I am an idiot!...i should have known!!

[viking252200]

Well, as some of you might know, i have a 14" auranti , living in my big tank all alone....
I also have or i should say had..an argus in a grow out tank..and it really was getting a bit too small for it..around 10".

Soo, i decided to put the argus in together with the auranti....
The auranti was a bit bigger, but it is very docile, it will even allow feeders to go uneaten for quite some time..so i thought "it will be ok"...

I moved the argus and at first there wasn't any real problems..a bit of flaring of the gills from the auranti, that was about it..

I watched them for some hours and decided that it was safe to assume that there wasn't going to be any problems.

I turned off the lights and went to bed...next morning....well, it was not a good sight that awaited me!!
The argus was dead!...beaten to a pulp!..bite marks all over, fins shredded
eyes bitten through..it was a mess!!!

I really feel guilty!..i knew i shouldn't have done it, but i thought.....

So, i am an experience richer, though this is an experience i could be with out!!

 

[deangelo]

this goes for all teritorial fish not just SH thats why when i put new fish in a tank with other older fish i take the old fish out too and do a little redecorating so it seems that they are in a new tank or i add dither fish..well anyway sorry for your loss

 

[islander671]

sorry for your loss! when i commed my cobra snakehead and my red snakehead, i put a divider up for almost 2 months so they would familiarize themselves w/ each other in hopes of reducing any fighting. i was lucky as there were only a minor skirmish here and there during feeding, but other than that they commed well together. this method also worked when i introduced a gator gar and long nose gar to the same tank. all fish were over 12" to 18" range.

 

[stotty]

I feel your pain this happend to me yesterday


http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1396392#post1396392

 

[PhullTank57]

Sorry to hear about your loss, Viking. My condolences.

If ever you try combining SH specimans in the future again, perhaps try bagging up the "SH tank boss" for awhile first (in this case, your aurantic) while acclimating and adding the new addition to the tank.

This process will allow the newcomer to safely acclimate and adapt to it's new surroundings... at the same time calming and slowing down the aggression level of the already established dominant SH in the tank (again, your aurantic).

Also I suggest try rearranging and moving the tank decor around. This will elimimate any claimed territory or areas that has already been owned or claimed by the first dominat SH.

I have heard of some success of this working from others who have tried doing these things, but there is no guarantee. It's really up to you if you are willing to try and take the risk. GL!