New fish is a bully

[saullman]

Just wondering what I should do about a new fish that I bought. I have a small tank (45 gal JBJ). So far a have a yellow coris wrasse, yellow watchman goby, a clown, and a red firefish. Everybody was getting along great in the tank. Then I get the bright idea to purchase a purple dottyback. Never thought in a million years that it would be a bully, but it is chasing my wrasse and my firefish all over the tank. I have found my firefish on the floor twice this week and she has never jumped out before. One time the lid was even on. It is just a matter of time before I lose a fish because it jumped out of the tank and I'm not home to find it. I have to do something soon. I feel horrible, but I didn't do it intentionally. I bought it at Petco and they don't have any returns.

What should I do?

 

[PghReef]

Unfortunately there isn't much you can do other than wait it out and hope for the best, or remove the dottyback.

Dottys are known to be very territorial and aggressive. If vor for the latter of the 2 options

 

[saullman]

Unfortunately there isn't much you can do other than wait it out and hope for the best, or remove the dottyback.

Dottys are known to be very territorial and aggressive. If vor for the latter of the 2 options

I didn't think so. I'm reaching out to my lfs to see if they will take it off my hands.

 

[Rickybobby]

Just wondering what I should do about a new fish that I bought. I have a small tank (45 gal JBJ). So far a have a yellow coris wrasse, yellow watchman goby, a clown, and a red firefish. Everybody was getting along great in the tank. Then I get the bright idea to purchase a purple dottyback. Never thought in a million years that it would be a bully, but it is chasing my wrasse and my firefish all over the tank. I have found my firefish on the floor twice this week and she has never jumped out before. One time the lid was even on. It is just a matter of time before I lose a fish because it jumped out of the tank and I'm not home to find it. I have to do something soon. I feel horrible, but I didn't do it intentionally. I bought it at Petco and they don't have any returns.

What should I do?

Dottyback are aggressive for sure. But if you give them what they need the can be peaceful I had 2 clowns and an orchid in a 13.5. No issues. Basically I setup a reef cave for it. The dottyback always stays in the cave or comes out and patrols around it. The other fish stay away from this cave. A few weeks ago I moved these fish and scape to a 65.4. Same thing. She hovers around the structure. But never goes far and doesn’t harm anyone

 

[PghReef]

Dottyback are aggressive for sure. But if you give them what they need the can be peaceful I had 2 clowns and an orchid in a 13.5. No issues. Basically I setup a reef cave for it. The dottyback always stays in the cave or comes out and patrols around it. The other fish stay away from this cave. A few weeks ago I moved these fish and scape to a 65.4. Same thing. She hovers around the structure. But never goes far and doesn’t harm anyone

The problem is he has a timid firefish and a goby. They will not coexist peacefully and the dotty will probably win out in the end.

 

[Dkmoo]

You guys ever play the game called "Megaquarium". Even in there they labeled dottybacks with the "bully" trait that cannot be housed with a few other "wimp" species or even other dottys. It also had a "cave requirement"

I guess those programmers did their research lol. I find myself referencing more and more compatible mixes from that game haha

Anyway. Back to OP - yeah not much yiu can do with the Firefish and goby wimps. If you already tried adding more rocks, or even keep him in a large net to get used to the other fish, then not much more you can do

 

[EvanDeVita]

I hate to say it, but you should have done more research. Depending on what purple dottyback you could have gotten an Orchind dottyback (the least aggressive but still is known to be mean) or if you got any other purple dottyback a super mean fish.

 

[FindingPonyo]

Just wondering what I should do about a new fish that I bought. I have a small tank (45 gal JBJ). So far a have a yellow coris wrasse, yellow watchman goby, a clown, and a red firefish. Everybody was getting along great in the tank. Then I get the bright idea to purchase a purple dottyback. Never thought in a million years that it would be a bully, but it is chasing my wrasse and my firefish all over the tank. I have found my firefish on the floor twice this week and she has never jumped out before. One time the lid was even on. It is just a matter of time before I lose a fish because it jumped out of the tank and I'm not home to find it. I have to do something soon. I feel horrible, but I didn't do it intentionally. I bought it at Petco and they don't have any returns.

What should I do?

You think your 45 gallon is small?!!!! I have a 14 gallon haha. 45 Gallons is like the maximum tank size that you could continue to consider "nano" so I would expand your horizons. Gobies are jumpers so with my purple firefish I make sure to only take my lid off when necessary. Also, be careful with wrasses, they can be aggressive. I have in my tank a purple firefish, a possum wrasse, and a yellow watchman. All peaceful fish, however, the possum wrasse is one of the few peaceful wrasses you can have in a small tank like a 14 gallon. In terms of fish, I'd say I'm at maximum capacity but with a tank like a 45, you might want to expand your horizons. A longnose hawkfish might be pushing it with a 45 gallon, but it's a good fish if the tank isn't too stocked up. Don't go to Petco!!! Unless you live in rural Kansas and have no saltwater pet stores nearby, avoid Petco because they don't have a good selection and their customer service won't be as good.

 

[jaganshi066]

Unfortunately there isn't much you can do other than wait it out and hope for the best, or remove the dottyback.

Dottys are known to be very territorial and aggressive. If vor for the latter of the 2 options

I had a neon dottyback that literally took bites out of every new fish until they died, he went straight to the lfs

 

[MichaelReefer]

Dottybacks are known for being Bullies. Mine is one of my smallest fish in the tank and bullies my Melanurus wrasse, African Blenny and my Squareback Anthias.

 

[KJones90s]

You guys ever play the game called "Megaquarium". Even in there they labeled dottybacks with the "bully" trait that cannot be housed with a few other "wimp" species or even other dottys. It also had a "cave requirement"

I guess those programmers did their research lol. I find myself referencing more and more compatible mixes from that game haha

Anyway. Back to OP - yeah not much yiu can do with the Firefish and goby wimps. If you already tried adding more rocks, or even keep him in a large net to get used to the other fish, then not much more you can do

Downloaded this game, having so much fun!!

this game, having sooo much fun!!

 

[Sebastiancrab]

Check with your local reefers and see if anyone wants him. Or donate him to your LFS.

 

[saullman]

Yeah, I found a lfs to take him. Now I just have to catch him. That should be fun.

 

[fish farmer]

Yeah, I found a lfs to take him. Now I just have to catch him. That should be fun.

I used a small fish hook/line and a piece of mysis shrimp when I made the same mistake.

 

[Scorpius]

I had a purple dottyback once. Meanest fish I ever had in my reef tank. Never again. Caught him in a fish trap. Rehomed him. Lesson learned.

I also had a blue reef chromis that was just as mean. That one I had to drain my whole tank to catch him.

 

[saullman]

I had a purple dottyback once. Meanest fish I ever had in my reef tank. Never again. Caught him in a fish trap. Rehomed him. Lesson learned.

I also had a blue reef chromis that was just as mean. That one I had to drain my whole tank to catch him.

I just learned my lesson the hard way and I'm still dealing with it.