Wrasse aggression or establishing pecking order?

[Jose Romanelli]

Hey guys, just had a quick question. I have a pro clear v200 aquarium that’s been running for several months. Tanks stocked with blue tang, fox face, blonde naso tang, 3 anthais, 2 clownfish, a coral beauty angelfish, engineer goby, 2 firefish, a blue throat wrasse, and a Katherine wrasse. The last couple of days I introduced a copper and butterfly fish that unfortunately did not make it. Lately I have been seeing the Katherine wrasse act aggressive to the anthias, firefish, and blue throat wrasse. I am attaching a video to see if you guys can give me an info if it’s aggression or just fighting for their pecking order. All these fish have been together for month before any fighting. I do not see any visual marks on the fish from actual fighting, but I want to act as soon as possible before I potentially lose a fish.

Posted to YouTube as I could not upload here:

 

[littlefoxx]

@Slocke @i cant think

Sending up the bat signal!

 

[Slocke]

It’s kind of hard to tell in the video but are both wrasse displaying?

Both of these wrasse are fairly closely related in the fairy wrasse tree and that dive bombing is a show of dominance from a male. I’m guessing it feels threatened by the blue throat. Some people have this happen all the time and the other fish aren’t bothered but if your fish are being bothered you may have to split the wrasse up.

 

[Jose Romanelli]

It’s kind of hard to tell in the video but are both wrasse displaying?

Both of these wrasse are fairly closely related in the fairy wrasse tree and that dive bombing is a show of dominance from a male. I’m guessing it feels threatened by the blue throat. Some people have this happen all the time and the other fish aren’t bothered but if your fish are being bothered you may have to split the wrasse up.

The Katherine wrasse does it to the blue throat wrasse and the male anthias. The blue throat wrasse just runs away thru the rock work or corner of the tank. Really stays there unless it’s time to eat and then swims around. Do you recommend removing the Katherine wrasse or the blue throat?

 

[littlefoxx]

The Katherine wrasse does it to the blue throat wrasse and the male anthias. The blue throat wrasse just runs away thru the rock work or corner of the tank. Really stays there unless it’s time to eat and then swims around. Do you recommend removing the Katherine wrasse or the blue throat?

I always remove the aggressor in my tanks

 

[Slocke]

I always remove the aggressor in my tanks

Agreed