# Goby aggression, need suggestion



## stslimited84 (Oct 5, 2007)

Hey everybody,

I had 2 gobies in my 75 gal (see signature). I thought they were a pair, but the male started getting aggressive towards the female. I bought 2 additional females to hopefully solve the problem, and maybe form a pair.

Now the male is aggressive towards all three females, and hyper-aggressive towards the original female.

What should I do? I hate seeing them get picked on. I dont really have any refuge tanks for any of the females to go in.


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## zebra7 (Jan 24, 2004)

I've alway's kept my Eretmodus in group's containing a few male's and female's. For me this has alway's worked out well. Mate's have several female's to choose from, and the male's are alway's doing battle which seem's to take a bit of the heat off the female's. I'm currently spawning Eretmodus Kigoma and Kapampa. One group is housed with a colony of Tropheus Murago, the other group share a tank with Asprotilapia leptura. great fish !


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## triscuit (May 6, 2005)

These fish are difficult to sex without venting, as only some males develop the hump on the head and size isn't the best indicator. How old are these fish, and how did you determine their sex?

I have only been able to keep 1 pair of Erets per tank, and for a short while I had a trio. (The alpha female beat the holy living bejesus out of the other female after the second spawn.) As the pair formation progresses, things do get a bit nasty. Your fish will get picked on, and possibly killed during this phase. Even after a pair is formed, the male may beat on the female pretty hard on occasion. The aggression is normal for this species, and there's not much you can do about it in your aquarium other than provide safe escape routes and hiding places. In the wild, fish have more room to escape.

My best advice for getting a pair is to leave your four in the tank until you see a spawn. Nipped fins and missing scales heal quickly. If you see one that is constantly chased into a corner and beat up, you should be ready to find a new home for it. As with many other Tang cichlids, it's best to get a group in order to form a pair, and then the extras are removed.


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## stslimited84 (Oct 5, 2007)

triscuit said:


> These fish are difficult to sex without venting, as only some males develop the hump on the head and size isn't the best indicator. How old are these fish, and how did you determine their sex?
> 
> I have only been able to keep 1 pair of Erets per tank, and for a short while I had a trio. (The alpha female beat the holy living bejesus out of the other female after the second spawn.) As the pair formation progresses, things do get a bit nasty. Your fish will get picked on, and possibly killed during this phase. Even after a pair is formed, the male may beat on the female pretty hard on occasion. The aggression is normal for this species, and there's not much you can do about it in your aquarium other than provide safe escape routes and hiding places. In the wild, fish have more room to escape.
> 
> My best advice for getting a pair is to leave your four in the tank until you see a spawn. Nipped fins and missing scales heal quickly. If you see one that is constantly chased into a corner and beat up, you should be ready to find a new home for it. As with many other Tang cichlids, it's best to get a group in order to form a pair, and then the extras are removed.


I dont know the age, and I'm sure their age is too hard to determine b/c they are wilds. They were sexed by the supplier. The male is clearly larger than the 3 females, and the 3 females are all approx. the same size.

The original female has a nipped tail both, it doesnt seem too bad (although its not my tail, lol). Most of the time they all have their own spots, with the original female occasionally swimming at the top of the tank.

My problem is I dont have a place to take extra fish after a pair forms, or when I need to remove aggressive fish.

Thoughts?


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## Charles (Feb 25, 2003)

I can't help you. I tried twice and the same male killed everyone. I always started with 6 fish first in my 75 gallon then tried again in my 125 gallon.

Anyway, but I can help to give your passive fish a break. Try getting a 4" long black PVC pipe. Drill 2 small holes on the same side. Then attach 2 suction cups. Then stick that pvc pipe on the top corner of your tank where your passive fish is going to be at. Then it can stay in there for a break. It also works for most fish.


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## stslimited84 (Oct 5, 2007)

Charles said:


> I can't help you. I tried twice and the same male killed everyone. I always started with 6 fish first in my 75 gallon then tried again in my 125 gallon.
> 
> Anyway, but I can help to give your passive fish a break. Try getting a 4" long black PVC pipe. Drill 2 small holes on the same side. Then attach 2 suction cups. Then stick that pvc pipe on the top corner of your tank where your passive fish is going to be at. Then it can stay in there for a break. It also works for most fish.


I really hope your case doesnt turn out to be my luck with the gobies. They are quickly becoming a favorite of mine in the 75 gal (right behind the calvus!)

That idea is fantastic and I'm going to give it a try! Thanks Charles!


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## stslimited84 (Oct 5, 2007)

I think I have a pair with the gobies now! (fingers crossed). The male keeps circling with a female and is not attacking her. Also, when they rest they rest near each other!

Can somebody confirm this is pairing behavior? or even better, spawning behavior between the two (which indicates a pair)? :dancing:

keeping fingers crossed.

I'm also going to get that pvc pipe for the gamma female b/c she is still being banished to the top of the tank it seems...so I'm hoping that helps her out.


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