Hawkfish atacking new six line wrasse

[RickyRicardo183]

Yesterday I bought a 1 1/2 inch six line wrasse, in my reef tank I have two ocellaris clownfish and a 2 1/2 inch hawk fish. Right when I introduced him my clownfish came to observe him, and the first thing my hawkfish does is dart quickly towards him and attack him. He was nonstop attacking him as if he was trying to eat the him. I separated the wrasse today but is there any way to stop this aggression? Or should I just return the six line wrasse to the lfs?

 

[Cliving1]

What size tank is it? Personally I would return the six line, they can get aggressive in their own right. Hawks are much cooler imo.

 

[madweazl]

What Cliving said! 6 lines are punks!

 

[RickyRicardo183]

The tank is 40 gallons, so is there no chance of the six line wrasse and the hawkfish getting along? Would the hawkfish kill it even though the six line is aggressive?

 

[madweazl]

6 lines arent worth having in smaller tanks. Over time, they start to harass everything.

 

[RickyRicardo183]

Well thanks for letting me know I'll be returning him next week.

 

[steallife904]

i have a large longnose hawk in my reef. he is aggressive to any new fish I put in the tank. I normally shut the lights off while putting in new fish now and leave off until the next day. seems to work for me.

 

[RickyRicardo183]

Yeah I tried it last night and today no more aggression is being shown I'll definitly be trying this when I get new fish.

 

[iLLwiLL]

I'd ditch the 6 line and the hawkfish. I got one for a 75 mixed reef because my girlfriend fell in love with the "mowhawk fish" at the LFS and it was one of the first fish in the tank. Now it's a total dick to anything new that gets added, attacking on sight whenever said new addition is anywhere but the top 1/3 of the tank and/or on the rock work or sand.

The minute I upgrade tanks he's either going in the sump or back to the store for credit.

 

[scooter31707]

They can be aggressive to newcomers, that's why it is actually recommended to add all peaceful fish 1st. IMO, I think a 40 gal is on the small side for Hawk.