Flameback angel killed my pygmy wrasse

[immaman2011]

I'm so sad I woke up and found my flameback bullied my wrasse into a rock crevice wrasse had bloody eyes and missing skin from its back fin.

And this is in the 75g I have for them. I noticed last week or so I had the flameback she would follow the wrasse around everywhere and I mean everything the wrasse did the flameback did in unison. Even slept near the same spots. What could have possessed the flameback to suddenly murder my wrasse? I seen the angel still beating the wrasse up when I woke up. At that point the wrasse was taking her last winds and I was too late to separate. She was healthy no ick or flukes or anything and she still had a fat belly. My favorite fish and $75 down the drain. RIP to my 2nd wife.

 

[Cheese Griller]

I'm so sad I woke up and found my flameback bullied my wrasse into a rock crevice wrasse had bloody eyes and missing skin from its back fin.

And this is in the 75g I have for them. I noticed last week or so I had the flameback she would follow the wrasse around everywhere and I mean everything the wrasse did the flameback did in unison. Even slept near the same spots. What could have possessed the flameback to suddenly murder my wrasse? I seen the angel still beating the wrasse up when I woke up. At that point the wrasse was taking her last winds and I was too late to separate. She was healthy no ick or flukes or anything and she still had a fat belly. My favorite fish and $75 down the drain. RIP to my 2nd wife.

The fact that they were sleeping near each other may have been a bad sign. The flameback could have seen this as a territorial dispute. Pygmy (I'm assuming you're referring to possum) wrasses are very helpless IME. I had one that I had to return to the store after a similar thing happened with a pair of clowns.

 

[Cheese Griller]

I'm so sad I woke up and found my flameback bullied my wrasse into a rock crevice wrasse had bloody eyes and missing skin from its back fin.

And this is in the 75g I have for them. I noticed last week or so I had the flameback she would follow the wrasse around everywhere and I mean everything the wrasse did the flameback did in unison. Even slept near the same spots. What could have possessed the flameback to suddenly murder my wrasse? I seen the angel still beating the wrasse up when I woke up. At that point the wrasse was taking her last winds and I was too late to separate. She was healthy no ick or flukes or anything and she still had a fat belly. My favorite fish and $75 down the drain. RIP to my 2nd wife.

Forgot to add my condolences as well. It always sucks to lose a favorite fish

 

[i cant think]

Pygmy wrasses (Both Possums and Pink Streaks) are peaceful and don’t do well with aggression. Flame backs and Cherubs are extremely aggressive Angels when established, best thing to do for the future if you try either of the Pygmy species again is to use an acclimation box with a hiding spot for the wrasse.

It’s never fun to lose your favourite fish and I do hope you try the Wetmorella or Pseudocheilinus species again as once settled they’re amazing fish to own.

 

[Squidward]

Flameback angels are some of the most aggressive dwarf angels there is besides the Flame. I wouldn't keep one again.

 

[immaman2011]

Flameback angels are some of the most aggressive dwarf angels there is besides the Flame. I wouldn't keep one again.

Right now its bullying my saltwater gold dust molly. I don't know what I should do cause the store said they won't issue a credit for returning it.

 

[Reefdiculous22]

Sorry for your loss. I myself have lost 2 fish in the past month. A LT. Tang and just recently a 6line wrasse. As well as a couple cleaner shrimp. I know how much it sucks.
As for the aggression I have heard of people taking the aggressive fish out of the tank for a couple of weeks while they acclimate the new stock and then re introducing the fish afterwards. I have a desjardin sailfin that I might have to try this with since I stocked him to early and he is quite the bully. Hope this helps.

 

[immaman2011]

Sorry for your loss. I myself have lost 2 fish in the past month. A LT. Tang and just recently a 6line wrasse. As well as a couple cleaner shrimp. I know how much it sucks.
As for the aggression I have heard of people taking the aggressive fish out of the tank for a couple of weeks while they acclimate the new stock and then re introducing the fish afterwards. I have a desjardin sailfin that I might have to try this with since I stocked him to early and he is quite the bully. Hope this helps.

