two spot hogfish killing my hector's goby

[300ZXNA]

I just added a Hector's goby yesterday to my 75, and within minutes of introducing him, my two-spot hogfish began harrassing and attacking the little guy immediately. It's now been over 24 hours and the hector's has been hiding in the same corner for about 23 of those hours. He won't come up off the sand, and has very faded/bleached color. I doubt he will last very long unless something changes, but what pisses me off is that the hogfish is just hounding the poor goby, won't let it move at all, and even when he has it corned he just bites and attacks and the poor hector's just tries to push down into the sand.

Anyone else had this happen? I'm just super PO'd because everything I had read on two-spot hogfish had them as being peaceful. I bought him from a tank full of 7-8 hogfish and they all appeared to be getting along fine. I guess he views the hector's as another hogfish since they both have that torpedo shaped body and the yellow coloration. Any ideas here? I'd have to tear the entire tank apart to get the @#$% hogfish out, or the hector's for that matter.

The entire reason I went to a two spot hogfish is because before my tank crash, I had had a six-line wrasse that was harassing my rainfordi goby (very similar to a Hector's) non-stop; and I wanted something that was an active swimmer like a six-line but without the attitude. This hogfish has been even more aggressive to my hector's than the six-line was to my rainfordi.

Anyway, I just have to vent. Sometimes I hate this hobby, you can research and plan really carefully only to have the best laid plans destroyed by one bastard fish . . .

 

[ajnweb]

Each fish seems to have his own attitude! I also have a hogfish in with a clown, starry blenny, and pipefish, so far so good, although none of those fish are the same body shape. I did have a yellow hogfish killed by a cherub pygmy angel, same behavior but reversed. Had to tear the tank apart to get the angel out! Good luck, maybe he will calm down a bit. PS, I heard they also may take a liking to ornamental shrimp.

 

[300ZXNA]

He better not take a liking to ornamental shrimp. I have 2 skunk cleaner's and 2 fire shrimp. If he attacks them I'm gonna feed him to the cat . . . Anyway, all 4 shrimp are of good size, so that lessens the risk, however, I did just see the hogfish attack the hector's and then charge one of the skunk cleaners. Bastard fish appears just as bad as a six-line . . . I'm already thinking I may have to try and trap him. I am NOT pleased with that thing right now . . .

 

[gas4544]

I feel for you man. I remember years ago when I had a fish picking another one. It made me mad as heck, too. I cannot remeber what I used to remove the offending fish, although I did consider using a shopvac.

G

 

[ajnweb]

I did just see the hogfish attack the hector's and then charge one of the skunk cleaners.QUOTE]

I have mine in with a few bumble bee shrimp.....so far so good, although the info I saw said they could grow to like shrimp introduced after they are established, so hopefully I will be ok as the shrimp were in ther first.

Good luck!!!

 

[Pentagona]

If you can, put your hog in a strainer floating around in the tank for a few days and give the goby a chance to settle in. Kind of like seperating cats and dogs when they're first introduced. Gives them a chance to get used to being around each other and realize neither is a threat to the other.

 

[300ZXNA]

I'm going to borrow a fish trap tomorrow and try to trap the guy. Catching him is pretty much impossible with the amount of rock in the tank. I put a big lump of chaeto from the refugium in the tank, as well as a big net, the idea being that the net will possibly scare the other fish enough that they won't get too aggressive, and I put the chaeto over the spot that hectors has been hiding in. This way he has more shelter, and hopefully he'll be able to pull a lot of pods off of the chaeto, since he really hasn't eaten anything since I got him.