Wrasse aggresion

[JMM744]

120 mixed reef with a pyramid butterfly, Bimac Anthias, 6 pajama cardinals, blue flasher, carpenters and linespot flashers. line spot was added last and acclimated in a large box with no signs of aggresion. Now that it is in the tank the carpenters is transitioning and is a terror towards the spot line and shows some aggresion towards the blue and other fish. It’s hardest on the linespot which is losing weight. Would like to hear others experience with this type behavior and recommendations to quell the aggression please.
Thanks, Jim

 

[Jesterrace]

Given that they are all Flasher Wrasses this doesn't surprise me. How long had the other wrasses been in the tank before you added the line spot?

 

[foxt]

Sometimes the only thing you can do, after waiting it out to see if they can work it out, is save the target by catching it and letting it rebound in a different tank. Not saying that’s the only choice here, but don’t let it get too weak to save.

 

[JMM744]

Given that they are all Flasher Wrasses this doesn't surprise me. How long had the other wrasses been in the tank before you added the line spot?

The other two had about 4 months together before the addition. The blue flasher gets chased but not near like the other. To me it appears the linespot is a transitioning male too. I have yet to see any torn fins but it’s still a concern how to stop it.

 

[4FordFamily]

I don’t see this behavior improving. It’s possible, but more wrasse might distract the aggressor but probably not the best solution. I’d remove the aggressor for a couple weeks and re-add. The difference between this and removing the weaker, bullied fish is that the weaker fish and the other wrasse can get comfortable and you’re adding the aggressor back to a tank that isn’t established as his vterritory any longer. The odds of this working out in your favor are better.

When adding the aggressor back, use the acclimation box for a few days

Sending up a wrasse signal to two wrasse supernerds @evolved @eatbreakfast

 

[JMM744]

So I have another carpenters coming next week for my 180. It has a pintail fairy and a filamented flasher in it so far. Both systems are on a shared sump. Can I add the aggressor to the 180 instead? Still use the acclimation box?

 

[evolved]

I don’t see this behavior improving. It’s possible, but more wrasse might distract the aggressor but probably not the best solution.

Agree here. Once things go badly, it's very rare for things to suddenly get better without intervention.

I’d remove the aggressor for a couple weeks and re-add.

But that might not work - it could just end up the same situation all over again.

Can I add the aggressor to the 180 instead? Still use the acclimation box?

That sounds like the better plan to me. And yes.

 

[JMM744]

Thanks to all that have offered help here. I was quite surprised when, after the acclimation period and no aggression at all, the carpenters got mean. It’s especially bad at feeding time but generally it keeps the linespot out of the main area of the tank.

 

[4FordFamily]

Thanks to all that have offered help here. I was quite surprised when, after the acclimation period and no aggression at all, the carpenters got mean. It’s especially bad at feeding time but generally it keeps the linespot out of the main area of the tank.

Wrasse vary greatly with temperament, even among species. Generalities about their aggression are so difficult to make as a result. However, mixing male flashers together (in the absence of several of them together) is risky. It's risky even with a dozen of them, albeit IMO the odds are much higher.

Obviously few of us wish to stock so many flasher wrasse. What you've done here may work just fine for many others. I only buy mature male wrasse. I have few aggression issues (I believe) partly due to the over-saturation/overstocking element and because there are no females present to fight over. Whether or not the latter matters I am unsure, but it's worked well for me for many years -- I am convinced.

 

[nereefpat]

This is interesting. After reading about wrasses here and other places, I understood that flasher wrasses could be mixed without trouble, as long as they were different species.

 

[evolved]

After reading about wrasses here and other places, I understood that flasher wrasses could be mixed without trouble, as long as they were different species.

Usually they can, but as @4FordFamily mentions you never really know for certain what you might get as a result.
We can make generalizations, but we can never predict the behavior of all wild animals.