Roughly a month ago I removed all fish from my display tank and housed them in a temporary container of roughly 25 gallons (3' long and 2' deep). After rebuilding the tank I added everyone back in after about 2 weeks. The first few days everything was fine, one of my Talbots damsels (I have 4) that had previously been hiding was now happy to be out and about. A few days ago I noticed that two of the damsels (one in particular) were becoming overly aggressive. The smallest (the one that was hiding in the previous build) is hiding and won't even come out to eat, I'm trying to get it food, but this draws attention of all the fish into its area and I think is stressing it further. Another is hiding as well now. I've watched as the aggressive one chases them around the tank in laps, unrelenting in its need to nip at them. My tank is a 65 gallon, with at least 7 different caves and only 4 Talbot's, two clowns, and two red head gobies. The smallest Talbots has taken so much abuse in the last 3 days that it hardly has a tail left. Parameters were spot on two days ago (will check again tonight). I'm not sure what to do. I've read that Talbots can become aggressive and territorial when mating (the two that are dominating the tank are constantly side by side), but I've seen no indication that they are actively breeding and they haven't really picked a particular area, they just roam the tank. Even then, I've read that even when breeding that 60 gallons is plenty - 15 gallons per pair based on what I've read.
Any idea why this could be happening? I've had them all for a year. They were pretty small when I first got them, so they've grown up together. All my other fish are pretty chill.
Thanks for any advice or thoughts.
Any idea why this could be happening? I've had them all for a year. They were pretty small when I first got them, so they've grown up together. All my other fish are pretty chill.
Thanks for any advice or thoughts.