Watchman Gobies no longer getting along

[AquaDan]

About a week ago I introduced two yellow watchman gobies and two ocellaris clowns into my 125 gallon system. All 4 were quarantined together for a month in a 10-gallon tank.

The gobies were inseparable while in in QT and for the first few days in the display they were always together, even sharing the same hole underneath a piece of rock. I noticed the past couple of days that they were not together as much and over the weekend, I noticed the slightly larger one constantly chasing the smaller one around the tank. I'm not sure what to make of this change in behavior but the smaller one is now spending his time on top of the rocks.

This is bumming me out because they seemed to be getting along so well in the beginning and it would be a serious PIA to try and catch the aggressive goby but I'm concerned for the well being of the smaller guy. Has anyone experienced this before?

Any and all advice would be appreciated.

 

[NYreefNoob]

i would wait and see what happenes, now that they are in a different enviroment the mood might have changed a little and finding the dominance and if i remember you got two small one's and my be deciding m/f

 

[Waleedwale1]

Maybe get 2 pistol shrimp to keep them busy? I had a goby and blenny fight for a while, the blenny was biting the goby. I took him out and put him in my 6 gal for 5 days and when I put him back my goby bite him hard once and they've understood territories ever since.

 

[AquaDan]

i would wait and see what happenes, now that they are in a different enviroment the mood might have changed a little and finding the dominance and if i remember you got two small one's and my be deciding m/f

Thanks ReefNoob! Yes they were small when I got them and now one is slightly larger and more aggressive than the other. The smaller guy is still hanging out on top of the rocks. Whatever it is I hope they resolve it because I'd hate to see the little guy get bullied.

 

[AquaDan]

Maybe get 2 pistol shrimp to keep them busy? I had a goby and blenny fight for a while, the blenny was biting the goby. I took him out and put him in my 6 gal for 5 days and when I put him back my goby bite him hard once and they've understood territories ever since.

You would think that 6 feet of space would be plenty for two gobies who are barely an inch big but I guess not! The aggressive one seems to own the bottom of the tank. I notice that she often opens her mouth very wide. If I remember correctly, gobies do this as a defensive mechanism but she's clearly in charge so not sure what she feels threatened by.

 

[NYreefNoob]

its a dominance thing, one will always want to be top dog, look to see where they both sleep at night

 

[Waleedwale1]

You would think that 6 feet of space would be plenty for two gobies who are barely an inch big but I guess not! The aggressive one seems to own the bottom of the tank. I notice that she often opens her mouth very wide. If I remember correctly, gobies do this as a defensive mechanism but she's clearly in charge so not sure what she feels threatened by.

Mine are in a biocube lol and they co exist. Take out the dominant one and put him in a different tank or sump for a few days, and then put thin back. They might co exist or the roles might have switched, cover up the cave if the dominant goby has one so he feels new when introduced again, let him learn his place then uncover his cave or lair. My goby does the big mouth thing if the blenny comes right next to him but neither actually bite or fight each other any more.

 

[AquaDan]

Its been a month and unfortunately, the larger gobie continues to chase the smaller one around the tank. This is really pissing me off. The smaller guy does not have any torn fins and he eats like crazy. Its just that he cant get a moments peace because he is constantly chased.

I'm thinking I should put the bully in my QT since its currently set up but how do you catch a 1 1/2" goby in a 125 gallon tank with 140lbs of rock???