HELP. Midas blenny nipping helfrichi firefish in QT!

[BigJohnny]

Leave midas in the acclimation box. The helfrich definitely won't come out if it's being nipped.

Even when it is in the dt, it may not come out until there are outgoing, peaceful fish so it can feel secure.

Isn't 4-6 weeks in an acclimation box cruel though? I was hoping it would diffuse the aggression and I could release the midas for the remainder. Having said that I don't want it to nip the helfrich and have to catch it again and put it back in. They are both listed as peaceful fish and I was told they would likely be fine in a qt together (I get there are exceptions). Too bad!

Maybe I can split the qt with egg crate wrapped in screen mesh?

I only have peaceful fish in the dt so it should be fine in there, unless the midas still goes after it in there (I hope not, it's a 90g with plenty of real estate).

If this isn't likely to work out long term due to the fact that the midas has already gone after the helfrich, maybe I'll just rehome one now beforehand. What do you think?

Thanks for your input!

 

[eatbreakfast]

A bigger tank goes a long way to mellowing out a fish. The midas should be calmer in a 90 compared to a qt.

If you can divide the tank, great, but if not, leave the midas in the acclimation box.

 

[BigJohnny]

A bigger tank goes a long way to mellowing out a fish. The midas should be calmer in a 90 compared to a qt.

If you can divide the tank, great, but if not, leave the midas in the acclimation box.

Ok, thanks.

 

[BigJohnny]

@eatbreakfast my midas just started doing this a few hours ago. Was completely normal this morning. Not quite gasping for air but also like rocking it's body. It looks like it's trying to throw up or something. BTW it always does the stress pattern when I am in the room up close. Any ideas? It ate this morning

 

[BigJohnny]

@eatbreakfast my midas just started doing this a few hours ago. Was completely normal this morning. Not quite gasping for air but also like rocking it's body. It looks like it's trying to throw up or something. BTW it always does the stress pattern when I am in the room up close. Any ideas? It ate this morning

I have a huge sponge filter and a koralia nano pointed at the surface. No ammonia present either.

 

[eatbreakfast]

@eatbreakfast my midas just started doing this a few hours ago. Was completely normal this morning. Not quite gasping for air but also like rocking it's body. It looks like it's trying to throw up or something. BTW it always does the stress pattern when I am in the room up close. Any ideas? It ate this morning

Nothing to worry about with that. He is undulating to mimic seaweed or something else moving in the current. He doesn't feel adequetely concealed and is doing his best to blend in.

 

[BigJohnny]

Nothing to worry about with that. He is undulating to mimic seaweed or something else moving in the current. He doesn't feel adequetely concealed and is doing his best to blend in.

Haha no way! I was so worried. I guess he's tired of me being able to see him in the acclimation box

 

[BigJohnny]

Alright, so I ended up dividing the tank with egg crate/screen mesh. The fish have been in qt for just over 5 weeks. Both fish usually hide when I'm in the room but I've set up a camera several times to watch their behavior.

The helfrichi has been completely healed for a while and both fish are healthy and eating regularly. Soon I will need to make a final decision on whether or not I will be adding both of these fish to my display.

What concerns me is that sometimes when the helfrichi is chillin in the water column, it appears that the midas tries to get to it through the divider. Not constant or super aggressive or anything like that (I can't really tell if it's aggressive) but it looks like it's trying to get to the helfrichi.

@eatbreakfast @4FordFamily @Humblefish

In your experience, what do you think the chance of the aggression continuing in the display is? They are in a 20g qt and the display is 90g with a lot of rock, flow, and 3x a day heavy feeding. The only other fish in the display currently are 2 blue star leopard wrasses.

My other question is, what is the chance that the midas would be aggressive towards the wrasses? Pretty slim right? I think if I had to choose one it would be the blenny but not if there is a decent chance it will be aggressive with my wrasses.

I know it's hard to predict but I would love your input.

Thanks!

 

[Humblefish]

How big is the Midas? Odds are he and the Helfrichi will just forget about one another in a 90, and I'd be even less concerned about the wrasses. However, IME sometimes large blennies (and gobies) can be a bit ornery.

 

[BigJohnny]

How big is the Midas? Odds are he and the Helfrichi will just forget about one another in a 90, and I'd be even less concerned about the wrasses. However, IME sometimes large blennies (and gobies) can be a bit ornery.

Thanks for responding, about 3". I made the mistake of not checking size when I bought it from divers den, I had wanted a juvenile.

 

[Humblefish]

Thanks for responding, about 3". I made the mistake of not checking size when I bought it from divers den, I had wanted a juvenile.

Maybe add the firefish first. And then a few days later add the blenny; so the firefish is already established and knows the layout of the tank so he can easily dart into a hole if needed.

 

[BigJohnny]

Maybe add the firefish first. And then a few days later add the blenny; so the firefish is already established and knows the layout of the tank so he can easily dart into a hole if needed.

That's what I was thinking. Fingers crossed, thanks bud!

 

[eatbreakfast]

I agree with Humblfish's suggestions.

 

[BigJohnny]

Maybe add the firefish first. And then a few days later add the blenny; so the firefish is already established and knows the layout of the tank so he can easily dart into a hole if needed.

I agree with Humblfish's suggestions.

Any reason to use an acclimation box with the firefish when adding to the display with the 2 leopard wrasses? They are both females and about 2". Also, should I add at night just before lights out (they will be dim at that point, 2 actinic t5s only) when the wrasses are buried?

Also, should I use the acclimation box for the blenny?

 

[leahfiish]

I would use an acclimation box for at least the blenny.

 

[Humblefish]

I would use an acclimation box for at least the blenny.

+1

 

[Hamm Corals]

I also have a midas with a purple fire fish and the midas will always nip at it and the fire fish is rarely out because of it.They are both fat and healthy. This has been going on I'm my tank for over 6 months

 

[BigJohnny]

Just FYI for everyone, I put the firefish into the 90g display a week before adding the midas blenny. I put the midas blenny in an acclimation box for 3 days before releasing it. The firefish hid a ton the first two weeks (even before the midas was in) but now is out almost all day every day swimming about. Zero issues with the midas, they swim side by side sometimes. I believe the issue was stress + confined space of 20g qt.