Yellow Assessor Bullied (Midas Blenny)

[cdw79]

I have had a yellow assessor in my tank for several months now- probably one of my favorite fish in the hobby and virtually indestructible in my experience. It came in second, after my long nose hawk, in my 65 gal display. The hawk has always given it a bit of trouble- they'd mind their own business for 20+ minutes before the hawk would chase it for about 6 inches, then back to being cool with each other. It never struck me as problematic, as both coexisted fine with each other the vast majority of the time and both ate well.

Last Saturday I picked up a Midas Blenny, which has long been on my stock list. He made his go to perch right above the cave where the Assessor will hang out in, and I noticed I didn't see the assessor much after the blenny's introduction. Fast forward a few days and I see the assessor come out in the mornings before the tank lights come on, per usual, but the hawk chases him a bit, and the blend joins in, making the assessor shoot back into his cave.

I've since moved a frag onto the ledge where the blend previously perched, thinking that might help the assessor be a bit more brave to come out, but so far it's not worked- the assessor still stays in his cave basically all day. I think he's still getting food via the current blowing some into his cave, but the situation isn't ideal.

I know both fish are plankton feeders in the wild, so maybe that's part of the reason there are issues, but before the I'd never heard of a Midas Blenny being a problem to another peaceful fish. I can't move rocks around to mix up territories, so I'm not sure what else I could do. There's a possibility I could catch the blenny- he swims really close to the surface quite a bit- but ideally would like to keep it around because I like the fish.

If anyone has experience quelling the aggression from what normally seem to be a pretty peaceful fish, let me know. Thanks!

 

[Tamberav]

Every midas blenny I have had was an aggressive ******. Turns out this isn't unusual and Live Aquaria even lists them as potentially problematic with things like firefish and gobies.

 

[cdw79]

Well fair enough! I've kept several other blend species without issue and hadn't ever heard of issues with them from local people I know who had kept them, so I'd assumed it wasn't likely to be an issue.

So given this isn't behavior unique to mine, any idea on ways to limit it? I'd think a 65 should be plenty of space for them to coexist somehow, but not sure what options really exist as I've never had aggression issues whenever I've preplanned a stockiest

 

[shakacuz]

it may be showing aggression due to color. blennies are generally advertised to not get along with their own kind so perhaps your midas is thinking that the assessor is another blenny?


in my experience, my blenny only started to bully my court jester goby after i added it. but it wasn’t until i added a yellow coris wrasse did it calm down. your tank is definitely big enough to reduce aggression.

 

[cdw79]

So is it worth trying to wait it out? I don't have any plans for any more yellow fish at the moment. I just worry the assessor will end up getting starved / stressed to death if I leave it as is, especially as I'm set to be out of town this weekend

 

[Tamberav]

yellow assessors are difficult to find... I would choose it over the blenny. My midas never stopped being a jerk.

 

[cdw79]

I watched really carefully tonight while feeding and also while feeding coral with the flow off.

While feeding the fish the assessor never really went more than an inch or two away from his cave. When the pumps were off, though, they both hung out, no issues at all. Meanwhile I've already posted the blend for sale on our local forum and am starting o have regrets.

As I'm typing this, though, after both the assessor and blenny had been swimming in the current for a bit, the blenny turns and chases the assessor halfway across the tank to its cave. So part of me feels like maybe somehow there's some potential for them coexisting..? But it doesn't feel right to keep the blenny around hoping things turn around while the assessor is cooped up in his cave all day. This evening the assessor has come out a lot more, but not sure what I want to do. I'd been looking for an actually gold Midas blenny for a good 2-3 months now so I know that's definitely influencing me...