Emperor angel and aggression

dlsmith21

dlsmith21

Premium Member
I came home today and he was splotched white, eyes cloudy and his fins are tattered. He looks like somebody in the tank opened a can of you know what on him. I have him in the sump right now but am not sure what to do after that. This only really started after he began changing into his adult colors. I had a tusk that my tomato clown and soldier fish ( soldier fish aren't as peaceful as they claim) literally chased down and killed. Is this normal for emperor's? From what I read they can hold their own quite easily. Could it be the coloring that trigger the other fish to attack? As in the stripe pattern ?

Tank mates: tomato clown, banana wrasse, soldier fish, niger, blue throat, yellow tang and SF eel.
 
Depending on the size of those fish listed, any of them are potential aggressors except the blue throat.
 
It's times like this I want to throw in the towel on my fowlr and turn it into a freaking goldfish tank ! I have no trouble what so ever with my 75g reef. This tank....it never stops.
 
lol..thank you recty...I needed that..just get so dang frustrated over that tank ! The angel didn't make it so not a single fish goes in again. I have never seen my niger be aggressive towards any of the other fish but that tomato clown is a holy terror. Any time I hear of someone thinking of buying one I tell them about mine. They change their minds REAL quick. At 4" he is a beast and the boss of the tank. And to think...I rescued him from someone that was going to flush him. Stupid, stupid me.
 
Are you sure its not a parasitic infection that may have been precipitated by stress due to the possible aggression by tankmates? It could be flukes, velvet, ich, etc. IME it takes alot of care and dedication to keep an emperor healthy and happy. The description of your Emp. sound like it is fighting disease and not another tank mate. You may want to move to a QT and start with meds. before its too late. I also share your frustration with a FOWLR. I am very close to throwing in the towel as velvet wiped out most of my tank. I never had this issue with my 180 gallon mixed reef. This hobby can be very frustrating at times.....
 
It very well could be a parasite, the symptoms are somewhat similar to aggression issues. Normally emporers can and will hold their own regardless of what the other fish is. How long have you had the emporer, and the other fish in the tank? How big are the other fish?

IF it is another fish, I would put my money on the banana wrasse, they can be docile for the longest time then wake up one morning and become a nuclear holocaust.
 
If it was disease that killed the angel wouldn't another fish display symptoms? Everybody else is fat as a pig and showing no signs of disease or distress. I'm just trying to make sure that I don't have a disaster in the making.

I soak their food once a week in vitamins. I feed krill, mysis, brine, emerald entree, squid, silver sides, formula 1 & formula 2 and a sheet of nori everyday.

I have had most of these for almost 2 years with the exception of the blue throat. The angel I had for around 9 months or more.
Sizes of other fish:
wrasse 7"
niger 7"
blue throat 5"
evil, wicked, mean & nasty tomato clown 3"
yellow tang 4"
soldier fish 5"
SF eel....12"

Sorry for calling the squirrel fish a soldier fish but that's what he was called in the LFS and I still call him that.
 
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Well flukes are more prevelant in large angels than in other fish, also your emporer could have become stressed about something and then the onset of disease sat in. Usually stress is what brings about diseases to established fish.

JNC914 is close to what probably happened I think...but

A 7" banana wrasse can be an absolute terror, but an emporer close to changing into adult hood (5"-6") should be able to handle the wrasse.
 
Soaking food in vitamins is great but it will not solve internal or external parasites. What is your quarantine procedure?
 
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