pink candy hogfish aggression

[Tzwizzle]

I recently added a pink candy hogfish and a fairy wrasse into my 60g at the same time. The first 3 or 4 days they were peaceful towards each other but over the last couple days the hogfish will chase the wrasse into a cave if he catches him out in the open. The hogfish doesn't bother any of the other fish. Should I be concerned? Wrasse is still eating and doesn't appear overly stressed or damaged. I thought fairy wrasses are usually the bully and semi aggressive? Just to note both fish are about 2-3in long.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Bodianus bimaculatus is significantly more aggressive than a fairy wrasse. There are a handful of fairy wrasses that can be considered semi aggressive, but most of them fall into the peaceful catagory. Meanwhile, hogfish would fall into the semi aggressive/aggressive catagory, with aggression being particularly focused toward other wrasses.

Depending on the species of fairy it is possible that the aggression you are describing is as bad as its going to get and the fairy can handle it. It is possible the aggression will gradually get less, but also possible it will gradually increase. Monitor and be prepared to take action.

Even though Bodianus bimaculatus is small for a hogfish their personality is a little too large for a60g as it grows IME.

 

[steelersfan]

I totally agree with the above statement. I had a similar situation, in a larger tank, with a small Neopercularis Hogfish from Diver's Den. At first, he coexisted fine with the other fairy wrasses, but after he became comfortable, he would constantly chase my Earlei Wrasse around the tank. I even tried putting the hogfish in an acclimation box for a few days, but it did not help. For that reason, I had to remove the hogfish to another tank. IMO, you will need to separate the two fish.