Cardinal Fish being aggressive?

[Begow]

My Bangaii Cardinalfish has always been very passive, and shy. He generally hides behind all the rocks, and anytime somebody walks by he hides.

 

My wife surprised me yesterday with a new very pretty dark purple Linear Blenny. Since the Blenny has been in the tank, the Cardinal no longer is hiding, and I'm not sure if he's being aggressive or not.

 

When the Blenny comes out to graze, the Cardinal doesn't really chase him, but follows him really slowly nd then the Blenny goes back into his hole. When the Blenny sticks his head out of his hole, the Cardinal slowly goes face first to him like hes trying to stare at him.

 

 

I'm hoping this is just him checking the Blenny out, and not a sign of aggression. Since the Cardinal facechecked the Blenny, the Blenny has been in hiding. He recently stuck his head out, and the Cardinal moved in that general direction and was about 5 inches away from him just looking at him. As I'm writing this the Blenny is completely out and grazing on algae, cardinal didn't notice so maybe it will be fine, I'm not sure.

 

Have you guys experienced an aggressive Cardinal? I just don't want to have a dead fish from stress on my hands.

[Mckinney0171]

I bought a "bonded pair" from Diver's Den a couple weeks ago. Unfortunately, I have already had to seperate them as the larger one (male?) was being really agressive with the other one when I was away from the tank. When I would walk up on the tank the agression would stop. But, the smaller cardinal had shredded fins and was always hiding underneath rocks or swimming at the tank surface. From what I have read they can be pretty aggressive.

[CronicReefer]

Cardinals are usually fin nippers so I would just watch for any signs of that on your blenny. The cardinal is most likely trying to establish territory or just checking him out.