Damsel and firefish

[Osimno]

I've just in the last 3 days added a firefish goby into my tank. the first two days he was doing great, eating, actively swimming around. I witnessed my damsel attempt to have a go at him once and he had a go back and it seemed to be fine. but the whole of today the firefish had been hiding in a rock where it sleeps with my other goby. he had no interest in coming out for food either. I csnt tell if my damsel is bullying him into staying hidden or if something is wrong in my tank. I have noticed since getting the firefish my damsel has been way more aggressive, even attempted to attack my fingers during a water change. I'm thinking I might have to find a new home for the damsel and find another fish that isn't so aggressive?

I've attached a photo of the damsel, I can't get one of the firefish as he is still hiding

 

[Bradley2448]

How large is the tank? Damsels are a headache in this way. Best added to the tank toward the end of your stocking. Small but territorial and nasty. A switch can flip once new fish are added especially a more docile firefish. I would try to spend time watching their behavior and if the damsel refuses to share, you may consider giving him the boot.

 

[Osimno]

The tank is a 65L (15.5G). I also have two clowns and a old glory goby. the damsel has always been fine with the old glory untill today at feeding time I noticed the damsel have a go at the old glory, in which it had a go back and it seemed to have stopped there. just watching the tank the last few hours the damsel hasn't bothered the old glory again, and is doing the usual to the clowns. I'd like to see what the damsel does with the firefish but he still hasn't come out

 

[ariellemermaid]

I’ve seen damsel’s especially yellow tails pop up on “worst/meanest fish you ever bought” threads along with Dottybacks. Seems to be a trend. That said, similar things can be true for lots of combos of fish together especially mixing tangs. I’m convinced my peaceful clowns bullied a firefish to death in my 40g (firefish added last).

As said above, it does seem that order and acclimation play a big role in this hobby. One thing to try would be giving him a time out and removing him from the tank for a while and re-adding later. Could go into a sump, back to a QT, or an acclimation box. I’d at least give that a shot before giving up.

 

[Osimno]

Yeah I have a quarantine net that auction cups to the side. if the firefish still doesn't come out tomorrow I'll try catch the damsel and put it in the net. I've never seen the clown fish be aggressive towards the other goby or damsel, even when the damsel is being aggressive back so I doubt it was the clowns.

 

[ariellemermaid]

Yeah I have a quarantine net that auction cups to the side. if the firefish still doesn't come out tomorrow I'll try catch the damsel and put it in the net. I've never seen the clown fish be aggressive towards the other goby or damsel, even when the damsel is being aggressive back so I doubt it was the clowns.

I never saw aggression either. But it was fully QT’d, wasn’t flukes, ich, velvet, or evidence of bacteria. What people told me is that the aggression tends to happen when you’re not near the tank and/or at night too. Not saying it’s the clowns, just suggesting when their food source is around (you) behavior can change.

I’m setting up a new tank now and hoping adding all the super peaceful fish we want first will help to keep them around this time.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

so you have 4 or 5 fish your 15 gallon? Thats too many for this size tank, the fish will be aggressive to carve our their territory. Should not be more than 2 fish in that tank, 3 at most.

 

[Osimno]

I never saw aggression either. But it was fully QT’d, wasn’t flukes, ich, velvet, or evidence of bacteria. What people told me is that the aggression tends to happen when you’re not near the tank and/or at night too. Not saying it’s the clowns, just suggesting when their food source is around (you) behavior can change.

I’m setting up a new tank now and hoping adding all the super peaceful fish we want first will help to keep them around this time.

Okay that's good to know. well I hope my clowns are being nice

 

[Osimno]

so you have 4 or 5 fish your 15 gallon? Thats too many for this size tank, the fish will be aggressive to carve our their territory. Should not be more than 2 fish in that tank, 3 at most.

I have two clowns, an old glory goby, a firefish goby, and the damsel. the only fish that is being territorial is the damsel, and I'm hoping that once it figures its issues out with the firefish, or is removed it should all be okay. the firefish has been sleeping next to the other goby since the first night it's been in the tank

 

[Goaway]

I never saw aggression either. But it was fully QT’d, wasn’t flukes, ich, velvet, or evidence of bacteria. What people told me is that the aggression tends to happen when you’re not near the tank and/or at night too. Not saying it’s the clowns, just suggesting when their food source is around (you) behavior can change.

I’m setting up a new tank now and hoping adding all the super peaceful fish we want first will help to keep them around this time.

I had to watch from the other side of the room, making sure the fish were giving me no attention just to catch my powder blue in the act of being a jerk.

if you know where the firefish is hiding, I would put some mysis, not a lot but some near his/her cubby. it may come out to eat. But, the damsel will most likely steal all of it anyhow.

Also see if the damsel repeatedly checks where the fire fish is hiding. Some of these guys will make sure they can't even peak their head out leaving the fish to die to starvation.

 

[Osimno]

I had to watch from the other side of the room, making sure the fish were giving me no attention just to catch my powder blue in the act of being a jerk.

if you know where the firefish is hiding, I would put some mysis, not a lot but some near his/her cubby. it may come out to eat. But, the damsel will most likely steal all of it anyhow.

Also see if the damsel repeatedly checks where the fire fish is hiding. Some of these guys will make sure they can't even peak their head out leaving the fish to die to starvation.

I'll try this tomorrow and see. today I did put some food into its spot since I feed with a syringe but obviously I couldn't tell if it ate or not. the damsel is pretty active in swimming all around the rock work but where it sleeps/hides is directly above where the gobys sleep so it might be a bit hard to see if it is just swimming around its cubby or trying to stop the firefish from coming out.

 

[Osimno]

Here's a video of where the damsel and two gobys sleep. not the best quality as it's also night time