Pearly jawfish attacked. What do I do?

[Robert Binz]

I added a third fish to my lagoon (juvenile pearly jawfish). Existing inhabitants are a small female clown (male jumped before lid came in) and smallish rainford goby.

Added the pearly when I got it right before the lights went off and then just let it get settled in at night. Seemed fine in the morning before work. Came home to see the jawfish had started to dig but was laying in a corner torn to shreds.

I don’t know if the rainford or the clown beat it up but my money is on the clown (right?). I made a makeshift acclimation box and put the pearly and the box right next to the clown for acclimation.

Assuming the pearly survives, how long do I leave it in the box before trying it out in the community again?

 

[hllb]

Well, when you are ready to put him back in, you might want to put the clown in the box for a couple of days.

 

[Robert Binz]

Well, when you are ready to put him back in, you might want to put the clown in the box for a couple of days.

Will that dampen the aggression?

 

[hllb]

Will that dampen the aggression?

It should, yes. My clown was being a jerk and I put him in timeout for a couple of days and then all was well

 

[Pkunk35]

Will that dampen the aggression?

would also give the jawfish time to dig a burrow and then it would be fine regardless of a aggressive clown

Hope he makes it thru , I love yellowheads used to have one in a 5-6 inch deep sandbed