Help! Basslet is attacking new dottyback!

[Andytee]

IV just added a small bicolour dotty back to my 180L tank and the strawberry basslet (twice it's size) has attacked it. The DB hides but the basslet keeps finding him and attacking like it is hunting it? I have tried to interrupt the attacks but the dotty back is now missing 3/4 of it's tail and is hiding at the bottom of the tank!

Anyone got any advice? is this normal?

Will the basslet stop or continue until the DB is dead?

I prefer the DB so would consider getting rid of the basslet if I can catch it but is it likely the DB will now die from the damage sustained and the shock?

 

[classklown90]

I'm willing to bet that they are both dottybacks. A lot of times dottybacks are labeled as royal grammas (a basslet). Dottybacks can get mean so I'd reccomend getting rid of one

 

[Discus1919]

U should take the Bassett out

 

[carey]

hate to concur, taking a fish back is never a nice thing but I think they will continue to fight until one wins.

Good luck, let us know what happens!

 

[Andytee]

Hey guys,

Thank you for your input. Thought I'd update you all.

Eventually I managed to catch the "basslet" after a frustrating game of cat and mouse! Had to keep it in a temporary holding unit (bucket, tank water, live rock and old heater and pump) until this morning! Supplier I bought it from would not take it back so took it to a different one only to be told that what had been sold to me as a basslet was infact a dotty back!!!! (as per the very good advice above). therefore it was inevitable that these too would fight and I am very angry that I was mislead when buying the original fish. Even i knew that two dotty backs was a no no!!

Anyway the larger dotty back is now gone and the newer, smaller and severely injured dotty back is now missing! It doesn't look good for the little guy as if he is dying somewhere in the rock I don't know what I can do for him (feed him?) Is there anyway it can survive loosing it's tail an how long should I wait before it is safe to assume it has died?

 

[Discus1919]

Keep ur eye on him...I saw most of them missing their tail but they just hide in this period...he will be out swimming fine after it's tail is healed...but just in case feed some frozen food.

 

[Andytee]

Forgot id taken this. This was him last nite before he went missing. Tail is in a state and is there a chunk out it's body? I'l keep an eye out and fingers crossed he'll appear! I

 

[Discus1919]

They kind of a hardy fish so there is possibilities he will make it

 

[Mjpendrey]

My friends cardinal had it's tail clipped off by a lobster it lived in hiding for four days then came out started swimming round for a week and died but that was the woke tail and could barely swim yours doesn't look as bad so I reckon he will survive

 

[R33F FeTiSh]

Thus the importance of research before purchase. Dottybacks,grammas,wrasse and blennies are best kept one to a tank. Sometimes there are exceptions to the rule but it can be stressful and costly trying to break them. Big tanks have more lee-way with the rules but its even harder to catch them if they battle.

 

[Andytee]

Hey guys,

Quick update. I'm afraid I still haven't seen the injured dotty back (last seen a week ago today) so it doesn't look like it survived the stress of transfer and attack. Think I'll leave it one more week to be sure but I would like to get another one after that now the the attacker has been removed. What are the chances that I get back from the store with the new one to find that this one has risen from it's ashes just in time to pass on the treatment it received when it joined the tank!!!

As previously mentioned one of the yellow tailed damsel was also a little aggressive. I know they are territorial but would they attack a new dottyback to the same extent(to the death)? The damsel is only about an inch long so won't have the same size advantage that the previous tormentor had?