Purple dottyback is evil

[OscarFan76]

Got a cleaner shrimp today. I acclimated him for over an hour. As soon as I put him in the tank the dottyback attacks him before he even makes it to the bottom. It was severe enough that the dottyback spit a piece if him out. I ran the dottyback off the shrimp and he lands on a live rock and stays there for 15 mins or so. The next time he moves, the dotty back attacks him again. This happened 3-4 times with each time the shrimp acting more weird. He laid on his back for and while and finally died about an hour after I put him in the tank.

It it possible that something killed him besides the dottyback?
Params:

Ammo:0
Trites: 0
Trates: 20-40. Hard to tell on my api test kit.
Salinity/gravity: 1.023.
Ph: around 8. I used seachem's 8.4 product several times and it stays up for 10-12 hours and then comes back to 8.

It is a 55 gallon tank with only a purple dottyback and a coral beauty (with live rock).

I'm thinking I should not have got the dotty back. I thought they were only aggressive to other fish with the same body type.

Thoughts? I'm worried to add more fish later. He has never shown aggression to the coral beauty.

Thanks.

 

[melosu58]

As you can see with the link they are carnivores. While I dont think he would mess with your coral beauty I do believe the shrimp could be a prime targer of the Pseudochromis. Not saying for sure but it could be the reason.

 

[OscarFan76]

Thanks for the info. I should have done more research before getting the shrimp. Poor guy. I felt terrible. I think the next time I add fish or anything I will put the pseudochromi in my qt tank for a couple of weeks to reset territories and give it time to adjust before mini-jaws comes back to the tank.

 

[dwint]

i was told dottybacks were like damsels but i never had one

 

[OscarFan76]

He continues to be evil. Since he was the only fish in my 40g I was trying to find fish that might do ok with him. I though Damsels are aggressive and cheap maybe one of those. I rearranged my rock work and added one today. He proceeded to chase and nip it continuously. So I thought well i have to spread the aggression out. So i picked up 3 more. He has chased all 4 and thoroughly gave them a beating. Some times he will strike one like a lighting bolt from half the tank away. I've never seen a fish so aggressive. He will pick on one until it fights back and then move to the next one. I hope they live. They are much bigger than him but dont seem to be able to hold him off. I'm thinking of taking him back to the pet store but I've had him a few months now and like him.

Purple pseudochromis are apparently the Muhammad Ali of little fish. He is like the size of a minnow but so mean.

 

[AquaRick]

I had a purple dottyback that was always pretty mean. It would always chase away my other fish, even the larger tangs. I always knew it was going to end bad. Eventually, my kole eye tang went into psycho killer mode and killed my yellow tang (saw them fight with their peduncle spines), blonde naso, and eventually my purple dottyback. I always thought it was going to be the purple dottyback that was going to draw blood first. Nasty little buggers.

 

[OscarFan76]

I guess the kole had enough. Are tangs usually aggressive? I love to have one but my biggest sw tank is only a 55 so far. Eventually...

After the dottyback decided he was going to bed last night my damsels had a good time swimming about the tank.

 

[crister13]

Some tangs are aggressive some arent. Since the damsels are bigger hopefully it'll work out. If not, you could send him here and I'll put him in my 150g with a 7" grouper and a 1.5' black edge moray eel

 

[OscarFan76]

He seems to have calmed down some today. He only will chase if they get too close. I'm glad he is not actively hunting them now.

 

[AquaRick]

I guess the kole had enough. Are tangs usually aggressive? I love to have one but my biggest sw tank is only a 55 so far. Eventually...

After the dottyback decided he was going to bed last night my damsels had a good time swimming about the tank.

Kole Eyes are generally very peaceful, even more so than yellow tangs. I think I just had a mutant killer. Each fish is different and unique, so it's always a good idea to keep an eye on everything.

He seems to have calmed down some today. He only will chase if they get too close. I'm glad he is not actively hunting them now.

Glad things are settling down!

 

[OscarFan76]

He has progressed to being the most laid back member of the tank. 3 spot domino is now the boss. Spot will attack my hand when it is in the tank.