?on adding fish

[sadie]

I got 2 pajama cardinals back in August and one of them just died.  It was there one day and gone the next.  No trace of it.  It had been hiding in the cave for a while, the other one kinda bullied it. Sometimes it wouldn't come out to eat and I would have to fight off the one fish so the other could eat.  There was no sign of sickness in either fish, sadly I think it might have starved or got eaten by something.  I just added a good sized emerals crab, but I don't think it would eat my fish )

 

I don't know what to do now.  I don't know if I should add another cardinal (but they were soooooo tiny when I got them) I'm afraid it wouldn't have a chance with the older one.  I don't know if I should get a different breed of fish, maybe a clown (they are my favorite), or just leave the one fish in there.

 

I have a 16 gal biocube.

[Clown79]

3 hours ago, sadie said:

I got 2 pajama cardinals back in August and one of them just died.  It was there one day and gone the next.  No trace of it.  It had been hiding in the cave for a while, the other one kinda bullied it. Sometimes it wouldn't come out to eat and I would have to fight off the one fish so the other could eat.  There was no sign of sickness in either fish, sadly I think it might have starved or got eaten by something.  I just added a good sized emerals crab, but I don't think it would eat my fish )

 

I don't know what to do now.  I don't know if I should add another cardinal (but they were soooooo tiny when I got them) I'm afraid it wouldn't have a chance with the older one.  I don't know if I should get a different breed of fish, maybe a clown (they are my favorite), or just leave the one fish in there.

 

I have a 16 gal biocube.

Not all fish will pair off. Cardinals are the same. So if they weren't paired to begin with or the same gender then it's very likely that there would be aggression.

https://www.fishlore.com/profile-pajamacardinalfish.htm

 

A lot of fish species can be kept in groups- in larger aquariums but in smaller ones it can be a problem.

https://animals.mom.me/can-pajama-cardinalfish-kept-alone-11053.html

 

 

[sadie]

thanks Clown, that's a good link.  Personally I'm okay with just one fish, but I was feeling bad for the fish.  I just always assume they all want to be with a bunch of other fish.   I think I will leave everything as is for now.  

 

Thanks again

[OrionN]

Cardinals are not hermaphrodites.  You just need to et a male and a female or else they will fight.  If they do, just change one.  You can exchange your for two at the LFS that seem to get along with each other.  Certainly your fish is a lot larger, the LFS may exchange your for a smaller one, especially if you buy another one in the process.  Anyway, talk to them and they may help, even put two in the same holding tank for you to see if it likely to work.

Clowns are easy.  These guys are hermaphrodites, so you can just add two small ones and will end up with a pair.  Certain species of clown, like maroon clowns this may not work due to their aggressiveness, but other smaller, more docile clowns, it is easy to pair them.

[sadie]

It's been a while since I posted this.  I have decided I do want to add more fish.  My Pajama Cardinal mostly hides in the cave.  I'm not sure if adding another fish will entice my fish to come out. My LFS does have a PJ cardinal about the same size as the one I have now. 

 

the only thing is when I asked if they take trade ins,(incase adding the new one didn't work) she said they do, but can't resell them.  They are considered "surrendered"  and they get adopted.  I'm not sure why-but that sounds terrible.

 

So now I don't know if I want to try the cardinal, or maybe get a pair of clowns.  Would a pair of clowns with the PJ cardinal be too much in a 16 gal?

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Leo_ian]

i think it may be a bit much. ironic if i say that since i am prone to overstocking my fish tanks. get a shrimp goby pair, ime the best entertainment out there

[sadie]

to update-  I have added a percula clown and a neon blue goby.  I added the goby first, then the clown.  That little goby chased my clown, would bite him and was soooo mean!!!  My husband named him little blue bast++d.  It took a bit, but now they all get along, they are always swimming and nobody hides in the cave!🙂

[jambon]

That seams like weird  behavior for a neon goby to attack a clownfish. I kept a trio of neon gobies before.. they would be mostly on the bottom and actually bred constantly laying the eggs in an old barnacle structure.  Are you sure it is not a fang blennie?

[sadie]

On 11/28/2020 at 8:25 AM, jambon said:

That seams like weird  behavior for a neon goby to attack a clownfish. I kept a trio of neon gobies before.. they would be mostly on the bottom and actually bred constantly laying the eggs in an old barnacle structure.  Are you sure it is not a fang blennie?

nope, blue neon goby.  But like I said, they all get along now.  But he sure was mean.