Reintroducing a fish

[DWill]

My female clown went Cujo on my Carpenters Wrasse after living peacefully for 19 months. Fortunately, I caught it before the Wrasse was killed. Unfortunately, the clown did some damage.

I pulled the Wrasse and put in the sump in an acclimation box for about three weeks; it lived and started to do better. About a week ago, I moved the Wrasse still in the acclimation box to the display. I recently moved it to a different location in the display; I plan to move it again in a week. My thinking is by moving it around the display in the box while it heals enough to go back in the display the other fish in the tank will be used to seeing in the tank in different locations. The Wrasse is doing much better; it's more active in the box and is starting to eat more. Other than some minor tears in a couple of fins, it's nearly recovered. Maybe another week and a half, and it should be ready to go back in the tank.

So my question; What's the best way to reintroduce it? My thoughts turn it loose at night after the lights are off. Is this a good idea, a bad idea, or am I just overthinking things?
The other fish, by the way, including Cujo, the clown, are completely ignoring the Wrasse in the box now.

 

[sfin52]

My female clown went Cujo on my Carpenters Wrasse after living peacefully for 19 months. Fortunately, I caught it before the Wrasse was killed. Unfortunately, the clown did some damage.

I pulled the Wrasse and put in the sump in an acclimation box for about three weeks; it lived and started to do better. About a week ago, I moved the Wrasse still in the acclimation box to the display. I recently moved it to a different location in the display; I plan to move it again in a week. My thinking is by moving it around the display in the box while it heals enough to go back in the display the other fish in the tank will be used to seeing in the tank in different locations. The Wrasse is doing much better; it's more active in the box and is starting to eat more. Other than some minor tears in a couple of fins, it's nearly recovered. Maybe another week and a half, and it should be ready to go back in the tank.

So my question; What's the best way to reintroduce it? My thoughts turn it loose at night after the lights are off. Is this a good idea, a bad idea, or am I just overthinking things?
The other fish, by the way, including Cujo, the clown, are completely ignoring the Wrasse in the box now.

I would use an acclimation box. But my guess that the clown will go after it again. You may not see the aggression till it comes out of the box so be prepared to pull again. whats the size of the tank? What type of clown.

 

[Sharkbait19]

Rearranging the scape before introduction helps to confuse the original fish and keep them from getting territorial.
I’ve heard that introducing while feeding will also keep aggression down while introducing. Nighttime also works.

 

[sfin52]

@Crabby48 thoughts

 

[sfin52]

Rearranging the scape before introduction helps to confuse the original fish and keep them from getting territorial.
I’ve heard that introducing while feeding will also keep aggression down while introducing. Nighttime also works.

This was a fish that was pulled due to clown being aggressive chances are this clown will be aggressive once the wrasse is reintroduced

 

[Cantusaurus]

You could dip the wrasse in Methylene blue before adding it since it helps with a whole vast array of issues.
Probably use a breeder box, but the clown may have been going through a territorial phase. But as long as there is territory for the wrasse to hide in that is not near the clown's favorite areas it should hopefully be fine (it's hard to say since you know your setup and livestock best). Hope whatever you do goes well

 

[Crabby48]

Watch moving a wrasse and keeping in a box to long. They don’t like stress. Remove the problem fish

 

[Sharkbait19]

This was a fish that was pulled due to clown being aggressive chances are this clown will be aggressive once the wrasse is reintroduced

I know. This keeps the aggressors distracted when the new one comes in. Commonly used with African cichlids (which hate newcomers).

 

[cdw79]

Personally, once fish start to squabble to that degree, I haven't found that things tend to subside. Apparently the rearranging the scape approach works for some, but mine is glued lol. Personally I'd look to rehome and try something else unless you're confident you could step in quickly if something happened again, but up to you!

 

[DWill]

Thanks, everyone. I'm considering trading the clown for a smaller one.
I got these two clowns when they were small, the female is now nearly double the size of the male.

The other thing I may consider is trading the Wrasse for a Flame Hawk. I just don't know if the clown would go after the Flame Hawk.

The thing is the clowns were moderately expensive, I think $130.00 ea. the wrasse not so much, not that price matter so much. This is a tank in my office, it's a 25 Lagoon so not a ton of room but there are only 4 fish in it. I may try to reintroduce it at night then watch.

 

[cdw79]

You may already know this, but Flame Hawks have a reputation for being on the more aggressive side of hawkfish, much less fish generally. Especially in a 25, I think you might have a similar issue if not a more pervasive one (I'm saying this as someone who loves his longnose hawk and has a thread up now about tiptoeing around his semi territorial nature with my remaining additions to my 65).

For a smaller tank, I think this might be a good time to decide what "kind" of tank mates you're looking for. Are you going for a hyper-peaceful, passive tank (gobies, dartfish, maybe a blenny or wrasse depending on the species) or are you looking for a more mixed tank where you might have some aggression, which means the more delicate species might not be good fits. The bigger your tank, generally the more leeway you have mixing the slightly aggressive fish with more passive ones, but as someone who had a 29 cube for years, it's much harder for more passive fish to deal with a bully.

If it were me, I might trade back the aggressive clown, keep your wrasse if you want to, and then add some more peaceful species. Helps with the stress levels for a smaller tank haha. And while that might rule out some groups of fish, there are plenty of cool peaceful fish to choose from on that scale. A pygmy hawkfish is the most docile, if you're set on a hawkfish, though.

 

[sfin52]

I know. This keeps the aggressors distracted when the new one comes in. Commonly used with African cichlids (which hate newcomers).

Once a clown doesn't play nice it usually stays that way.

Thanks, everyone. I'm considering trading the clown for a smaller one.
I got these two clowns when they were small, the female is now nearly double the size of the male.

The other thing I may consider is trading the Wrasse for a Flame Hawk. I just don't know if the clown would go after the Flame Hawk.

The thing is the clowns were moderately expensive, I think $130.00 ea. the wrasse not so much, not that price matter so much. This is a tank in my office, it's a 25 Lagoon so not a ton of room but there are only 4 fish in it. I may try to reintroduce it at night then watch.

In that small of tank I would look at a watchman goby. They stay low and out of sight of the clowns. The clowns will be territorial and any active fish may be met with aggression

 

[DWill]

You may already know this, but Flame Hawks have a reputation for being on the more aggressive side of hawkfish, much less fish generally. Especially in a 25, I think you might have a similar issue if not a more pervasive one (I'm saying this as someone who loves his longnose hawk and has a thread up now about tiptoeing around his semi territorial nature with my remaining additions to my 65).

For a smaller tank, I think this might be a good time to decide what "kind" of tank mates you're looking for. Are you going for a hyper-peaceful, passive tank (gobies, dartfish, maybe a blenny or wrasse depending on the species) or are you looking for a more mixed tank where you might have some aggression, which means the more delicate species might not be good fits. The bigger your tank, generally the more leeway you have mixing the slightly aggressive fish with more passive ones, but as someone who had a 29 cube for years, it's much harder for more passive fish to deal with a bully.

If it were me, I might trade back the aggressive clown, keep your wrasse if you want to, and then add some more peaceful species. Helps with the stress levels for a smaller tank haha. And while that might rule out some groups of fish, there are plenty of cool peaceful fish to choose from on that scale. A pygmy hawkfish is the most docile, if you're set on a hawkfish, though.

Awesome advice. Thank you !