Sudden Potters Angel Aggression

[IFbettas]

About 2 months ago I added a 1.5" potters angel to my 180 gallon reef. She has adapted well and is doing great. 2 weeks ago I added a 2.5" sunburst anthias to the same tank. For the first hour or so the potters checked out the new anthias but didn't show any real aggression. The two have been each minding their own business until yesterday. Suddenly last night the potters went crazy and has been chasing the anthias non-stop since then. The potters has been keeping the anthias in the top few inches of water and won't let it leave or eat. I'm really worried that the anthias won't be able to handle this stress for long.

My question is... Why would my angel, who was getting along fine with the anthias, suddenly snap and now relentlessly attack it? Do you think the aggression will subside?

 

[chefzif]

Puill the potters angle and wait and re enter the potters angle or leave him out!

 

[Holley]

I have several angels and 3 anthias in one on my tanks(I have 7 sw tanks). My potters was on the aggressive side when it was small. I feed 2X a day and the more aggressive ones calmed down. Feeding only 1X a day left everyone hungry. When I added my French angel, I had to feed 3X a day or they would have killed her. Feeding heavy does cause you to do more water changes! Hungry fish fighting for territory will be aggressive. Try it-it can't hurt!

 

[Angel*Fish]

Is that the only anthias? You might try adding like 4 more depending on tank size etc. Of course that could be asking for more trouble.

Holley makes some good points - I see sps in your sig - if you are feeding sparsely, the fish are not going to get along as well and if you keep a very clean, "sterile" tank, Centropyges are likely going to be less "happy". You might do better finding him a new home in that case.

Potters angels can be tank terrors. Solid bright yellow Herald's angels are the most peaceful in my experience, but they love brains .

 

[IFbettas]

Thanks for the suggestions guys!

Yes, the sunburst is the only anthias in the tank. I'm planning on adding a school of a different anthias species, but most likely not for a couple more months.

My tank is sps dominated, but I'm feeding the fish at least 2-3 times a day and their is almost always nori on a clip. The potters is fat and healthy but just suddenly became a bully.

It's not really possible for me to catch either one of the fish because I have over 150 lbs. of live rock in a 180 gallon tank.

 

[johnike]

Thanks for the suggestions guys!

Yes, the sunburst is the only anthias in the tank. I'm planning on adding a school of a different anthias species, but most likely not for a couple more months.

My tank is sps dominated, but I'm feeding the fish at least 2-3 times a day and their is almost always nori on a clip. The potters is fat and healthy but just suddenly became a bully.

It's not really possible for me to catch either one of the fish because I have over 150 lbs. of live rock in a 180 gallon tank.

Have you considered any of the fishtrap suggestions out there? If you get hung up let me know, I'll find them for you. Move the rock if you can to one side and try the 2 litre bottle trick first.

 

[Angel*Fish]

Also you can cut a single piece of egg crate that closes off a front corner of the tank. Leave it in for about a day and slightly open where fish can swim in and out. put some live brine in and when the fish swims in, close it up and catch fish.

If they are wary of going in there you can feed the tank in that spot - eventually they'll get used to it.

 

[Sk8r]

Turn the tank lights out. Drape the tank if you have to. Let this situation simmer down.

Alternatively, use needlenose pliers to shape a vertical barrier of eggcrate lighting grid, and set it midway in the tank to stop the 'run'. Also rearrange your rockwork, which sometimes will stop a territorial dispute, particularly if you throw up a barrier halfway: the rockwork becomes 'new' to everybody, and negotation ensues.


If it won't, buy yourself a number of Brute garbage cans and a mag 5 pump. Spendy, but if you're going to try to balance aggression in a big tank, you're going to need it. What you've probably got is a threatened angel, and the likelihood you'll get the right fish in a fish trap is not good.
Rapidly de-water your tank, with a pit dug in a corner. When the potters gets there, net him out. Now re-water your tank: throw a flat garbage bag into the tank and put the inflow onto that: it'll float and break the force so your sand won't scatter. Return the angel (or the anthias) to the store.
What's going on: the potters angel has a territory. The anthias are continually entering it and provoking a chase.
It's the anthias, not the angel, who was there first. Your tank became overstocked, in terms of territories. You may be able to revise the geometry. If you can't, somebody has to go.

 

[IFbettas]

For now, I'm going to wait and see what happens. Yesterday the potters was letting the anthias eat again and was no longer attacking so relentlessly, so I'll see what happens tonight.

If the chasing continues, I'm going to first try rearranging the rocks, and adding some more rock to break up the line of sight.

 

[IFbettas]

...Your tank became overstocked, in terms of territories. You may be able to revise the geometry. If you can't, somebody has to go.

I don't think their is a lack of territory, because this is a standard 6'x2'x2' 180g with two large islands of liverock. I only have 8 fish, and most of them don't compete for the same resources. My current fish list:

Small Achilles Tang
Copperband Butterfly
Melanurus Wrasse
Mandarin
Sunburst Anthias
Potter's Angel
(2) Banggai Cardinals (mated pair)

There has been zero aggression in my tank up until this started. Do you have any idea why the potter's would suddenly change from peaceful to nasty over the course of a couple hours? Literally, the anthias and potter's were each minding their own business at 6 p.m. and at 8 p.m. the potter's suddenly started attacking the anthias viciously. That was on Tuesday, and the potter's is still attacking the anthias. Thanks.