Strange Behavior

partobe · 11-12-2007, 07:49 AM

Hi Everyone!
Three months ago I bought 6 chalk bass (I think thats what they are called). At first all six schooled together and got along fine. About a month ago I noticed they had split up into three sets of twos. I figured they had found mates and decided to split. Now they are staying in the sets of twos but right before the lights go out at night they start fighting. Nothing dangerous (remember these are pink fish after all) so I'm not worried about them killing each other. I wonder why they seem to get along fine all day and then start fighting right before the lights go out? Ive watched all the fighting is over with in a cpl of min after the lights are out. No one ever seems to be really hurt from it but it is a little unsettling.
Thanks
Patrick

wyliecoyote · 11-12-2007, 08:03 AM

i've keptsingles before and they are pretty cool for atlantic fish. never tried groups, don't know if they are schooling fish. they may be fighting over sleeping space. any size tank is probably smaller than their territory in the wild and now you have six crammed in that space with other fish i'm guessing. nothing to back all this, just sounds likely to me. good luck.

Loverotties · 11-12-2007, 08:21 AM

I also not sure if they are schooling fish.

partobe · 11-12-2007, 08:27 AM

thanks George and wylie
the sites Ive seen them on and several diffrents sales people said they can be kept in groups. My tank is a 150 and besides them I have 4 other fish

ChrisPrusha · 11-12-2007, 08:45 AM

Sleeping space sounds like a possible cause to me, as well.

partobe · 11-12-2007, 09:09 AM

thanks Chris
Thats kinda what I thought it was. I have lots of rock work and they hang out in three diffrent areas durring the day. When I put food in the tank they all come togeher to eat with no fighting.

Hardhead Cat · 11-12-2007, 10:10 AM

Good morning Patrick, I agree, when the reef goes dark they are probably fighting over a place to bed down for the night - they can be territorial even in groups.

HHC

DarthOcellaris · 11-12-2007, 10:30 AM

Sounds logical to me too. Are the pairs fighting within each other ( like husband and wife ) or are the pairs fighting ( like one pair fighting another pair )

partobe · 11-12-2007, 10:52 AM

thanks HHC and Andy
during the day none of them fight and as soon as the mh goes off they get jumpy and about 10 min before the other lights go out you can see them darting at each other. Ive never seen the pairs go at each other it just seems to be at the other pairs not them selves.

jennmac415 · 11-12-2007, 10:53 AM

Patrick... I have 3 Blue-fin damsels... during the day they get along pretty well with the ocassional "scuffle"... but one night ,as i was watching the end of the day on the reef, I noticed that about the time the lights get ready to start going out...(my lights go out in 3 timed intervals) they start getting really testy with one another...it is kindof funny to watch, they swim around, each trying out sleeping spots and then darting out at any of the other 2 that may just happen to be around...no real damage has , so far, been done, so i figure it is just part of their nightly routine. My rockwork is set up so there are lots of nooks and crannies and caves etc... so sleeping spots are not hard to find. anyway... FWIW...

partobe · 11-12-2007, 10:57 AM

thanks Jenni
that's exactly what happens fighting with out damage. Ok I feel allot better no I wont be so worried.

DarthOcellaris · 11-12-2007, 11:01 AM

have any pics to share? I'd love to see all of them together.

partobe · 11-12-2007, 12:22 PM

Hi Andy
sorry no pic. Brian and I got a new antivirus on our pc and it wont let us download any pix