with a net.

 

[MrTuskfish]

Thank you for everybody's input. I'm dreading draining the tank to catch him. But, it does look like the best option, which is to get rid of the dottyback. K

IMO, its your only option. I'd do some serious research BEFORE you buy another fish. Don't rely on LFS info.

 

[MrTuskfish]

Draining isn't really that big a deal. A lot easier than swooping around a full tank with a net.

Sure is. IMO, everyone needs an appropriately sized fish-only (you don't need to line it) trash can on wheels. For mixing water, draining if you can't catch your dottyback. Just wheel it up to the tank.

 

[Sheol]

"All Dottybacks are mean.." Is complete bovine scatalogy, guys.
Orchids, and Sankey's are fairly peaceful fish, in general. Temperment varies by species. And of course, on a fish to fish basis.
Broad sweeping statements like the above spread mis-information.
OOf course, it behooves the aquarist to research the temperment of prospective fish *BEFORE* they buy them.
This same situation is repeated for Damselfish. There are quite a few peaceful damselfish, FWIW..

Matthew