BULLY FISH! What fish should you stay away from?

[Simeon]

Royal dottyback

 

[Dingo Hunter]

I have a splendid dottyback that will harass any and all newcomers but my diamond goby pair run the tank with an iron fist

 

[Pistol Peet]

This guy right here. His name is soldier. Every single new fish going into this tank must be prepared for instant war.. he has gone to battle with my clown trigger and my dragon wrasse both of which are bigger and both of them lost.

 

[Auquanut]

I had a long nose hawk in a 29 biocube that lived happily with a pajama cardinal and oceleris clown, but would NOT tolerate any new additions.

I put 4 banggai cardinal in the 125. Turns out I had a mated pair. They were relentless. They killed one almost immediately, and I was able to rehome the other. They've been model citizens ever since.

 

[Jim8o]

-Lemon peel Angel

- My clown fish like to either nibble or “kiss my hand whenever they get the opportunity!!

- Surprisingly my little Neon Goby Rules the roost in my tank.. bosses over everything!

 

[Jim8o]

This guy right here. His name is soldier. Every single new fish going into this tank must be prepared for instant war.. he has gone to battle with my clown trigger and my dragon wrasse both of which are bigger and both of them lost.

Soldier!! Love it.

 

[McPuff]

Certainly have had them in the past. The following are on my "No-fly" list unless there are extenuating circumstances:

- Tomato clown
- 3 stripe damsel
- 4 stripe damsel
- domino damsel
- Undulated triggerfish

There are other fish that have been bullies but it wasn't a huge problem. The above are in a category all their own. :0)

 

[Dark_Knightt]

I have had a coral beauty in every tank I have had in the last 20 hrs. I love the color of this, my experience, reef safe fish. The one I currently have though is another store all together... He is a jerk to everyone except my Yellow Tang who is much bigger than the CB. In a short while the YT will need to be re-homed as he is getting too big. At that time I think the CB will be re-homes too.

I love this hobby, I just wish I could have a tank big enough for everything I want. That being said I am thankful for what I have.

Enjoy the hobby!

How many tanks have you had in the past 20 hours?

 

[howitzer]

Orchid dottyback. He's extremely territorial and rushes anybody who comes near his cave.

 

[Fastball16]

Due to a melanurus wrasse (beautiful fish, btw) in my 90. I need to replace my invertebrates every 3 months. If they poke their head out while he is away. They are gonners.

 

[Eyedogtor]

A Tomato Clown in my previous tank....attacked everyone, as well as me when I cleaned the tank...

 

[RalphTech]

I win this contest with a murderer in my tank. Max the bullet hole clown in my avatar, killed his life long mate named Morritz. Max started rubbing against her and I thought it was a mating ritual. Then she started listing so I put her in isolation and reached out for help.
There was no morning or noticing she was gone.
Now the Cardinal is chasing Max and giving him a dose of his own medicine.

 

[living_tribunal]

My mandarin is always telling the other fish to kick rocks.

 

[Silent]

Is that not a purple dottyback, Pseudochromis porphyreus?
As opposed to a true orchid which would be Pseudochromis fridmani.

Yes that would be correct that it is Pseudochromis porphyreus as opposed to P. fridmani.
P. fridmani are usually less territorial.

 

[Steve F]

Clown tang. This fish is dangerous; I cannot get into my tank to do necessary maintenance inside as he attacks anyone or anything that goes into its 400 gal. Tons of live rock and all kinds of hiding places. 12 tangs and around 40 fish to keep him disracted. I have him for 7 yrs and bought him as Juvy who is now 10 inches long. Have other fish that are his size. He goes after them but they fight him off. Blue faced angel, 2 fox faces,mag.,one spot who are lovebirds, Tuskwrasse, and sail fin tang are all his size or larger. Beware, this started about 6 months ago. Been keeping Marine tanks for 50 years. Never have I seen anything like this. Even attacks my magnet when I use them. Fish is gorgeous and I would not give him to anyone else. Do my inside maintenance at 12am with overhead lights on. This seems to be working. I might add I have been bitten and slashed by him and and the infection was so bad I was on antibiotics. Took 2 months for the swelling and pain to go away on my finger.

 

[GeoSquid]

Niger Trigger - Duh

 

[OllieNZ]

Yes that would be correct that it is Pseudochromis porphyreus as opposed to P. fridmani.
P. fridmani are usually less territorial.

Common names are a pain sometimes

 

[Borg]

Bullies in tank are put into time out
A.k.a. Sump

 

[NCMamacita]

Those demon Green Chromis, which we were able to catch after multiple night time attempts! Not a fish, but the coral banded shrimp. He was snipping at my BTA and chasing all my fish! All went back to the LFS.

 

[Reefr]

The bicolor dottyback (pictichromis paccagnellae) is small but very mean

Make sure you don't mistake it for the much nicer royal gramma