Coris Wrasse radical behavior change

[SCH]

I have had my yellow coris wrasse from juvenile 1.5-2" to now 2+yrs later probably 4" plus now. He jumped once during the first few mos. when I had cover off doing w/c - otherwise he's pretty happy in the tank (54 gal corner w/7-8 gal sump). It's VERY peaceful tank.
3yr old Snowflake clown
5mos (2) blue neon gobies
1 Mandarin Goby
Purple Reef Lobster
1 sand sifting star
Maybe 6 hermits left
Glass & Peppermint shrimp
All kinds of snails: turbos, conch, zebra trochus, cerith, bumblebee, nassarius
Lots of coral...

Once he learned the light schedule, he would come out no later than 2hrs after sunrise (7am) and he'd go to bed no earlier than dusk (7:30) but most days he would be out from 7:30a to 9-9:30p. He was very regular when it came to his breakfast!! I have my lights on a VERY gradual sun rise/set.

Over the last few weeks he would gradually come out much later and go in much earlier to the point where he just stopped coming out at all this past week. Upon rousting him out the other day the clown got aggressive with him. She is now in time out. He spent most of yesterday out (after I rousted him out). Today - he came out on his own, but still went back in a couple hours later - so was it really the clown - or was she just an aggravating contributor?? I'd never seen her actually go after him otherwise - just when I rousted him out and he went straight for her area.

He's NEVER done this before. Up until a few weeks ago for the 2+yrs he's been in the tank (with two purple firefish who happily lived out their days, a tomini tang until he got too big/territorial and a CBB - who unfortunately didn't make it) his behavior was very predictable. Sometimes he'd get scared and race around a little when I clean tank but he never hid! He's just never had anything to be THAT afraid of. The last thing to be added to the tank was the gobies 5mos ago. Aside from gobies - shrimp, macro algae, amphi & cope pods, a few snails, a hitchhiking crab and maybe a few pieces of coral have been added since tomini was removed about 8-9 mos ago. I had a little issue with undernourishment (which was only affecting the mandarin) but that has since been taken care of and he is very fat/happy again. There are plenty of amphi/copepods to go around.

After two years of such a regular pattern and so little environmental change I am at a loss.

-Has anyone else experienced this?
-Is it possible this is part of his metabolism changing as he develops into a more "terminal male"?
-What do I do with the clown? I can't keep her in time out forever......

 

[Sailfin11]

I've not kept a yellow coris, but can attest to my red coris. Over the 3 years I've had him he's been in two tank with two different pairs of clownfish - the maroon in my profile picture and a pair of Clarkiis. Both have always been aggressive with the wrasse. It might be the coloration or maybe the wrasse just wants to eat their eggs, despite him being the most peaceful fish in the tang. He's figured out they don't mess with him, when he swims with the tangs, so he isn't stressed continuously.

Anyways, I would say as long as yours is eating whenever he's out, he should be fine in the long term. Wrasses are very quick and can hide in the sand to avoid the clowns if need be. I've read that sometimes they can come out at night and hunt as well, so I see if he's doing that as well. Since he's lived in your tank for a long time, he knows where and when food is. They can stay in the sand for weeks just fine, so I wouldn't worry about digging him out. Keep us updated

 

[SCH]

That makes me feel a little better. He has come out specifically right around the time we usually feed when he does pop out so....hopefully putting little miss in time out for a bit (she's in a big netted breeder box and not stressed about it at all - so I'm not worried about her being in there for a bit) will 're-set' her territory markers and maybe we can all get along again for a little while - if it was her. I've heard this can work. Just a band-aid as she'll likely do it again, but at least it will help me gauge the issue. Thanks for the input - I certainly welcome any others!!