pink tail trigger bullying

[LisaD]

I came home from a weekend out of town to find my pinktail trigger severely harassing my Australian HT (both are around 6") and my ~5" dogface puffer also stressed with some nipped fins. I will get rid of this trigger if I need to, but I'd rather find an answer.

Anyone else experience aggression in pinktails? Anything I can do about it, short of getting it out of the tank?

 

[prime311]

Is that in the 210?

 

[danorth]

They can be punks. I've seen it with one I kept and one a friend kept. Does it turn that pale color with the dark stripe by the eyes? Mine did and that meant it was mad. You could always do the rock switch and see if that keeps things balanced.

 

[LisaD]

right now it's in the 5' 120. there is a ton of rock, and neither fish goes to the rock. they both like one end of the tank, the end closest to people and food. there is plenty of space. they both seem to want to occupy the same 4.5 cubic feet (2 x 1.5 x 1.5)...

I was going to put all three in the 210, but am thinking of getting rid of the pinktail, if necessary, and putting the dogface and HT in the 210.

Dan, it doesn't change its color, stays a uniform green. it didn't used to be so bad, but the aggression is building. the tusk doesn't back down very far, but I've seen it take a few hard hits. I think the trigger bit the puffer in the mouth a few days ago. it looks like it has lacerations around its bottom jaw, on each side.

I could try putting the HT and puffer in the 210, letting them get established, then putting in the trigger. however, if they don't mellow out, I guess I'd be better off just getting rid of the trigger.

keeping the 120 is not an option. part of the deal in getting the 210 was to agree to take down a few other tanks.

 

[prime311]

I was going to say the same thing about the rocks. Moving them around might help, but it would probably just be a short term fix. Triggers being as they are. You might have more luck in the 210, less cramping should help keep the aggression down. Again thought, it sounds like yours just might have that nasty trigger temperament. I've seen the same thing with Nigers, which are supposed to be more peaceful but they can turn out pretty nasty too.

 

[danorth]

Are you making deals with your better half too? I've put one of my tanks in the stand of my larger tank, I said it doesn't count if you can't see it!

If it is this mean with the puffer to bite it, then I would think which you want more, between those 2. The tusk is much more agile than a puffer to avoid the teeth. Could you replace the puffer with something tough? Something that hold's its own and takes the attention away from the tusk?

Lastly, what about the mirror trick?

 

[LisaD]

Dan,

Yes, making deals with better half as well. He has been very tolerant, so I have to keep up my end... I told him if I could put up the 210, I would eliminate equal gallonage of other tanks. I will be able to reshuffle a lot of my animals that are not currently with the right tankmates once the 210 is fully stocked.

I am making out okay on this deal, because I will get rid of 120, 25 and 29 (just 174 gallons) but said I need to set up at least one or two 12 gallon nanocubes (one is at my old work and one is at my current work). That gets me to a net gain of about 60 gallons. I'm hoping he doesn't notice.

I prefer both the HT and the puffer to this trigger, even though it is a gorgeous specimen. At best, I think the 210 would be a temporary fix. The trigger is only about half grown, as is the puffer, and the HT is on the small side; once they grow up a little, the space advantage in the 210 is gone.

I'll try the mirror trick, but I doubt it'll affect the trigger much. He's basically just acting like an SOB. He's not afraid of anything. I'll try moving rock around, giving him a mirror, and even netting him out and putting him in a bucket for a few hours. But given his attitude, I doubt it will help...

Thanks for the input guys. If anyone has any experiences in humbling a pink tail, let me know!

 

[niles1967]

I just recently removed a pinktail because it suddenly became very aggressive. Taking a piece of my Scribbled angel's tail off was the last straw. I simply gave him to my local LFS. It wasn't worth the aggravation trying to place him or sell him.

 

[LisaD]

That's unfortunate. Did your pet store give you any credit?

 

[niles1967]

No, I didn't even ask for it. I was so mad at that fish (yes, I was mad at a fish) that I couldn't wait to get rid of it. My angel fish are dear to me (and I never get mad at them).

 

[LisaD]

I know how you feel. My sweet little tusk and puffer haven't done a thing to deserve this abuse!

 

[mborn]

I don't have any experience with pink tails (just niger's) but I was thinking that maybe you could try feeding from both ends of the tank or alternate feeding at different ends that way it won't associate one end of the tank with it's food source and perhaps will calm down and not be so territorial.

 

[LisaD]

I'll try it, but the bullying is all the time, not just at feeding time. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[wanabebell]

the only time my pinktails got agressive were when they were hungry so maby feeding a small daily feeding may help
but pinktails are triggers so you never know

 

[kirkaz]

Lisa, I would certainly give him a try in the bigger tank. Is there a "dominant" fish in your 210? My Niger in my previous tank kind of did the same thing, was great for 2 + years then snapped and all but maimed a large Maroon Clown that had previously been harrassing him. I think the Niger was kept in check though other than that by my very very dominant Achilles Tang....Just a thought.

 

[saltyESQ]

I think when fish start really getting aggressive (i.e., seriously hurting other fish who are pretty aggressive in their own right), they need a bigger home with tougher tankmates. I had a gorgeous 9" queen trigger who was fine for a long time, then gradually more aggressive, and bit the top and side fins off a large female maroon clown (who amazingly is alive and regrowing her fins). I sold the queen trigger to a guy on RC with a 300 gal trigger tank and she's doing awesome. Had I kept the trigger, I would have regretted watching her injure other fish.

Lisa, the tank size increase and new aquascaping should help, but I think you may have a more fundamental problem with the trigger and need to decide whether to keep him. Moving to a new tank may be your opportunity to find some new friends for that tank.

 

[LisaD]

kirkaz and saltyESQ, the trigger is not that large, and he is in a good sized tank. he doesn't even use the whole space, just uses the end closest to where the people are.

I really don't think increasing the tank size will reduce his aggression. while I could put him in the 210, I doubt it will solve the problem, since he's only about 1/3 to 1/2 grown, anyway, and will soon get bigger.

my problem is I got the the 210 for the inhabitants of the 5' 120. keeping the 120 is not an option, since I promised my husband I would get rid of that tank when I upgraded.

so here's the decision. the LFS I bought the trigger from is a great mom and pop store. they keep their fish very healthy. I saw a gorgeous porcupine puffer there today. when I asked if I could trade the trigger for the puffer, they were fine with it. so I'm getting a porc Saturday. I never intended to get rid of the trigger, but I don't want a tank where the inhabitants are stressed due to aggression. I expect the dynamic to change a lot now.