Pajama Cardinal is a bully - is it possible to reset a fish's attitude with a blackout period in a separate tank

[pbrown]

I had a recent post regarding my firefish, and the forum appropriately diagnosed he had a bruise in his mid-section. I have concluded the bully who delivered the bruise is my Pajama Cardinal. In my tank crash in May I lost my midas blenny who was king in the former tank. Without Midas the PJ cardinal has become king and is a bully. Not sure why it took him the summer to develop into a jerk. I am thinking I will put him in my EVO 13 gallon quarantine tank and black him out for a day or two to reset his little brain. I have heard that a black out will reset a fish. Has anyone tried a blackout successfully? I am hoping this works or he will be off to the LFS as a donation. He is so healthy and a beauty....hoping to help turn him around.

I have tried moving rock around and that hasn't helped.

 

[Isopod80]

I had a recent post regarding my firefish, and the forum appropriately diagnosed he had a bruise in his mid-section. I have concluded the bully who delivered the bruise is my Pajama Cardinal. In my tank crash in May I lost my midas blenny who was king in the former tank. Without Midas the PJ cardinal has become king and is a bully. Not sure why it took him the summer to develop into a jerk. I am thinking I will put him in my EVO 13 gallon quarantine tank and black him out for a day or two to reset his little brain. I have heard that a black out will reset a fish. Has anyone tried a blackout successfully? I am hoping this works or he will be off to the LFS as a donation. He is so healthy and a beauty....hoping to help turn him around.

I have tried moving rock around and that hasn't helped.

I guess there's one way to find out. I wouldn't get your hopes up though. I'm not so sure you can "reset" a fish from its instincts long term if the tank situation thats causing the issue doesn't change.

 

[pbrown]

I guess there's one way to find out. I wouldn't get your hopes up though. I'm not so sure you can "reset" a fish from its instincts long term if the tank situation itself, thats causing the issue, doesn't change.

That's what I figure but thought I would at least try. My EVO tank has been relocated to my home office, so I may just have him keep me company for a while up there and then reintroduce him when my royal gramma and tailspot blenny come in from the supplier in 4 weeks (supplier quarantines the fish for 4 weeks, does all the copper treatments etc and then delivers them). So, my Q- tank has been idle and I have re-established it as a mini reef in my office....for smaller specimens, frags etc. It doesn't have any fish in it. It's too small for PJ long term, but maybe ok for a few weeks and then reintroduce him after gramma and tailspot get settled in. Then he won't be king. If he chooses to be a bully then it is off to LFS. He will need a bigger tank long term.

 

[Isopod80]

You could try it I guess. Just so you know, both grammas and tailspots have been known to pick on firefish as well. Perhaps it's the firefish you should move.

 

[pbrown]

You could try it I guess. Just so you know, both grammas and tailspots have been known to pick on firefish as well. Perhaps it's the firefish you should move.

Unfortunately the cardinal also picks on my 6line wrasse and yellow goby....so he will be the one "relocating."