New Here - Help with Neon Dottyback

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WWC
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I've had a few experiences with dottybacks in my lifetime and I have come to determine that they are pure evil. It is too bad too -- they are really pretty in a tank. Welcome to R2R. I'm anxious to see your tank progress.
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Welcome home, you will love it here!

Generally, neon dottybacks are just aggressive to fish, I’ve not heard of any eating or nipping coral. Fish are a different story.
 
Top Shelf Aquatics
Shanae Brines said:
Hi all, I am new to Reef2Reef, but have been a saltwater hobbyist for about 9 years now. I took a 2 year break and just setup a new tank in Jan.

80g display and 20g sump reef tank with live rock. I have 2 Black Saddleback Clowns, a Neon Dottyback and 2 Coral Beauties (I know; I rescued one from a friend with a tank leak and am in the process of trying to net one of them to remove it).

I've always maintained a healthy tank, but this new setup is perplexing me. I'm leaning toward it being the Neon that's creating havoc, but not sure.... My cleaner shrimp went missing 2 days after adding the neon. A month later, my hammer coral went missing completely, overnight. When snails fall off the live rock, they don't bother flipping themselves over, leaving their flesh exposed (I think the Neon is nipping when they land?). I have 3 emerald crabs in there but haven't seen them in a month. An urchin had 2 spots show as if it were bitten, then eventually died about 3 days later. I've seen hermit limbs in the sand so I know so hermits have been eaten. I have a candy cane coral that's healthy and puffy, but is exposing it's skeleton at the base. A rose tip anemone is doing fantastic. Tank is fed frozen 2X daily.

NOTE: My tank is testing perfectly with PH, salinity, nitrate/nitrite, etc. and it set at 78 degrees. The only symptoms is a bit of red algae on the live rock. I haven't added any more coral or fish until I figure out what's going on. Am I right in assuming it's the Neon? Anything else that could be going on inside the tank that wouldn't show on a normal test strip? I do have a wavemaker that seems a bit strong but it's an 80g and the anemone isn't moving around to avoid it. I'm perplexed!!!
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@Shanae Brines Welcome to R2R!!!
 
Tidal Gardens
FYI - re-reading everything - and looking at some literature about that particular fish (despite mine being a model citizen) - Maybe the best solution would be trying him /her in the sump - just to be sure - but My guess is that its something else killing your inverts (though they are supposed to kill cleaner shrimp - not so much others) -but as everyone has said anything is possible. Rehome if you want as well -but if you like the fish - sump seems like the best option:). Good luck.
 
BRS
MnFish1 said:
They are supposedly notorious when larger - I have one - about 3 inches - he / she swims with the rest of the fish - in fact seems more shy than some. I have never seen that kind of behavior - and I watched for it (after an LFS recommended it as a 'perfect' community fish) and I looked up the truth lol:)..

Could you have some copper in the water or some other toxin? The limbs etc may happen after the death - i.e the fish pick on the flesh afterwards. Could you have a mantis shrimp or some other predator? I dont see a neon doing this.

EDIT - I didnt see the other posts - Everytime something has killed this many things - if you sit and observe your tank - you'll see the behavior. I was losing LPS a week after adding a lemon peel angel - and within a week things were looking bad. Finally I sat and watched as the lemon peel literally trained the other angels in the tank to attack the trachy. Thats another story.
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Thanks for the reply! I've watched the neon get a bit more aggressive toward snails when under the moonlight. But you do happen to be the second person that's mentioned copper. Is there any way to remove it? Chemiclean?
 
Shanae Brines said:
Thanks for the reply! I've watched the neon get a bit more aggressive toward snails when under the moonlight. But you do happen to be the second person that's mentioned copper. Is there any way to remove it? Chemiclean?
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Cuprisorb. (you can also Get a copper test kit) - to check it (a low level Copper test kit) - Carbon will also remove some.
 
Shanae Brines said:
Thanks for the reply! I've watched the neon get a bit more aggressive toward snails when under the moonlight. But you do happen to be the second person that's mentioned copper. Is there any way to remove it? Chemiclean?
Click to expand...
Did you mean chemipure?
 
WWC
Ive heard horror stories too But I happen to have one over a year and although a little pricey has been a great tankmate, beautiful fish and hardy.
I'd get another for another one of my tanks if I saw a good deal on one

 
Tidal Gardens
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