falcos hawkfish?

[camillo]

i got a 24 gallon tank wit a sixline wrasse and a falcos hawkfish, i had been tryin to add another fish but the hawkfish forced any new fish out by attacking it, now i think ive found a fish that can take it, i added a domino damselfisdh and the hawkfish seems to leave it alone, im jus wondering if i can try to add another fish now as the hawkfish dosnt seem to be the dominant fish anymore?

 

[1journeyman]

I don't think you'll have much luck getting a fourth fish in there. Between the Hawk, Wrase and Damsel any newcomer is going to get pummeled. Not to mention that the Damsel will get bigger and more teritorial as it age. You'll also be pushing your bio load too much with four fish Imo.

 

[camillo]

not even sumthin small? i had a royal dottyback in mind, only because ive read they can be pretty agressive too, putting bio load problems aside, will something like a royal dottyback work in my tank?

 

[1journeyman]

Originally Posted by camillo
not even sumthin small? i had a royal dottyback in mind, only because ive read they can be pretty agressive too, putting bio load problems aside, will something like a royal dottyback work in my tank?
Probably not...
The issue is you have three relatively aggressive fish in a small arena. Each of your fish by nature is territorial and semi aggressive. There is only so much territory in your tank.... Adding another aggressive fish will only make the tank more "crowded" and therefore make the struggle for territory greater.

 

[sepulatian]

Falcos can be fine. How long have you had him? They are bullies, but can be puppies as well. They don't take a territory, they just don't like new fish. Once the hawk accepts a new fish it will not bother the new guy at all.

 

[camillo]

ive had him for a couple months and i tried adding a royal dottyback once, and things werent goin good for him i had to remove him before it died and lukily i saved him and he recoverd in my qt. i also tried adding a coral beauty but had the same problem, lukily i saved that one too. the hawfish has always been abit fiesty with my sixline but nothing major, wen i added the domino i thought things might go the same way, but the hawfish has quieten down alot.

 

[sepulatian]

Sir Quizzy is a falco. He is a beast, I don't deny it. I have successfully added a diamond goby and a dwarf lion (which was all of an inch and a half and very scared when I got him) without any issues. Quarantine your new fish. You will have time to bulk them up and they will not be scared of your hawk. Falcos are not that bad, but know when a fish is afraid of them. A well adjusted and healthy fish will not be afraid of your little falco at all.

 

[1journeyman]

I'm not as concerned about the Falco as the Damsel...
I've seen Falco's act fairly aggressively in smaller tanks. Mine was never any trouble, but I suspect when stressed or "crowded" they behave more aggressively.

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by 1journeyman
I'm not as concerned about the Falco as the Damsel...
I've seen Falco's act fairly aggressively in smaller tanks. Mine was never any trouble, but I suspect when stressed or "crowded" they behave more aggressively.
Very true. I neglected to notice that this is a 24 gallon. That was my error. Three aggressive fish would certainly not work in there. I had my falco in a 20qt when I bought him. He was in with some hermits and some rock while I moved my tank. He sucked hermits out of the shell while looking at me. He has not touched one since he has been in the display. He was quite aggressive in the 20 qt.

 

[ufo8micats]

Just don't make the same mistake that i did. I have a pixie hawk and after a year tried to add a longnose hawk, that was killed by the pixie after 5 mins in the tank. the pixie bashed the longnoses head onto a rock and killed it.
hawks view everything as food or competition, and will attack them.

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by ufo8micats
Just don't make the same mistake that i did. I have a pixie hawk and after a year tried to add a longnose hawk, that was killed by the pixie after 5 mins in the tank. the pixie bashed the longnoses head onto a rock and killed it.
hawks view everything as food or competition, and will attack them.
Hm, not entirey true. In a small tank, yes.

 

[camillo]

thanks for the advice, this hawkfish is gettin me into all sorts of trouble, i wanna move him into another tank so that i can add somethin more peaceful into this one and maybe add some inverts. lol the only problem now will be catching him, anyone noe of some easier ways to do it, apart from strip my hole tank down and get him?

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by camillo
thanks for the advice, this hawkfish is gettin me into all sorts of trouble, i wanna move him into another tank so that i can add somethin more peaceful into this one and maybe add some inverts. lol the only problem now will be catching him, anyone noe of some easier ways to do it, apart from strip my hole tank down and get him?
Mine comes right to the top when I feed. He shouldn't be too hard to catch. Have the net already in the tank at an angle. If you can just contain him in the net then use a ziplock bag to transfer him, that would be safest for the fish.