Royal gramma or 6 line wrasse?

Congaken · Jan 26, 2016

I'm debating which of these fish will be the last in for my 10 gal. reef...have a spot tail blenny and one yellow tail damsel...also a pistol shrimp, cleaner shrimp, softees, trumpet coral, lots of live rock and cleanup crew...I'm told by reputable dealers (?) that the wrasse would be OK except one reading suggests that it may eat my pistol shrimp...Just curious what you folks would recommend...Thanks...

Rlynch818 · Jan 26, 2016

i had a 6 line in my 65gallon for 4 years and it was awesome, then one day he started eating my shrimp. He got pretty big as well. I'm sure you'll get different opinions, but that was my experience. I have a royal gramma and love it.

Congaken · Jan 26, 2016

Rlynch818 said:
i had a 6 line in my 65gallon for 4 years and it was awesome, then one day he started eating my shrimp. He got pretty big as well. I'm sure you'll get different opinions, but that was my experience. I have a royal gramma and love it.

Would the gramma have a problem with my damsel?...the yellow tail was fine when I put in my tail spot, but between the two they killed a yellow watchman in just days...

Bryce Peterson · Jan 26, 2016

I just looked on utube for fish traps. 90% of ths people were either trying to catch sixlines or damsels. I removed my sixline and blue devil damsel during tank rearrangements. Every fish is different, but I think sixlines have a pretty well established reputation as bullies.

human · Jan 26, 2016

6-lines start out fairly peaceable, but as they mature they become holy terrors.

Rlynch818 · Jan 26, 2016

So far my royal gramma has been a perfect citizen! Some people say they are shy, but mine definitely isn't.

thegunslinger · Jan 26, 2016

FWIW, my yellowtail is pretty mellow (for a damsel). He gets along relatively well with my gramma. Part of the reason for that success though is that I have a rock structure with a lot of caves and holes, and each fish has a little territory staked out. They don't really mess with each other in the open water (feeding time), but don't really like it when they get too close to each other's turf.
Never had a 6 line, so I can't speak to that.

Congaken · Jan 26, 2016

thegunslinger said:
FWIW, my yellowtail is pretty mellow (for a damsel). He gets along relatively well with my gramma. Part of the reason for that success though is that I have a rock structure with a lot of caves and holes, and each fish has a little territory staked out. They don't really mess with each other in the open water (feeding time), but don't really like it when they get too close to each other's turf.
Never had a 6 line, so I can't speak to that.

Thanks...anyone ever tell you that you look like Bill Murry...

thegunslinger · Jan 29, 2016

Congaken said:
Thanks...anyone ever tell you that you look like Bill Murry...

One guy, but he was an ugly spud.

jd371 · Jan 29, 2016

I'd go with the Gramma because I've heard that six lines can become terrors. I love watching my Gramma swim in and out of his cave, it's got 2 openings, he goes in one and comes out the other...like an in and out door. I added a Fire Shrimp last week that took up residence right outside one of the openings. Gramma wasn't too happy at first but seems to have come around and excepted the shrimp.

smh254 · Jan 29, 2016

I love watching my cleaner shrimp clean my royal gramma.I also had a six line wrasse and had no problems out of him. The wrasse was with me for a year and a half before he jumped out of the tank. If I had to choose one I would pick gramma.

gunslingersgirl · Feb 1, 2016

I'd be careful with the 6 line if I were you...they can be pretty aggressive from what I've heard. I wouldn't put them in with something like a damsel either. We've never had a 6 line but the reputation is enough to dissuade me from owning one...at least in our main 75 gal SW.

NanaReefer · Feb 1, 2016

I have both in my 40B, model citizens [emoji2]

whatchamacallit · Feb 2, 2016

Cryptic wrasse!

gunslingersgirl · Feb 2, 2016

Just another note....grammas are notorious jumpers. We actually had ours jump while transferring from a holding tank to the new 75 gal we got. Granted, he was stressed from the move so it probably contributed to the jump but it still gave me a bit of a scare! We keep the tank covered 24/7 so we haven't had anymore issues.

E048 · Feb 2, 2016

10 gallon tank I'd say no to either fish...

Tank size go for the gramma

6 lines get mean and territorial mine has taken the entire 90g tank as his and beats the crap out of anything that isn't an open water fish

That things killed more gobies than I can count