Clowns attacking watchman goby

[JLH-l3ioCub3]

I just added a watchman and clown goby and my 2 false percs won't stop beating up the watchman. Doesn't seem like they're bothered by the clown goby. I tried turning lights of but these clowns are relentless. I believe they're being so aggressive because they're hosting an anemone.
Any suggestions?

[Gregcoyote]

Not much you can do now. Clowns are just damsel fishes and they are gram for gram the most territorial fish there are. Hopefully, they will give up, or the watchman will stay away from them.

[JLH-l3ioCub3]

Yea the clown goby was smart and sat on a rock and stayed still while the watchman was swimming around all freaked out and nosing the glass and kees going near the anemone and the clowns just weren't gonna have that! If he would just go to the bottom and sit still on the sand away from the nem they wouldn't bother him.
So frustrating!

[Greenturtle]

I am mainly following this post because I am getting a 29 biocube and my future stocklist is exactly yours (pair of clowns, watchman goby, and a clown goby). The watchman goby is probably trying to explore it's new tank, and the clowns just do not want him near their anemone.

[SwimsWithFish]

Originally Posted by Greenturtle

I am mainly following this post because I am getting a 29 biocube and my future stocklist is exactly yours (pair of clowns, watchman goby, and a clown goby). The watchman goby is probably trying to explore it's new tank, and the clowns just do not want him near their anemone.

Same here!!!

[ShadoeFox]

you might try moving a bit of your rock into a nice cave, and kind of nudge the goby towards it. Mine shot right for the prettiest cave in the tank and has never had a single problem with my clowns. Granted my tanks bigger, but still.

[JLH-l3ioCub3]

Originally Posted by Greenturtle

I am mainly following this post because I am getting a 29 biocube and my future stocklist is exactly yours (pair of clowns, watchman goby, and a clown goby). The watchman goby is probably trying to explore it's new tank, and the clowns just do not want him near their anemone.

Exactly what I was thinking. They actually started leaving him alone and he found a cave behind the rockwork but he's just so bold that he comes out and tries to defend himself but the female clown gets the best of him. My Wife just texted me and said that the female was dragging him around the tank by his tail! Poor guy I hope they can make amends or call a truce... They don't bother the clown goby, I'm surprised, I thought they'd take him for food since he's so tiny.

[Greenturtle]

How big are the clowns and the watchman goby? And how big is the tank?

[Ewatson249]

I know it's not much help now but it's always best to put the most aggressive fish in last. I have a yellow watchman, 2 clowns, and a sixline wrasse. They went in in that order and are all fine together.

[disman_ca]

If your goby doesn't figure it out soon, the clowns will drag him right into the anemone. My tomato clown will sometimes feed the anemone if I drop the chunk of fish in the right place. Look it up on youtube and you'll see how the can fling the fish right into it. (I hope this doesn't happen to yours)

[JLH-l3ioCub3]

Originally Posted by Greenturtle

How big are the clowns and the watchman goby? And how big is the tank?

Female clown is about 2- 2 1/2" and male clown is about 1 1/2". The watchman is about 1 1/2". Male clown leaves him alone for the most part. My tank is a 29 biocube.

[JLH-l3ioCub3]

Originally Posted by disman_ca

If your goby doesn't figure it out soon, the clowns will drag him right into the anemone. My tomato clown will sometimes feed the anemone if I drop the chunk of fish in the right place. Look it up on youtube and you'll see how the can fling the fish right into it. (I hope this doesn't happen to yours)

Wow, I actually did hear they do that and remember watching it happen on YouTube! I never thought of that but it could very well be that she's doing that! What a horrible death! She hasn't fed the nem yet but I've been trying to "train" or "help" her to by giving her the piece of silverside. She has been starting to take the piece and carry it around, but just doesn't quite know where she's suppose to put it yet. She wont let the male in it. Its funny, at night she sleeps in the nem and the male sleeps on the outside of it on the body. Lol it like he's constantly in the doghouse or something.
As far as this bullying the watchman, It's easy to get mad at the clowns but I have to keep telling myself it's just nature, and it's not their fault. It's mainly my fault. My LFS recommended that I put all other fish in that I wanted before the clowns and I'm usually a good listener but a friend had to get rid of her tank and wanted to give her clowns a good home so I took them, and actually I wanted to have a pair of percs after I stocked it with other fish first, but I couldn't turn it down. I'm just hoping for the best! Everyone is eating great though. The yellow clown goby doesn't like anything but cyclop-eeze so far.

