Fish killed new addition within hours

[dmmitchell]

Subject says it. I’m still a bit of a reefing newbie … I added a fairy wrasse to an established tank and within hours the tank mates killed it.

The clownfish and six line wrasse seemed most aggressive.

Is there anything I can do differently in the future to be able to add new fish without this happening?

 

[Cell]

What size tank? An aggressive 6-line is a real problem. A mean clown isn't great either but sometimes a timeout in an acclimation box can help.

 

[SaJon]

Subject says it. I’m still a bit of a reefing newbie … I added a fairy wrasse to an established tank and within hours the tank mates killed it.

The clownfish and six line wrasse seemed most aggressive.

Is there anything I can do differently in the future to be able to add new fish without this happening?

Oh Wow , I am so sorry for your loss. I've seen six line get aggressive toward other wrasses but the clown is surprising me. What kind of clown do you have ?

 

[dmmitchell]

It’s a 40 gallon cube.

 

[dmmitchell]

Oh Wow , I am so sorry for your loss. I've seen six line get aggressive toward other wrasses but the clown is surprising me. What kind of clown do you have ?

A percula clownfish. He hasn’t seemed overly aggressive in the past but when I added the wrasse, he was really upset about it and immediately started attacking it.

 

[SaJon]

A percula clownfish. He hasn’t seemed overly aggressive in the past but when I added the wrasse, he was really upset about it and immediately started attacking it.

Wow.. I am so sorry. How does the clown and the six kine get along any aggression?

 

[Tamberav]

Subject says it. I’m still a bit of a reefing newbie … I added a fairy wrasse to an established tank and within hours the tank mates killed it.

The clownfish and six line wrasse seemed most aggressive.

Is there anything I can do differently in the future to be able to add new fish without this happening?

Research all purchases heavily on compatibility. Sixlines generally do not tolerate other wrasses and I would never try to mix them. Clownfish can also be aggressive depending on type and tank size and just general individual temperament.

Generally you want to add the most aggressive fish last. You may have to remove the sixline in order to add fish. Possibly the clownfish too. You could try trading the clownfish in for a juvi.

Saltwater tanks are not community tanks like freshwater. Fish generally want territory and will chase others away or kill them since there is no where to really run away in a glass box. Compatibility and stocking order can have a big impact. Fish can even be fine together for a few years and then get ugly as they usually get more aggressive as they mature.

Sometimes adding a fish that occupies a different area of the tank can work. You also want plenty of live rock/territory and hiding spaces.

I would try to plan out a general list of fish you want that are compatible and then decide order to add them.

 

[dmmitchell]

Wow.. I am so sorry. How does the clown and the six kine get along any aggression?

Nah, they live in peace. Only other tank mate is a pink spotted sand sifting goby. He keeps to himself in a cave under the rock work and comes out only for food.

The tank being otherwise peaceful made me comfortable in adding this fish, but definitely wrong about that one.