Banggai Cardinal a bully?

HockeyRooster · Aug 25, 2020

I upgraded my 54 g to a 90g plus a sump. Tank is running good, parameters are good too.
Due to a leak and then a self caused heat / cool issue only one of my original fish survived the move (very sad about this still but I digress).
Along with the cardinal I added 2 tiny clowns, a fox face, a file fish and cleaner wrasse. There is a cleaner shrimp and a few crabs and snails.
The cardinal seems to bully the file fish and fox face. I’ve seen it head butt and bite the file fish. It will also try to get in the way of the fox face but clearly it is mindful of the foxface’s poisonous top fin.
Is this common from cardinals? Is there anything I can do about it? I don’t see any cuts or sores but I also don’t like the behaviour.

FangsAndGames · Aug 26, 2020

How many do you have. Fish in the wild want two things a mate and food. Territory is the best way to accomplish this. All fish will squabble and establish a pecking order. If the bullying is causing you to lose fish or is just to much for you or your fish to Handel you can always trade it in to your LFS for a new one. Never really heard of them being bullys either.

HockeyRooster · Aug 26, 2020

I only have the fish listed above; 6 in a 90g and they are all small. Only months old. I haven’t lost a fish due to this ‘bullying’ and there are no sores or wounds.
The fish seem to congregate in one are of the tank and I think it has to do with flow in the tank. Is it possible the flow is too high (it’s certainly not low) and this is causing them to congregate in a small spot which is then causing them to fight? There are a ton of hides and places for everyone to go.

F i s h y · Aug 26, 2020

I've only ever had cardinals be aggressive towards other cardinals so I have no answer. I love the screen name @HockeyRooster

dennis romano · Aug 26, 2020

I bought 4 together. I figured that they would school together. Within a month, the largest killed the two smallest. Two years later, it tolerates the other but still chases it, just not as violently.

FangsAndGames · Aug 26, 2020

I'll use an example: Anthias. Anthias are schooling fish but don't do well in small groups, heres why. Anthias live in giant schools in the wild in the dozens and hundreds. Their is a dominant male who takes control of a small harem of 8-20 females. Their will be a dominant male, subordinate female, and other lower ranking females. With large groups the anthias constantly squabble amongst themselves and no one is singularly picked on. That way all members are healthy enough to survive and still healthy enough to challenge dominant or higher ranking females or even the male. Either get a pair or get 6,8, or 10 to disperse aggression. That way they can concentrate their aggression on each other instead of other fish. Do not get an odd number as that could cause one to be singled out. Also if you can increase feedings and do small feedings as many times a day as you can.

CookieRdReef · Aug 26, 2020

Maybe try a mirror to take his attention/aggression .

FangsAndGames · Aug 26, 2020

LOL, "you want some of this huh huh?"

HockeyRooster · Aug 26, 2020

Thanks for all the replies everyone!! Unfortunately I only have on cardinal because when I got 2 originally, I must have got two of the same sex as one died pretty soon after i got them. Now I wouldn’t know how to sex it so I don’t think I can add a second to the tank to give it a mate.
I’ll continue to observe and may have to remove this one and add a couple more after he/she is gone.