Fairy Wrasse Aggression

[krzyphsygy]

I just put two fairy wrasses in my DT after a QT period. I QTd them seperately, each one with a Bartlett Anthias. I introduced all four fish together. This was about 4 days ago. Now the Exquisite wrasse is really chasing the Scotts fairy wrasse.
I have seen people do alot of wrasses in one tank but this might not work out. I feel bad for the Scotts fairy wrasse. Both are really beautiful fish, but they do kinda look the same?
The tank is a 125 with 130lbs of LR.

The exquisite is like terrorizing him now, chasing him everywhere. Any ideas on what I can do to stop the aggression? I heard maybe take the aggressor out and sump him for a few days and then put him back in?

 

[jvdub20]

Putting one in an acclimation box might help with the aggression. That way they can get used to each other without any serious problems.

 

[ingtar_shinowa]

+1 on the box. Only way i add wrasse to my tank.

 

[reef80]

Just having the same problems with adding a carpenter with a blue headed...n blue headed is vicious...but aggression is somewhat died down. Have a trio of flames adding in a month n very hesitant now...210 gallon with 250 lbs of live rock...I like the box idea though...

 

[evolved]

Putting one in an acclimation box might help with the aggression. That way they can get used to each other without any serious problems.

Yup, exactly what you should do.

However, the Scott's is a known aggressor. It's VERY likely if you get this aggression from the exquisite to stop now, the Scott's will present a problem much greater than this down the road. You might thinking about just re-homing the Scott's at this point.

Just having the same problems with adding a carpenter with a blue headed...n blue headed is vicious...but aggression is somewhat died down. Have a trio of flames adding in a month n very hesitant now...210 gallon with 250 lbs of live rock...I like the box idea though...

What species do you mean when you say Blue Headed? If you're talking about Thalassoma bifasciatum, you're headed for a world of trouble.

 

[krzyphsygy]

That's unusual, the Scott's is the docile one of all my fish, the exquisite is the aggressor.

 

[elegance coral]

That's unusual, the Scott's is the docile one of all my fish, the exquisite is the aggressor.

What you're seeing is unusual. Sometimes these fish just don't read the rule book telling them how they should behave. Typically, exquisite wrasses are relatively calm. Scott's can be, and are often, jerks. I have an exquisite, but I won't put another Scott's in my system, no matter how pretty it is.

 

[krzyphsygy]

Well I am sorry to say I found my Scott's wrasse on the carpet yesterday. The exquisite chased it out of the tank. I was in the process of building a screen lid for the tank and I did not get it done quick enough. It's my fault, I should have finished it faster. It appeared the aggression was diminishing but I guess I was wrong.
I did add them both at the same time so that does not always work.

 

[ingtar_shinowa]

A screen top is a must for wrasses. He would have jumped without any aggression, it is just their 'way.'

 

[solitude127]

I'm sorry to hear. Even with a screen top, they still seem to know how to jump out. One day when I was feeding, I slid my screen top a couple of inches to pour the food in and out jumped one of my wrasses.

 

[ingtar_shinowa]

Lol I've had that happen too!

 

[MFR]

I have a tank full of wrasses. In addition to an in tank "box" for a few days, I always put a mirror up to a tank wall upon release of the newcomer(s). Just a standard handheld one The fish are then more interested in fighting their reflections than the newcomer(s). Works every time. I have a 240 with a pair of flames, pair of rhomboids, pair or eight line flashers, pair of pylei, an exquisite and a labouti. The bonus is that all the fish start flashing at their reflections. I plan on adding a few more and will use the same technique(this helps with other fish too)

.

 

[d-man]

MFR, haven't seen you on our San Diego forum lately. I'd love to see your tank as I'm a wrasse nut as well. Currently in my display I have a red velvet, balteous, clown female, and two female hooded fairy(one is starting to transition). In qt there is a 8 line flasher, labouti, whipfin, 2 female flames, orange shoulder, and an exquisite. I lost my lineatous, and rhomboid in qt

 

[MFR]

MFR, haven't seen you on our San Diego forum lately. I'd love to see your tank as I'm a wrasse nut as well. Currently in my display I have a red velvet, balteous, clown female, and two female hooded fairy(one is starting to transition). In qt there is a 8 line flasher, labouti, whipfin, 2 female flames, orange shoulder, and an exquisite. I lost my lineatous, and rhomboid in qt

Ha, thanks for the look out! I've been on no forums for a while. Newborns, teenagers and lots of work at play. You're welcome to come by anytime! Wrasses are my favorite. Cheers!

 

[reef80]

Yup,Cirrhilabrus irrhilabrus exactly what you should do.

However, the Scott's is a known aggressor. It's VERY likely if you get this aggression from the exquisite to stop now, the Scott's will present a problem much greater than this down the road. You might thinking about just re-homing the Scott's at this point.


What species do you mean when you say Blue Headed? If you're talking about Thalassoma bifasciatum, you're headed for a world of trouble.

It looks like one of these..
Bluehead Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus cyanopleura)...should I be concern in the long run...not that aggressive that much but will still chase my flasher from time to time and tolerating him more...

 

[evolved]

^ No, nothing to worry about there.