Bengaii getting bit at!

[Benga]

I just came to look at my tank and noticed my Bengaii Cardinal is missing half of some of its fins!

I'm 80% sure it's the Davincii Clown doing this as I've noticed them butting heads a few times before. The Cardinal is old roommates with the Royal Gramma so I don't think they're fighting.

I'm a little distraught. The Davincii Clown is a female too if i'm not mistaken by the size.

 

[Maritimer]

It's possible that your clownfish doesn't love her neighbor . . . how many banggais are in the tank?

~Bruce

 

[Benga]

It's possible that your clownfish doesn't love her neighbor . . . how many banggais are in the tank?

~Bruce

It's just one bengaii Cardinal. I also have 1 Royal Gramma and 1 Lawnmower Blenny.
This is a 40 Breeder tank

 

[Brian1f1]

It's just one bengaii Cardinal. I also have 1 Royal Gramma and 1 Lawnmower Blenny.
This is a 40 Breeder tank

My first thought was another bangaii too. Agree that the clown is the most likely culprit of the crew. Highly unlikely to be the gramma. The blenny could do that, but it’d be unusual. Is it large?

Lastly, a crab could do that while the fish is trying to sleep/hiding at night. It does happen, albeit not super likely.

 

[Benga]

My first thought was another bangaii too. Agree that the clown is the most likely culprit of the crew. Highly unlikely to be the gramma. The blenny could do that, but it’d be unusual. Is it large?

Lastly, a crab could do that while the fish is trying to sleep/hiding at night. It does happen, albeit not super likely.

I didn't know bangaiis would be aggressive against their own kind, but alas my tank only has one. It's unlikely to be the blenny imo, he's pretty well fed and a timid little guy. Often times I see the bangaii and blenny brush up together and they show no aggression. But I see the bangaii try hard to steer clear of the clown. The blenny is around 3-4 inches though. He's usually on the ground too. No crabs in the tank either just two snails.

So what's my course of action? The clown was $50 and I don't want to just give him away but the bangii is peaceful and if the clown is just going to be aggressive then it's going to slow the progression of the tank. Thoughts?

 

[Brian1f1]

What size is the tank and roughly how old are the cardinal and clown?

 

[Benga]

What size is the tank and roughly how old are the cardinal and clown?

Tank is 38" x 18" x 16"
Total volume of 40G plus 20G refugium/sump.
You can see everything in the image too minus another powerhead and my BTA.(BTA which my clown hasn't bonded with yet)

I couldn't tell you how old they fish are. Here's when I added them though.
Royal Gramma: 12/14/2018
Lawnmower Blenny: 12/14/2018
Bengaii Cardinal: 12/17/2018
Davinci Clown: 3/25/2018

 

[Brian1f1]

It’s not overly small, and not crowded... The cardinal is pretty beat up. I’d make a divider ASAP with some plexiglass, maybe divide off a quarter of the tank, make sure it’s tight, but also drilled with small holes for flow. In that smaller section I’d have your BTA and the clown. That may encourage the clown to host in it. It will also give the cardinal time to heal (and/or you’ll learn the clown isn’t the culprit). The time spent just seeing each other might lesson the aggression. I’m hoping the clown hosts and that might also lesson the aggression so long as the cardinal doesn’t park right in front of it.

Feed them frequently, buy an automatic feeder for multiple small feedings a day. I’d try the divider for a couple weeks or so, and then remove and observe while keeping the multiple daily feedings going (can also reduce aggression). If attacks resume one or the other may then need to be rehomed.

 

[Benga]

It’s not overly small, and not crowded... The cardinal is pretty beat up. I’d make a divider ASAP with some plexiglass, maybe divide off a quarter of the tank, make sure it’s tight, but also drilled with small holes for flow. In that smaller section I’d have your BTA and the clown. That may encourage the clown to host in it. It will also give the cardinal time to heal (and/or you’ll learn the clown isn’t the culprit). The time spent just seeing each other might lesson the aggression. I’m hoping the clown hosts and that might also lesson the aggression so long as the cardinal doesn’t park right in front of it.

Feed them frequently, buy an automatic feeder for multiple small feedings a day. I’d try the divider for a couple weeks or so, and then remove and observe while keeping the multiple daily feedings going (can also reduce aggression). If attacks resume one or the other may then need to be rehomed.

I think the divider is the best route, i'll be able to both get the BTA to host and isolate the clown. I'll have to make a square out of plexi around that whole center rock though as the BTA has its feet deep inside the caves of the rock. I'll increase the feeding as well. I feel so bad for the little bangaii, will his fins heal all the way?

 

[Jesterrace]

It's possible that your clownfish doesn't love her neighbor . . . how many banggais are in the tank?

~Bruce

Clownfish often don't love their owners any more than their tankmates. Hence the reason why I think Live Aquaria and other sites need to change their Occ temperament listing to semi-aggressive. Then again it is after all the most overrrated damselfish on the planet.

 

[Brian1f1]

I think the divider is the best route, i'll be able to both get the BTA to host and isolate the clown. I'll have to make a square out of plexi around that whole center rock though as the BTA has its feet deep inside the caves of the rock. I'll increase the feeding as well. I feel so bad for the little bangaii, will his fins heal all the way?

They should, so long as they don’t get bitten down much further. If it gets to deep they will not.