Bully Humbug Damsels

[Alex Brown]

So some of you might know that the first fish I put in my reef around 10 months ago was some humbugs. They defentl;y make themselfs at home and rule the tank. The larger one gives my clown a bit of trouble now and then, but has learnt that he cannot win agaist the clowns anemone after he got caught by it not so long ago.

This week I moved my new yellow headded jawfish out from the frag tank and into the display. Over the past couple of days he has built an awesome fort under some live rock in the corner of the tank. However, I woke today to find all of his top fins ragged and some sort of body wound on the fishs back.

I have monitored thier behavior and everytime either the yellow tang of the humbugs swim by his spot, he retreats and opens his mouth wide to scare them off. I know the yellow tang hasnt attacked him, and have whitnessed the jawfish attack the larger humbug when it gets too close. The humbug then blocks the enterance to the jawfishs cave.

What can I do? I dont want to give away my humbugs as they are clearly a mated pair and have raised them since they were a spec in the dealers tank! Could I move them to the 30L frag tank above for a period of naughty time? Could they live up there happily or is it not big enough?

Thanks.

 

[Alex Brown]

Ah i feel really mean. I borrowed a fish trap from my LFS today and just caught the smaller male of the pair. Poor guy is wigging out in the frag tank now.

 

[Alex Brown]

Both now caught.

If you need to catch a fish, I highly recomend a fish trap, caught both fish in under 5 minutes of putting the trap in the tank!

 

[stefday]

What is a fish trap?

 

[Alex Brown]