Agressive Dojo Loach

[ZannaClaire]

I've got a dojo loach and four 3-4" goldfish in a 29 gal tank with drift wood and a few plastic plants (I know they will outgrow it, they are moving to a pond this summer). The dojo is chasing around my shubunkin and "chews" on his side like a parasite or something. Shubunkin looks stressed. Dojo chases other goldies a bit, but shubunkin is bothered the most. Should I get another dojo (do they do best in groups) would he leave the goldies alone then, or should I get rid of him?

 

[black angel]

Its not common for dojos to do this as they are usually a peaceful fish. What are you feeding him?

 

[LucyHurst]

mine do the exact same thing i have two and it doesnt make any difference.. they mostly do it after feeding the goldfish as they can 'taste' the food smell coming out the goldies gills and go for it.. i get pretty scared they are gunna do some serious damage.. or when the goldies get bigger they might even fit inside the gills im considering re homing them, but im just so attached..

 

[ZannaClaire]

I feed him shelled peas, fish flakes and some shrimp pellets

 

[emma12321]

Hi,

Are you sure its a dojo http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=35030 and not one of these http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=98998 if it is a dojo they should be in groups of 3+, it's unusual for them to do this to goldfish.

Emma

 

[ZannaClaire]

Jim is a dojo. I think he pretty much killed my shubunkin. Poor Nate. I moved him to a hospital bucket, but I'd be suprised if he's still alive tomarrow morning. He is floating just below the surface of the water with his nose up and tail down, he won't eat. I fed the other fish and Jim is chasing Svjetlana goldfish now. I don't know what to do with Jim, I don't have any other thing to put him in, the petshop won't take him back, and I don't want a bunch of dojos killing everything. I did some reaserch befor I got him and most sites said they go great with goldies and are best by themselves (solitary dojo) or very large groups of dojos because of dominance, will pick on the little one, blahblahblah.

 

[ZannaClaire]

Ugly Nate died. He was the 4th favorite goldfish I ever had. Nice way to start my 17 b-day, eh? All the other fish look fine.

I must be goldfish cursed or something. Nathan, Svjetlana, and Crunchy were attaked by racoons in their outdoor pond last summer. Nathan and Crunchy were eaten (I guess he finally lived up to his name), Svjetlana was half dead when I found her, but she is alive and well and is a bit over a year old now. Now Ugly Nate died and I only had him for less than half a year.

 

[black angel]

Sorry about your fish, thats really sad.
Im wondering if there might be some territory problems. Is the tank big enough for them all?

 

[ZannaClaire]

No, the goldies are fine together, it's the dojo and racoons that are killing everyone. Tank is 29 gallons, inside the house so no more racoon problems.

 

[LucyHurst]

omg, im sorry.. ok that scared me now.. im gunna seriously have to find these guys homes.. my tank is overstocked, but id say there is room for them, two 2" goldfish and the two dojos.. in 15 gallon (i thought it was 20 when i bought it ) the dojos get along fine, one is bigger than the other but theres no territory issues with them..