The Odd Couple, Wrasse and Tang Pair

[Rincon_Reefer]

This is just a fun fish story. Also I am interested if anyone else has seen this behavior.

I have 7 fish in my tank. Fish additions went as follows:

1. Pair of clowns
2. Established pair of banggai cardinals
3. Goby Pistol Pair
4. Yellow wrasse
5. White tail bristle tooth

Everyone has a buddy....except the last two, until they decided they were tired of being third wheels and just paired up together. It is really interesting to watch. Just like the other pairs they follow each other around all day and pick at the rocks. Never any aggression they just hang together like a bonded pair all day. The wrasse looking for critters with the tang right behind it eating algae. This has been going on for weeks now so I don't think it is a fluke. I am curious if anyone else has seen something like this.

 

[Nick Steele]

It’s always interesting to see the interaction between our pets!

While I haven’t seen this in a home tank I have seen groupers following eels in the Atlantic waiting for a crab or something to be spooked while snorkeling before was super cool to watch them for awhile. The grouper ended up with a small crab and the eel had something pinned down in a hole that I couldn’t see.

 

[Rincon_Reefer]

It’s always interesting to see the interaction between our pets!

While I haven’t seen this in a home tank I have seen groupers following eels in the Atlantic waiting for a crab or something to be spooked while snorkeling before was super cool to watch them for awhile. The grouper ended up with a small crab and the eel had something pinned down in a hole that I couldn’t see.

That is super cool. Every time I read a diving story form someone on the forums it makes me want to get into diving...some day.

 

[Nick Steele]

It’s awesome! I like to snorkel or “Freedive” more but scuba is fun as well. Without all the clunky gear you get to see much more upclose as everything isn’t afraid of the weird monster blowing bubbles

 

[Sheehantastic]

Yes. I just found this. I have the same thing going on. A red coris and a blue eyed kole that act more bonded than my bonded clowns.

 

[Guzzisan]

I found this thread from googling cause I have a blue eyed kole tang and young melanus wrasse doing the same. The tang follows the wrasse around all day and they pick the rocks together. Tang occasionally goes after some other tank mates, but never the wrasse.

 

[Rincon_Reefer]

I found this thread from googling cause I have a blue eyed kole tang and young melanus wrasse doing the same. The tang follows the wrasse around all day and they pick the rocks together. Tang occasionally goes after some other tank mates, but never the wrasse.

That's awesome! I mysteriously lost my yellow wrasse about a year ago. But my melanarous picked up where he left off with the tang.

 

[homer1475]

Blue eye kole and a yellow corris. Best of buds.

The tang waits above the sand in the morning where the wrasse sleeps. When the wrasse emerges from the sand, they swim together all day.

If the tang starts picking on of the the smaller fish, the wrasse swims in front of it, and ends it.

 

[Trixter227]

I know this is a old thread, but its funny to report my longfin wrasse paired up with my tomini tang within 2 days. The tomini is smaller than the wrasse atm. Its like daycare for the tang lol!