Should I take the angel out and replace with something else? I don't want it to choose a new target if it gets bored of the molly. I will probably take it to another LFS and get a trade credit for it.

 

[Tamberav]

Maybe keep more robust fish? It seems you are mixing more semi aggressive types with peaceful types.

I have a flame who can be fiesty but it's tankmates are good sized wrasses and a much larger copperband, Tang, perc clown pair, and a small damsel so it works out.

If you would rather have peaceful fish that don't have defenses, then I would rehome the angel.

 

[davidcalgary29]

Exactly how much aquascape do you have? I've found that dwarf angels can become incredibly skittish and aggressive if they're backed in to territorial disputes because of a lack of grazing grounds. Many species are grazers, and will fiercly defend territories that they deem to be theirs. I've diffused one difficult situation by adding more texture (e.g. rock with hidey holes and escape routes) to the aquascape.

 

[immaman2011]

Exactly how much aquascape do you have? I've found that dwarf angels can become incredibly skittish and aggressive if they're backed in to territorial disputes because of a lack of grazing grounds. Many species are grazers, and will fiercly defend territories that they deem to be theirs. I've diffused one difficult situation by adding more texture (e.g. rock with hidey holes and escape routes) to the aquascape.

I have about 50 to 55lbs of rock in my tank. In my 48" × 18" × 21". I also got some small corals and some tank accessories in there for hiding spots. The angel wants to take everything and picks on the weakest most peaceful fish on purpose.

 

[immaman2011]

Maybe keep more robust fish? It seems you are mixing more semi aggressive types with peaceful types.

I have a flame who can be fiesty but it's tankmates are good sized wrasses and a much larger copperband, Tang, perc clown pair, and a small damsel so it works out.

If you would rather have peaceful fish that don't have defenses, then I would rehome the angel.

I have 2 Oscrellis clownfish
3 Pajama cardinalfish
2 banggai cardinalfish
1 new yellow coris wrasse
1 diamond goby
1 new royal gramma
1 bitchy bully flameback angel
1 pushover gold dust molly

Angel killed my purple fire goby and yellow pygmy wrasse. Seems she just snapped and wants to takeover tank.

 

[Tamberav]

I have 2 Oscrellis clownfish
3 Pajama cardinalfish
2 banggai cardinalfish
1 new yellow coris wrasse
1 diamond goby
1 new royal gramma
1 bitchy bully flameback angel
1 pushover gold dust molly

Angel killed my purple fire goby and yellow pygmy wrasse. Seems she just snapped and wants to takeover tank.

ah ya.. that is a lot of more passive livestock and one boss angelfish. Anything you add after it may get beat on for sure.

 

[immaman2011]

ah ya.. that is a lot of more passive livestock and one boss angelfish. Anything you add after it may get beat on for sure.

I'm going to scoop her out tomorrow and trade her in for some green and blue chromis

 

[Tiki_Reef]

I'm going to scoop her out tomorrow and trade her in for some green and blue chromis

Chromis are well know for picking each other off just a heads up I started with 7 and a couple months later I had 2.

 

[52728299]

Dang I had plans on adding a flameback in a few weeks.. kind of puts me off..

 

[jabberwock]

I'm going to scoop her out tomorrow and trade her in for some green and blue chromis

Trade it in for a cleaner shrimp or a bunch of snails... You may take a loss, but you will only take more losses if you leave it in.

 

[immaman2011]

Trade it in for a cleaner shrimp or a bunch of snails... You may take a loss, but you will only take more losses if you leave it in.

I have 2 cleaner shrimp, 1 peppermint shrimp, and a bunch of snails. I'll save the credit for tomini tang

 

[immaman2011]

Dang I had plans on adding a flameback in a few weeks.. kind of puts me off..

It all depends on their personality honestly. But most reviews I'm reading now say they are extremely aggressive against weaker peaceful fish.

 

[immaman2011]

Chromis are well know for picking each other off just a heads up I started with 7 and a couple months later I had 2.

I know that's why I'm only getting 2 greens and 1 blue reef.