Aggressive flying fox

[Nevin]

Hi,

About a month ago I added a flying fox to my tank and have had no problems with him until recently. A few days ago he started nipping at my 3 rainbow fish (bigger than him, but not aggressive). One of them died and I took out the others--would have removed the flying fox but he kept hiding in the plants! Worried that he might go for the neons next...

Any ideas what might have caused this sudden personality change? Would he do better if I put him with the more aggressive fish (2 angels and 4 tiger barbs)?

20g planted: 1 flying fox, 2 unhappy rainbow fish, 8 neon tetras, 6 Amano shrimp. 55w PC 6700k, Aquaclear 50, pressurized CO2. Flora base, Flourish trace, Excel, occasional nitrogen.

10g semi-planted: 2 angels, 4 tiger barbs. 15w strip light, Aquaclear 30, gravel.

Thanks!

Regards,
Nevin

[Wasserpest]

Housing Angels and Tiger barbs and a Flying Fox together (or even any of them) into a 10 gal tank is not a good idea. All of them need more room. It's not that the Flying Fox is aggressive... it's in a tank that is way too small.

[Nevin]

It's not in the 10g or with the angels and barbs yet--do you think the size of the 20g is causing the aggression? Wouldn't surprise me as it would be about strike 4 against the LFS's stocking advice.... I haven't been able to find any information online on tank requirements--mostly found discussion of how hard it is to catch them.

The angels and barbs are small yet and will have a bigger home soon-- in exile from the 20g for disrespecting my plants.

Thanks,
Nevin

[mistergreen]

20G is still small for all those guys.

And flying fox can get a little aggressive as they grow. I have 2. The one dominate one chases the other FF and other fish.

[Wasserpest]

Yep, I think Flying Foxes and such need bigger tanks than 20gal. I have a ("False") Flying Fox in a 100gal tank, 4"+ and King of the tank. They just need some room to swim or they might turn claustrophobic and "aggressive". I would return the poor guy...