Sixline Wrasse Question ...

S

Shane5four

New member
I have a 20 gallon high tank. For 3 months a clownfish and sixline wrasse existed without any problems. I also have some small colonies of corals in the tank (mushrooms,zoas, xenia, hammer).

Yesterday after lights out i added a royal gramma to the tank. It was to be my last fish added since its just a 20 gallon. I knew i was taking a chance after reading about the sixlines behavior patterns but i wanted to try. He's been so peaceful with the clownfish so far.

The gramma darted right for caves in the live rock after acclimation and the first time i saw him was when i fed the tank this afternoon. After feeding time was over he went back into his hidden spots. The sixline wrasse didnt pay him much mind... kinda cruised by to check him out when he poked his head out but it didnt look confrontational.

Tonight however, while the moonlights were on the sixline attacked the clownfish ...And the clownfish wasnt even down in the rockwork area where the sixline usually cruises. i broke it up after a few seconds with a turkey baster i had nearby... but then it happened again.

Is the wrasse taking his new fish anger out on the clownfish even though he wasnt the new fish? Ive never seen either of them be aggressive so it was quite startling.

The lights are off now and everyones sleeping... but im thinking about making a DIY water bottle trap tonight so i can be ready to try to get the sixline out tomorrow if the same behavior occurs.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated...

Thanks,

--todd
 
My guess is in that small of a tank the sixline will only get worse with age. I had one in a 40 gallon and he was a terror to any new fish added after him.
 
Well, this morning when the fish became active i noticed that the sixline wrasse went after the clown again. Sad. Had to remove the sixline. The water bottle trick worked in about 10 minutes. Sixline back to the LFS and i brought home a tiny little yellow clown goby. I decided i wanted the most un-bullyish fish in the store. haha.

I read about a Pink streaked wrasse and asked the LFS to order one for me. Apparently it doesnt have the mean streak of the sixline.
 
I had a 6 line that would take out his frustration on my clown as well. Something would happen on the other side of the tank and the 6 line would race over to the clown. I had an RBTA in the tank so the clown would just hop in the anemone but it was interesting to see the wrasse go for the clown vice what set it off in the first place.
 
Sixline nasty fish mine has killed a pair of mc cosker flashers and red sea 8 line flasher male so far. I cant catch it and i dont want to brake down the tank i guess i have to live with it
 
i had to evict my six line a while back for similar behavior. i have a 75G, so not a small tank, and he would mercilessly torment my clowns. even leading to one going carpet surfing while we were out.

the clowns were always in a top corner of the tank and the sixline would get a head of steam from halfway across the tank and hit in to them.

ended up spending 4 - 5 days attempting to trap him. finally got him out and took him back to the LFS. everyone is much happier.

it sucks because he was a beautiful fish, had a great personality, and was always in motion, but he was just too much of a bully.
 
I had been considering a six line, but there are just so many stories of them being mean fish. A pink streaked was recommended to me, and that's what I was leaning toward. Let us know what you think of yours when it arrives!
 
I now have a carpenters flasher wrasse who is a pretty cool fish. Seems to get along well with my other tank mates and is always active.
 
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