Why the hell do people buy clown fish!??? Big problems with mine.

pseudonym · #1 09-21-2012, 02:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Enigma

I know that you're terribly distressed right now . . . but are you sure it was the clowns? That's a lot of carnage.

Pretty sure it is the clowns.. they are the only things in there really that even have the equipment to hurt another fish. I don't have many fish at all. The two clowns, a blenny, two spotted mandarins and three dragon faced pipe fish and the juvenile tangs (These are VERY little tangs BTW. About the size of a small clown fish). The blenny will take a swipe at them every now and again, but it is a body swipe and not an aggressive bite. The damage to these fish really has to be seen to be believed. It looks like they have been beaten against the rocks it is so bad.

I can't think of anything else in the tank that could do that. I was thinking mantis shrimp, but I have so many small inverts and stuff, I would expect to see them go, or the pipe fish before the tangs! Not only that, but none of the other fish would be even capable of doing that kind of damage to the fish...

Some good news.. I actually found the second Tang. Bad news.. doesn't look like he will live through the night. It looks like he has been beaten against the rocks nightly. Here is a video of him. He won't even eat.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2w_rU...ature=youtu.be

The starfish thing.. I have heard both side of that. I got a Linkia from AI and they said the same thing, we took it out of water when putting it in the tank and it died awfully quickly, so did theirs. Since then I have been paranoid about taking them out of the water. I am really hoping they survive. They are the little red ones and are supposed to be somewhat hardy...

mrhasan · #2 09-21-2012, 02:18 AM

The tang is in really bad shape

BTW do you have a mantis in your tank?

pseudonym · #3 09-21-2012, 02:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrhasan

The tang is in really bad shape

BTW do you have a mantis in your tank?

One of the reasons that i am so upset. I feel guilty and awful and.. like I let them down. It is horrible to see and that video doesn't even come close to showing how bad it is. I was thinking mantis myself, but it would have eaten all the emerald crabs, pom pom crabs, the various shrimp and then the dragon faced pipe fish before it would attack the tangs like that.. at least one would think so! The dragon faced pipefish especially. It isn't like those little guys are quick on their feet or anything...

Everything else is also really healthy...

mrhasan · #4 09-21-2012, 02:22 AM

Yah but it would be, I think, wise to take precaution and remove the mantis. You never know when these pests will start playing the rampage game

Enigma · #5 09-21-2012, 02:26 AM

You're itty bitty tang looks terrible in that video.

Good point on not having any missing inverts or empty shells. That would eliminate most of what I'm thinking of in the way of potential suspects.

I just wouldn't have anticipated this level of aggression from Pink Skunks. If they were Maroons I wouldn't be surprised. This really sucks.

pseudonym · #6 09-21-2012, 02:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Enigma

You're itty bitty tang looks terrible in that video.

Good point on not having any missing inverts or empty shells. That would eliminate most of what I'm thinking of in the way of potential suspects.

I just wouldn't have anticipated this level of aggression from Pink Skunks. If they were Maroons I wouldn't be surprised. This really sucks.

They are orange skunks.. so a bit bigger but supposed to be even more peaceful that pinks! I never expected it as well. I removed the Wrasse as he was harassing the clowns, never expect them to start to do the same to the rest of the tank!

Would losing their anemone cause this kind of aggression? My coloured anemone didn't survive. Was tearing my hair out as to why it was dieing.. then I caught my spider decorator crab eating it! Explains why I had no aiptasia in the display and some in the fuge. They were aggressive to the tangs a before, but since then the big one actually was going into the live rock to harass the tangs. I really noticed it getting bad yesterday, and when I couldn't find a tang today was when I decided that getting the clowns out had to be a priority and tore down the rock.

reefwars · #7 09-21-2012, 02:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pseudonym

Would losing their anemone cause this kind of aggression?

they are naturally aggressive plain and simple

part of protecting their host

Northernseacorals · #8 09-21-2012, 02:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pseudonym

Pretty sure it is the clowns.. they are the only things in there really that even have the equipment to hurt another fish. I don't have many fish at all. The two clowns, a blenny, two spotted mandarins and three dragon faced pipe fish and the juvenile tangs (These are VERY little tangs BTW. About the size of a small clown fish).

So...

Clowns 2
Blenny 1
Mandarins 2
Pipe Fish 3
Tangs 2
__
10

In a 29 gallon tank, I think it's your fault totally the fish went awol in the tank, you have; in my opinion overstocked the tank.

It's sad yes, and I think you have learned a valuable lesson, I hope you do not have anything else die mate.

Nano · #9 09-21-2012, 03:02 AM

+1

Yes its super frustrating, and terribly sad to lose your critters, but as stated when there is so much going on in such a small tank its bound to cause stress or aggression. IMO a tang should never go in a little tank not even as a juvie. Like said hopefully now you understand why you have to take very careful consideration in stocking. I myself have 4 fish in my 35g
2 ocellaris, 1 bangai,1 six line. I don't know if I would go more or not at this point, as the tank is so peaceful compared to when I had two other dwarf fish in there as well, plus bio load is less.

Good luck with the rest of the fish, I would think about maybe letting a few go and decreasing the stress on the tank mates.

pseudonym · #10 09-21-2012, 03:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nano

+1

Yes its super frustrating, and terribly sad to lose your critters, but as stated when there is so much going on in such a small tank its bound to cause stress or aggression. IMO a tang should never go in a little tank not even as a juvie. Like said hopefully now you understand why you have to take very careful consideration in stocking. I myself have 4 fish in my 35g
2 ocellaris, 1 bangai,1 six line. I don't know if I would go more or not at this point, as the tank is so peaceful compared to when I had two other dwarf fish in there as well, plus bio load is less.

Good luck with the rest of the fish, I would think about maybe letting a few go and decreasing the stress on the tank mates.

I completely disagree on the stocking issue. I would actually say you are over stocked myself. You have three fairly large fish that occupy the same water area as each other, mid level, open water. To me that is too much in one niche. I don't think stocking is such a simple thing. All my fish were choosen based not only on their size, but what they eat, temperament and where the live in the tank. None should have interacted with each other this much. Hell.. the clowns actually came OUT of their living space into the rock and chased after the tangs.

As for the tangs, I really really don't think you understand how small these little dudes are. You wouldn't want to put them in a large tank with other large fish. I don't think they would survive.