Poll - 6 Lined Wrasse Aggression

[Labridaedicted]

Presently I don't have one (don't need that pod competition with dragonettes), but have I have had them in the past. It was kind of hit or miss on behavior. I find in small tanks, they tend to be very pugnacious in particular towards other active fish. In larger systems, they've been pretty benign even towards other wrasses.

 

[sfin52]

The reason I’ll never get one they are big bullies.

 

[becks]

It’s a shame they are beautiful fish, when I set up my tomato clownfish and anemone tank, I will add a sixline.... I’m quite confident the tomato clowns will keep the sixline in place

 

[atoll]

Over my 37 years keeping marines I have had a number of 6 lines in various sets ups and sizes of tanks and they have never been a problem with other fish. Sure, sometimes a newly introduced fish will be chased but they soon settle down. However, I have always kept them in pairs, IME it appears to me one will become male the other will stay female. IMO the male seems to need females to dominate and prevent them from turning into males and without a female they male may feel the need to channel his aggression towards other fish in the tank.

 

[hyprc]

Lol I don't have the appropriate option to select. He IS evil incarnate, my mom calls him the Devil fish because he kills absolutely everything we put in the tank that's near his size or smaller. This guy has killed 3 Banggai Cardinals, 1 Hi-Fin Goby (and subsequently his tiger pistol shrimp), 1 Purple Firefish, and now he's picking on the best algae eater I've ever come across and cute as hell Lawnmower Blenny. I regret NO decision more than that of adding this wrasse to try to control a planaria problem which he didn't so much as touch... next time it'll be a Melanarius/Leopoard/Corris but NEVER again will I even CONSIDER a 6-Line...

 

[AKay3600]

I've had my six line in 29 Gallon for a few years now with a clown fish and a clown goby and for the most part he is nice. Occasionally he chases the Goby but I feel it is like a cat seeing something move and needing to attack. He usually just swims past it quickly. He is really only aggressive with his own reflection and will puff up and change colors while going after himself. I've thought about taking him out but couldn't bring myself to do it.

 

[AJsTank]

To say they are the spawn of the devil would be an understatement.

 

[atoll]

I've had my six line in 29 Gallon for a few years now with a clown fish and a clown goby and for the most part he is nice. Occasionally he chases the Goby but I feel it is like a cat seeing something move and needing to attack. He usually just swims past it quickly. He is really only aggressive with his own reflection and will puff up and change colors while going after himself. I've thought about taking him out but couldn't bring myself to do it.

Get him a female mate

 

[SashimiTurtle]

I had a six line and he was the only wrasse, but a model citizen. He jumped after I decided to move him to prevent any aggression because I planned on adding more wrasse. The coral shrimp was the one who was agressive and harassed the six line to the point he committed suicide by hardwood...

 

[mort]

I could never stay a marine keeper without a sixline but I choose to keep it on its own in a coral tank. I just love them but understand harmony is hard to achieve longterm without compromise and my compromise is giving it it's own sps reef.

 

[1979fishgeek]

I have TWO six line wrasse, leopard wrasse, peacock wrasse, melanurus wrasse in my display, all model citizens no fighting, no chasing, no bullying no issues at all. But they do have a lot of room, a lot of hiding places and food. That’s probably the reason.

 

[zuri]

I have one housed with a G.Nugget Maroon and a Starry Blenny..... just yesterday the big lady shook him down for a cleaning. I did not think 6 lines cleaned I don't think he did ither but he did. The Starry Blenny on the other hand is 3 now and quite large and full of hateful spunk so my 6-line is constantly the victim.

 

[Mical]

My spotted grouper made meals out of the (2) 6 lines wrasses I added. Most expensive fish food I've ever purchased.

 

[Mical]

After the fact "add with caution"

 

[GoVols]

I had a six line one time. It was a nice fish, but it ate all my pods

So, I just pass on all wrasses after that one

 

[azreeftank]

I have in my 200G a 6 line with a Cleaner, Yellow Coris, and Leopard wrasses and all have been fine for over 2 years. In fact you would never even know they are in the same tank.i keep them with a Mandarin and Red Scotter and whole bunch of other fish including skunk clowns and percula clown and I have never had a problem adding any small Fish.

 

[Fritzhamer]

I’ve also had a six line in every tank I’ve kept. They are ferocious hunters and tend to not like anything shaped like them (pseudochromis).
In my experience non-schooling ocean fish see similar shaped fish as competitors and thus chase them out of their territory.

I’ve always kept them with radiant wrasse without any issue.

 

[cracker]

I had a 6 line once upon a time. Can't remember if it was a Butt Head or not.

 

[lester lloyd]

I’ve had mine for about six months now he doesn’t bother any other fish especially my wrasses until two weeks ago I bought two new wrasses bluesided fairy wrasses small as he is and he chased both of them now I don’t see them but he has never bothered any wrasse before once I caught him chasing one of my female pink margin wrasse the he left her alone I even purchased an exquisite and he never bothered him but I won’t stop I got him to eat nudibrach on my zoas since I’ve had him all my zoas have blossomed so he was well worth the 28$ I spent I’ll try larger wrasses next time

 

[OnPointCorals Verified Sponsor]

Willl never have a six line in a display tank again and never not have one in a frag tank.