Falco hawkfish and neon dottyback help

[Andreas' Reef]

I've been having a problem. I recently added a neon dottyback to my 32 gallon with a clownfish, falco hawkfish, and watchman goby. Ever since then my falco has been very aggresive towards the neon. The clownfish is fine with it. The watchman is fine with it. But my falco's hawkfish is very angry at it. I have heard of neon dottybacks being quite bold but mine is still little. I had no problem adding it because the wierd thing is, my falco hawkfish hasn't shown any aggresion towards other fish. It is hard to watch the brand new neon dottyback getting chased around. he is still little after all. I'm pretty worried about how stressed the neon on is getting and if the fins will get ripped up. Does anyone have any tips on how to combat this aggression? Will it subside?

 

[blaxsun]

You can try the trick with the mirror but that may not interest the falco. Does your rock have any caves or crevices the dottyback could hide in that the falco couldn't follow it?

 

[vetteguy53081]

This sounds very familiar and to reiterate as I believe this is a cross-post, falcos are known aggressive and can get large and will display such behavior towards certain fish especially smaller, anthias and other hawkfish
You have to decide if it continues, do you place in sump or sell it

 

[Andreas' Reef]

You can try the trick with the mirror but that may not interest the falco. Does your rock have any caves or crevices the dottyback could hide in that the falco couldn't follow it?

Yes. I've seen times when the dottyback darts into the rock and the falco is just too fat to follow : P

I've heard of a trick where you tape a picture of a way bigger hawkfish on the glass and it becomes more docile because it thinks it's not the biggest in the tank.

 

[Andreas' Reef]

This sounds very familiar and to reiterate as I believe this is a cross-post, falcos are known aggressive and can get large and will display such behavior towards certain fish especially smaller, anthias and other hawkfish
You have to decide if it continues, do you place in sump or sell it

If worst comes to worst I might have to seperate the mean hawkfish for a little while. I just find it wierd because the hawk isn't mean to the other fish in the tank, even the watchman goby which is the most submissive fish i've ever kept.

 

[Andreas' Reef]

You can try the trick with the mirror but that may not interest the falco. Does your rock have any caves or crevices the dottyback could hide in that the falco couldn't follow it?

I also just want to say that the dottyback is like waaay faster than the hawkfish since the hawkfish is a quite akward swimmer

 

[blaxsun]

I also just want to say that the dottyback is like waaay faster than the hawkfish since the hawkfish is a quite akward swimmer

Dottybacks can be very entertaining to watch when they want to be. I have one that digs burrows.

 

[Andreas' Reef]

Dottybacks can be very entertaining to watch when they want to be. I have one that digs burrows.

Also every dottyback has amazing colours. Especially the bicolor, sunrise, orchid, splendid, and purple stripe dottybacks.

 

[blaxsun]

Also every dottyback has amazing colours. Especially the bicolor, sunrise, orchid, splendid, and purple stripe dottybacks.

I miss my neon (just up and disappeared one day). Right now I just have a striped dottyback, which looks almost identical to a bicolor cleaner wrasse.

 

[Andreas' Reef]

I miss my neon (just up and disappeared one day). Right now I just have a striped dottyback, which looks almost identical to a bicolor cleaner wrasse.

I was looking for a striped dottyback. I just could not find one because I live in rural Canada. usually we don't get too many. uncommon fish up here.

 

[blaxsun]

I was looking for a striped dottyback. I just could not find one because I live in rural Canada. usually we don't get too many. uncommon fish up here.

Get in touch with Bayside Corals. They can usually get you any kind of fish you're after (and they ship anywhere in Canada).

 

[doubleshot00]

You own one of the biggest ******s in the saltwater aquarium industry and to top it off its in a 32 gal tank. If you want a peaceful tank take the Hawkfish to a LFS or give it to a local. And yes i have one. Hes an idiot.

 

[Andreas' Reef]

Get in touch with Bayside Corals. They can usually get you any kind of fish you're after (and they ship anywhere in Canada).

WOW i never knew about that

 

[blaxsun]

WOW i never knew about that

I just picked up a replacement Lubbock's Fairy wrasse ($54.99) and small Clown Tang ($89.99) today.

 

[Andreas' Reef]

You own one of the biggest ******s in the saltwater aquarium industry and to top it off its in a 32 gal tank. If you want a peaceful tank take the Hawkfish to a LFS or give it to a local. And yes i have one. Hes an idiot.

wow ok that's a bit much. Are you sure there is nothing I can do to kinda calm it down? He's not aggressive to any other fish in the tank other than the new one

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

If worst comes to worst I might have to seperate the mean hawkfish for a little while. I just find it wierd because the hawk isn't mean to the other fish in the tank, even the watchman goby which is the most submissive fish i've ever kept.

Were the other fish in before the hawk? If yes it would accept them as senior but it will not accept anything new to the tank.

 

[blaxsun]

wow ok that's a bit much. Are you sure there is nothing I can do to kinda calm it down? He's not aggressive to any other fish in the tank other than the new one

I mentioned the Falco to one of the resident fish experts at my LFS today (as they got one in) and he confirmed "yep, a**hole".

 

[Andreas' Reef]

Were the other fish in before the hawk? If yes it would accept them as senior but it will not accept anything new to the tank.

that might be the problem then. He was the second last addition before the little dottyback.

 

[Andreas' Reef]

I mentioned the Falco to one of the resident fish experts at my LFS today (as they got one in) and he confirmed "yep, a**hole".

Welp, i think i might have to get rid of the hawk. He's big and mean and I really wanted a peaceful tank. It will be kind of hard to break it to mum because she loves the fish X D

 

[blaxsun]

Welp, i think i might have to get rid of the hawk. He's big and mean and I really wanted a peaceful tank. It will be kind of hard to break it to mum because she loves the fish X D

Great excuse to upgrade to a bigger tank!