Compatability issue

S

Shilpan

Member
Hey guys!
100 gallon sand bed tank with live rock and soft corals. Stock: Foxface, 2 clowns, fairy wrasse, sleeper goby, doliatus rabbitfish and a BANGAII CARDINAL.

Got my final two fish today. 2 red firefish which my mate just finished quarantining for me. I researched and thought they were compatible with my current tankmates but the bangaii was not happy. It kept chasing them around if they came near it. So the firefish stayed to one side away from it. Now the bangaii chased them once more, and now they're hiding under the rocks. The bangaii hasn't bit them or hurt them, just chases them off.

At this point what is best to do, give them time to adjust (and if so how long?)? Or am I supposed to remove one of the two species from my tank immediately? I haven't had any tank quarrels until today so I'm feeling out of my depth here.
 
jay0705

jay0705

Well-Known Member
Give it a day or two. Fire fish are not aggressive so best to add early. However aggression from the card should ease
 
lmforbis

lmforbis

Well-Known Member
I agree they can be pretty shy. Their normal behavior includes darting into the rocks to hide. They don't really swim around much. They can be a be aggressive at times. Mine took a chunk of flesh out of my watchman goby. It sounds like you just put them in the tank. Give it some time. I find that if I add new fish after lights out I have fewer problems. You might want to cut the lights for the day.
 
S

Shilpan

Member
Oh wow out of the watchman goby!

Yes I put them in 6hrs ago :) it's bedtime now so the light skin are off, I'll turn them off for tomorrow then

Thank you
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
I've kept 3 different firefish and they always take about 3 weeks to start coming around to their new environment. Even then they like to spend most of the time in the rocks.

Found mine a couple weeks ago chillin in my refugium.
 
one-fish

one-fish

Active Member
If ya still having troubles, Rearranging Rock around a bit might help if its possible not to disturb your corals Rearranged my rock so it can be divided w/egg crate due to the clowns nibbling at me when doing tank maintenance
 
iidylii

iidylii

Active Member
I believe bangaiis are the most aggressive of all the cards...I have a bangaii and a pj card in the same tank...for about a week my bangaii chased the heck out of the pj but after that everything is all good now and it is several months later...I also have a firefish in the tank and the cards do not have any issue with it...

as others have said just give it time they will settle out...takes time to adjust when someone breaks into your house and can't escape lol
 
S

Shilpan

Member
Thank for the reassurance team :) I guess I just panicked when I couldn't find them and assumed the bangaii had killed them. But no bodies anywhere including around the tank and in the sump area so then I realized they were hiding.

I will give them some time :) hopefully as you guys have said my bangaii will eventually leave them alone.

Actually my bangaii tried to chase my doliatus rabbitfish too which is 10x the size of him, and after the doliatus head butted him into the wall he left him alone
 
S

Shilpan

Member
I realize I should've added them first but unfortunately I haven't been able to find them for 8 months haha.

My city gets a limited order every 2 months and they always sell out like hotcakes
 
one-fish

one-fish

Active Member
When I said nibbling I was being nice Yeah they bite.... scared me the first time swam right into my half closed fist and bit me made me jump calling her a few choice names Lol..
 
jay0705

jay0705

Well-Known Member
one-fish said:
When I said nibbling I was being nice Yeah they bite.... scared me the first time swam right into my half closed fist and bit me made me jump calling her a few choice names Lol..
Click to expand...
Ha ha its funny. The nicest of my clowns with me is my maroon
 
S

Shilpan

Member
Lol my female clown nips me too, thinks I'm food haha

Ahh the first time my clown bit me....
I realized it was actually my foxface stinging me...
Then I was in agony...
And now I never go into my tank without long reef gloves.
 
jay0705

jay0705

Well-Known Member
Lol iam far to easy with just sticking my hand in lol the lion tank iam a smidge more careful lol
 
lmforbis

lmforbis

Well-Known Member
I had a clarkii clown many years ago that would bite. She just looked mean, her mouth was crooked like she'd been I'd a few too many fights and you could see her teeth. she didn't want any thing in her territory. I kept her with a large blue damsel and a snowflake eel.
My oscelaris that I have now is very docile but she's still pretty small.
 
iidylii

iidylii

Active Member
this is one reason I didn't want to put an anemone in the tank was because of the clown aggression lol...but at least he hides from my asshole flame angel now and his fins are healing nicely...when I clean my glass with the mag cleaner my clown chases the mag cleaner all over the tank lol
 
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