random fish aggression

turbo2oh · 02/28/2007, 01:54 PM

I only have 3 fish (yellow watchman goby, false perc. clown, royal gramma) in my 29g about 2 months ago I redid the rockwork and changed the sandbed, everything looks good. However, after the first month my ywg has lost color and the blue is more noticable and he's losing his yellow its much more pale almost greyish. I've had him for about 1 1/2 yrs now and he's never looked like this. Also the clown has decided to bully the royal gramma for the first time ever to the point he just hides in a hole all day now. They've been tank mates for at least 8 months and never even really interacted let alone fight.

Any idea what might be causing this? They were fine for the first month with the new rockwork so I dont think its the territory change, besides they both just kinda roamed the tank before anyway. Also, my feeding schedule hasn't changed. Is it possible they were eating a lot of pods before and the population isnt there to sustain them now since they only get prepared food? Im thinking this diet change may have caused the loss of coloration and maybe the clown is just hungry and taking out his aggression on the gramma?? Just a guess..

jimwat · 02/28/2007, 02:05 PM

Fish have a hard time being territorial if their territory is/has moved. I'll bet if you rearrange again, harmony will return (for a while at least).

Not sure about your goby, but I wonder if the color change might be a natural occurrence with aging.

turbo2oh · 02/28/2007, 03:50 PM

yeah, i was considering that but i don't get why they were together for so long and never had an issue. now as soon as the gramma starts to come out of a hole the clown comes is all over him.

Yeah i was also considering that, maybe he's just getting old.

02/28/2007, 01:54 PM	#1
turbo2oh Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: MD Posts: 458	random fish aggression I only have 3 fish (yellow watchman goby, false perc. clown, royal gramma) in my 29g about 2 months ago I redid the rockwork and changed the sandbed, everything looks good. However, after the first month my ywg has lost color and the blue is more noticable and he's losing his yellow its much more pale almost greyish. I've had him for about 1 1/2 yrs now and he's never looked like this. Also the clown has decided to bully the royal gramma for the first time ever to the point he just hides in a hole all day now. They've been tank mates for at least 8 months and never even really interacted let alone fight. Any idea what might be causing this? They were fine for the first month with the new rockwork so I dont think its the territory change, besides they both just kinda roamed the tank before anyway. Also, my feeding schedule hasn't changed. Is it possible they were eating a lot of pods before and the population isnt there to sustain them now since they only get prepared food? Im thinking this diet change may have caused the loss of coloration and maybe the clown is just hungry and taking out his aggression on the gramma?? Just a guess.. __________________ Well, animals are not like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they've had a hard life, or have been mistreated...but, like people, some of them are just jerks.

02/28/2007, 02:05 PM	#2
jimwat Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: South Florida Posts: 1,270	Fish have a hard time being territorial if their territory is/has moved. I'll bet if you rearrange again, harmony will return (for a while at least). Not sure about your goby, but I wonder if the color change might be a natural occurrence with aging. __________________ "Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will sit in a boat all day and drink beer." Current Tank Info: 65 gal with 192w PC 10k, 192w VHO actinic, Blue-Moon LED, Tunze 6060 on WavySea, AquaController 3. 20gal sump, Natureef CDECX-1, Phosban Reactor, Remora, Kalk Drip, Ozone.

02/28/2007, 03:50 PM	#3
turbo2oh Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: MD Posts: 458	yeah, i was considering that but i don't get why they were together for so long and never had an issue. now as soon as the gramma starts to come out of a hole the clown comes is all over him. Yeah i was also considering that, maybe he's just getting old. __________________ Well, animals are not like people, Mrs. Simpson. Some of them act badly because they've had a hard life, or have been mistreated...but, like people, some of them are just jerks.