My Wrasse Hates His New Tankmate

[JohnnyHildo]

its been a couple of weeks now since i went into my lfs to pick up my newest fish, a purple tang. it spent a year in a tank that wasn't being properly kept and had little if any water changes in that time and having been waiting for the right time to get a tang i welcomed it to my system.
it was added to a system that houses 2 ocellaris clowns, 1 bangaii cardinal, 1 firefish, 1 goby, 1 mandarin and a yellow and purple wrasse. the first couple of days were more or less just a new nervous fish finding its way in a new environment but the tang never really showed any aggression and hasn't since. regardless of the lack of aggression my wrasse took exception to it joining the family and is holding position where it sleeps under my pukani. while i kind of anticipated the wrasse to go into hiding after being jostled off the top spot by a bigger, tougher fish i at least expected it would re-emerge and now i'm starting to wonder if it'll ever return... been 10 days now
how long have your wrasses gone into solitary confinement before showing up again?

 

[jbvdhp]

What kind of wrasse? I love/hate my purple tang. It's pretty and pretty damn mean. It's relentless towards some fish to the verge of almost killing them. I don't think your PT killed your wrasse but they are known bullies. Depending on the species of wrasse some go into the sand to hide, but as you know... Most wrasses like to jump so check your floor


Sent using your IP address

 

[OrionN]

If you still see the wrasse the. It is OK. He will get over it. If you don't see the wrasse at all then look. He may be on the floor or in the overflow or sump

 

[JohnnyHildo]

What kind of wrasse? I love/hate my purple tang. It's pretty and pretty damn mean. It's relentless towards some fish to the verge of almost killing them. I don't think your PT killed your wrasse but they are known bullies. Depending on the species of wrasse some go into the sand to hide, but as you know... Most wrasses like to jump so check your floor


Sent using your IP address

my wrasse is a yellow and purple which is pretty much the exact appearance of a yellow coris but will keep the spots on its dorsal fin as it grows. i considered that the tang might be a jerk but i really haven't ever seen it cause much outside of its fast paced eating habits.

If you still see the wrasse the. It is OK. He will get over it. If you don't see the wrasse at all then look. He may be on the floor or in the overflow or sump

my tank is completely screened over but i will definitely take a closer look again.

 

[Deinonych]

my wrasse is a yellow and purple which is pretty much the exact appearance of a yellow coris but will keep the spots on its dorsal fin as it grows.

Is it Halichoeres leucoxanthus?

 

[JohnnyHildo]

Is it Halichoeres leucoxanthus?

yes i'd say so. when i google image it by that name i see 2 varieties, one yellow with a white belly like mine and the other which is solid yellow.

 

[evolved]

yes i'd say so. when i google image it by that name i see 2 varieties, one yellow with a white belly like mine and the other which is solid yellow.

Solid yellow is a different species; Halichoeres chrysus, but in any regard:

I assume the tank is a 120? In which case, I would hedge my bets on the Purple tang being aggressive towards the wrasse and forcing it into hiding. I suspect your thread title might be backwards; new tankmate hates the wrasse.

 

[JohnnyHildo]

Solid yellow is a different species; Halichoeres chrysus, but in any regard:

I assume the tank is a 120? In which case, I would hedge my bets on the Purple tang being aggressive towards the wrasse and forcing it into hiding. I suspect your thread title might be backwards; new tankmate hates the wrasse.

haha yes, i didn't discount the tang as maybe being a little troublesome with their "less than sterling" reputation. i did manage to spend a good deal of time around the tank the day i introduced it and really never noticed it causing any grief but no question something went down that jilted the wrasse.
ok so assuming it never comes back, am i going to have the same misfortune with something a little tougher like a 6-line? i really wasn't looking to add a bunch more fish to my system after the tang went in but i insist on my tank having a wrasse of some variety.

 

[bat21]

If you're just waiting for it to be bullied to death before getting a new wrasse, why don't you just give the wrasse away to someone who can put it in a better situation.

 

[OrionN]

I am sure her will be fine. Purple tang just have problem with other tangs and angels (other food competitor). I am sure the wrasse is not in hiding because what the Purple tang does.

 

[JohnnyHildo]

If you're just waiting for it to be bullied to death before getting a new wrasse, why don't you just give the wrasse away to someone who can put it in a better situation.

huh?
nobody said anything about the wrasse getting bullied let alone bullied to death. to reiterate, my wrasse is in hiding. there have been no acts of aggression on any other fish by the tang. my wrasse like most is nervous and hasn't shown back up.

 

[Triggerfish]

put the tang in the sump for a few and see if that makes any difference. if it does, then you may have to decide.

 

[JohnnyHildo]

Update:
so yesterday i spent some time enjoying my tank and right as i was about to get up this poked up.

today it did it again but decided after 18 days of being under the gravel to fully emerge. all that time it's a little skinnier but pretty much acting as if nothing ever happened. crazy!

 

[Deinonych]

Good to hear he's still alive. Hopefully he'll start coming out now.

 

[lifeoffaith]

My fairy wrasse is almost always in hiding. She comes out when it's eating time, but otherwise she just chills.

 

[JohnnyHildo]

Good to hear he's still alive. Hopefully he'll start coming out now.

alive and well!
there is a lot to be said for having the right amount of fish when certain species are involved. my tang has chilled out a ton and i think while there was never outright aggression it's conceded to just being the boss and not having to enforce it. instead of patrolling the tank it seems to just kind of coast around on the hunt for algae now.