I got a bully, I am pretty sure who it is, any feedback appreciated.

[forestsofkelp]

I have a 180g, 60in long, with a Gem tang, Scopas tang, a school of lyre tail anthias, a starry blend, a diamondback goby, and various wrasses (mystery, blue star leopard, etc etc). I had a pair of Golden rhomboids and sunburst anthias

Lately my rhomboid died, before that the sunbursts, and before that a pair of helfrich firefish. All of them were "disappearances" except helfrichi #2 (found with nipped fins) sunburst #2 (just up and died for no apparent reason) and rhomboid (swam weird, then died with nipped fins). I think I have a bully nipping fins and harassing the more delicate fish to death...I see no external sign of disease and all my fish are QT'd. This has all been over the course of 2 months.

The only fish I see act aggressive is the male lyre tail...but haven't heard of them beating up on other fish before. Any ideas on how to solve it besides removing him? If I do remove him, and another lyretail becomes male, will they be as aggressive?

I am adding a powder blue tang and another wrasse tomorrow (and more firefish). Any chance the powder blue might keep him in his place?

Any other advice? My tangs get along great, have plenty of room.

 

[Fishyfish22]

it might be the lyretail. if not, are there any crabs in the tank? they're mainly smaller fish, and if your tangs are passive it could be a big invert. not unheard of for crabs to go after smaller fish, or you could have a bobbit worm you don't know about

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

Sry to read about this. Not a fish to lose. Could b the lyre tail. Or even the mystery. They can be quiet but show aggression. Shape color and area of occupation in tank. Possible if another changes make. Great Fish but the PBT could and most likely will hctje tank boss. Make sure this is the absolute
Last fish u want. Acclimation areas screened off within the tank can help w aggression or even re scaping if it’s Fowlr Good luck

 

[forestsofkelp]

Thanks. No crabs. The mystery had actually gone missing too!

I supposed it could be a bobbitt but don’t know how it would have gotten in…no live rock. I gave a citron goby (forgot to mention him) and he is just losing weight…no fin nips. So I think someone is being jealous about food.

the only other fish I’d add after the PBT is those wrasses again…but I might. It, they’re expensive. If he is tank boss do you think the lyretail will leave the other fish alone?

 

[HudsonReefer2.0]

They may b too busy dealing w the PBT to notice the other fish. Lol

 

[forestsofkelp]

They may b too busy dealing w the PBT to notice the other fish. Lol

I hope so!

 

[i cant think]

Thanks. No crabs. The mystery had actually gone missing too!

I supposed it could be a bobbitt but don’t know how it would have gotten in…no live rock. I gave a citron goby (forgot to mention him) and he is just losing weight…no fin nips. So I think someone is being jealous about food.

the only other fish I’d add after the PBT is those wrasses again…but I might. It, they’re expensive. If he is tank boss do you think the lyretail will leave the other fish alone?

With similar patterns of;
- Swimming weird
- Nipped fins
- Dead within a few days (I assume)

It seems like you’re facing a disease. At first I would’ve thought the UKWD but with you losing more than just wrasses, do you know if they all started to get skinny?

 

[forestsofkelp]

With similar patterns of;
- Swimming weird
- Nipped fins
- Dead within a few days (I assume)

It seems like you’re facing a disease. At first I would’ve thought the UKWD but with you losing more than just wrasses, do you know if they all started to get skinny?

Only the goby is skinny. Everyone else is fat!

All my fish are from Dr reef (full qt) except one, which was brought in by my LfS owner as part of a batch for his personal collection and I snagged one. He’s had no diseases, his are all fine, and my fish was at his shop, healthy for a week, and is still doing fine. He only has a handful of fish, and rarely receives any; it’s truly a coral shop. Also, the problem started before he was introduced.

I haven’t noticed any lesions on the fish. In fact, they all look healthy except the citron goby! When they “swim weird” it’s spiralling, like a bladder/fin issue, or laying on the rocks…i assumed it was from nipped fins, but they could have been nipped after death. For example, the rhomboid was totally fine, I left town for a weekend (they were fed as usual) when I came back he was spiraling and laying in crevices with a nipped tail fin, but still fat.

does that sound like a disease you know of? I can’t think of any… And what is UKWD?

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

Set a Video Camera up near your Aquarium. Smart Phone, Tablet, Laptop. Set Record for 1/2 Hour, and Walk away. I found the Bully will often be a Little Angel, when I’m in the area.

 

[forestsofkelp]

Will do. I just noticed two of my smallest anthias have nipped tails. I think the male
Is the bully. I’m going to see what happens with the PBT addition but the anthias might be out. I thought those guys were peaceful!

Hopefully I can add my wrasses back one day…. :-/

 

[i cant think]

Will do. I just noticed two of my smallest anthias have nipped tails. I think the male
Is the bully. I’m going to see what happens with the PBT addition but the anthias might be out. I thought those guys were peaceful!

Hopefully I can add my wrasses back one day…. :-/

The PBT may actually be the big boss. Also, as mentioned above:
Keep an eye on the mystery. These are silent but can be dangerous, the genus Pseudocheilinus generally is recommended to be avoided when mixing with other wrasses (They can also go for small cave dwelling fish). Since they can go for small cave dwellers, you may find your mystery is essentially starving the Watchman. Mine has had to actually come up to the surface to feed due to my aggressive eaters such as my wrasses.

 

[forestsofkelp]

The PBT may actually be the big boss. Also, as mentioned above:
Keep an eye on the mystery. These are silent but can be dangerous, the genus Pseudocheilinus generally is recommended to be avoided when mixing with other wrasses (They can also go for small cave dwelling fish). Since they can go for small cave dwellers, you may find your mystery is essentially starving the Watchman. Mine has had to actually come up to the surface to feed due to my aggressive eaters such as my wrasses.

Thanks. I was concerned about the mystery, but honestly, I haven't seen that guy in at least two weeks, not even at feeding time (I have a lot of chaos going on in household now so I didnt even realize he was missing until yesterday). He seemed fine when I first added him. However, if I see him again, he will definitely be on my suspect list.

I am hoping the PBT (added today) becomes the big boss and the anthias settles down; I saw him chasing and mouth flaring today to other fish.

I think my real question, which I didnt describe clearly enough, was "is it possible a male lyre tail anthias is nipping wrasses etc?".I thought they were fairly peaceful, esp in big schools (I have 7 in a 5ft tank, tons of open space)

Right now I am pretty sure its him (or the mystery, if he is still there) and I'd like to avoid taking him (or the whole school) out.

 

[forestsofkelp]

Thanks. I was concerned about the mystery, but honestly, I haven't seen that guy in at least two weeks, not even at feeding time (I have a lot of chaos going on in household now so I didnt even realize he was missing until yesterday). He seemed fine when I first added him. However, if I see him again, he will definitely be on my suspect list.

I am hoping the PBT (added today) becomes the big boss and the anthias settles down; I saw him chasing and mouth flaring today to other fish.

I think my real question, which I didnt describe clearly enough, was "is it possible a male lyre tail anthias is nipping wrasses etc?".I thought they were fairly peaceful, esp in big schools (I have 7 in a 5ft tank, tons of open space)

Right now I am pretty sure its him (or the mystery, if he is still there) and I'd like to avoid taking him (or the whole school) out.

update: I have ich, maaaaybe velvet in the tank. Would explain all the mysterious deaths although I saw NO spots. Regardless time for everyone to take a trip to the hospital