[joy13]

Good luck remember stress can and does turn into disease.

[Gregcoyote]

Not the fishes fault, they are just programmed to do what they do. I have made the same mistakes more than once.
Now, when I go the LFS, I take a small reference guide to help me not make a purchase I will eventually regret. The LFS may or may not have a clue.

There are some hard rules with damsels as they are so pugnacious.

[JLH-l3ioCub3]

Haven't seen the watchman today... Last time I had a fish disappear like this it was my yellow head jawfish and the following day the hermits were finishing up the last bit of him. Still haven't figured out what happened with that guy, the clowns never bothered him. Crossing my fingers the watchman appears soon but it's not looking good.
I have a question though. If I want to replace the watchman it will be my last fish to add. Can I move the clowns to a QT for a couple days when I add the new fish and then put them back in. Objective being that they won't attack it.

[Gregcoyote]

Originally Posted by JLH-l3ioCub3

Haven't seen the watchman today... Last time I had a fish disappear like this it was my yellow head jawfish and the following day the hermits were finishing up the last bit of him. Still haven't figured out what happened with that guy, the clowns never bothered him. Crossing my fingers the watchman appears soon but it's not looking good.
I have a question though. If I want to replace the watchman it will be my last fish to add. Can I move the clowns to a QT for a couple days when I add the new fish and then put them back in. Objective being that they won't attack it.

Honestly...I don't know. It depends on the fish and the circumstances. As soon as I would say...sure, that will work, somebody will post that it won't.
I tried raising jawfish a few years ago and found my aragonite substrate wasn't good enough for them to properly burrow.

[Ewatson249]

Originally Posted by JLH-l3ioCub3

Haven't seen the watchman today... Last time I had a fish disappear like this it was my yellow head jawfish and the following day the hermits were finishing up the last bit of him. Still haven't figured out what happened with that guy, the clowns never bothered him. Crossing my fingers the watchman appears soon but it's not looking good.
I have a question though. If I want to replace the watchman it will be my last fish to add. Can I move the clowns to a QT for a couple days when I add the new fish and then put them back in. Objective being that they won't attack it.

You could just get a more aggressive fish than the clowns such as a sixline wrasse. That would work and you would not have to qt anyone.

[BallinCrew10]

Originally Posted by Ewatson249

You could just get a more aggressive fish than the clowns such as a sixline wrasse. That would work and you would not have to qt anyone.

I have a sixline and its by no means more aggressive than my clowns.I know every fish has its own personality, and my sixline certainly doesn't get picked on, but clowns are a type of damsel. Doesn't get much more aggressive and territorial than that haha. That being said I added my clowns first, my sixline was next and I've never had a problem with aggression. I think it'd work.

[JLH-l3ioCub3]

Thanks for the suggestions guys but I really want to have the watchman and pistol shrimp combo. I mean, if I can't do it then I guess I'll do a more aggressive fish but if a quarantine will work I'd like to give it a try. Will it work?
I may also try another jawfish, they can defend themselves pretty well.
I don't have a confirmed death of the watchman yet so I'm not gonna jump the gun here.

[JLH-l3ioCub3]

Originally Posted by Gregcoyote

Honestly...I don't know. It depends on the fish and the circumstances. As soon as I would say...sure, that will work, somebody will post that it won't.
I tried raising jawfish a few years ago and found my aragonite substrate wasn't good enough for them to properly burrow.

I know, I doesn't seem there are any guarantees in reefing. But if there's a possibility of it working is it worth the try? I don't want it to Hurt my clowns tho. May there be added stress because of their hosting the anemone?
Would inadequate substrate have killed my jawfish within a week?