We have had our Blackmoor fish Bobby for about three years now but after about a month after getting him we got him a friend. He butted the fish around the tank until it died so we decided as he could not play nice he would live a life of solitude.

Earlier this week we bough a new tank as the other seems to be leaking. As this tank is larger than his previous home we though we would try again to socialise him. We bough a Fantail today and it appears that the same is happening.

I telephone Wayside in Oldcotes, the fish shop which we bough both fish from, and they said that if it continued to bring the fish back and they would replace it as sometime if a fish is ill the healthy fish butts it.

Now, I am not saying I don't want a friend for Bobby but if the same is going to happen again I don't want to cause a health fish distress by being butted. Has anyone else come across this? Could there be another reason for it happening? Do you thing that Bobs like being the lone fish?

I know I sound like a right mad woman but ...... what the hell it's Saturday

Just as an update he continued his relentless butting through the night so we decided ytd to take the new fish back to Wayside.

I hope it finds a better home next time around

I had to take my blackmoor back to the shop as it was bullying the other fish. I was told it was uncommon for them to be bullies but he really making a mess of the other fish. :(

Our black moor fish used to bully our other fish, one lost an eye because of his head butting.

Doesn't seem that uncommon, I still love black moors though.

I am not up on coldwater fish. However I keep African Cichlids and they can be very terrotorial. i know black moors can be difficult to sex - is your definately male?

This isnt for every type of fish but just a few things about my fish which may help to avoid aggression:
Never house 2 males together with no females. For some fish a pair - male and female is best for others a male and 3 females to each male.

Re-arrange the tank when you have new arrivals, these means everyone has to find a new home and not just the new fish moving into someone elses spot.

Allow some shelter such as plants, plant pots to fish can 'get away' for each other.