Wrasse that won't perish to a sixline?

[wdavid]

In my 75G reef tank I have a sixline(1.5") who loves to bully new fish that get added for a week then go back to hunting. He's killed a few chromis and a flasher wrasses that was in the tank before I added the 6 line and being aggressive to other fish in general. Only one he avoids is a kole tang who is larger than him.

Anyways since he's so aggressive and I can't seem to get him out, my lfs said I may have luck adding a 2nd larger wrasse that's less aggressive towards non wrasses to keep him under control. They showed me a picture of a greenish wrasse but I totally forgot the name so I'm going to go get it again later in the week. In the meantime is there a wrasse that might be able to survive vs a sixline and keep him under control?

 

[Scurvy]

Try a trap to get him out. A simple 2 liter bottle DIY had mine before i even baited it. He just swam on in.

I doubt you’ll have luck adding any other wrasse with an aggressive 6’er. They usually just dont play well with other wrasse and sometimes any fish at all added after him.

 

[pcon]

6 lines don't play nice, and absolutely should not be mixed with other wrasses. your best bet is to remove the 6-line, it is unlikely a fishes aggressive behavior will ever improve once it has gotten as far as you say.

Please research your fish before you buy them. Evolved's article at the top of the page would have answered this question easily and saved the lives of the flasher wrasses.

 

[nereefpat]

I agree that, for the most part, if you want other wrasses, the sixline will make it pretty difficult. I would remove it.

If you could get a larger, more mature, Halichoeres like a dusky or melanurus, it might be able to hang.

 

[wdavid]

6 lines don't play nice, and absolutely should not be mixed with other wrasses. your best bet is to remove the 6-line, it is unlikely a fishes aggressive behavior will ever improve once it has gotten as far as you say.

Please research your fish before you buy them. Evolved's article at the top of the page would have answered this question easily and saved the lives of the flasher wrasses.

Yup I didn't use r2r until a few weeks ago and found evolved's thread just after posting this. I'm reading through it now, thanks for the suggestion

 

[wdavid]

Try a trap to get him out. A simple 2 liter bottle DIY had mine before i even baited it. He just swam on in.

I doubt you’ll have luck adding any other wrasse with an aggressive 6’er. They usually just dont play well with other wrasse and sometimes any fish at all added after him.

I'm having trouble baiting him, been trying for months. I tried the 2l bottle and a real fish trap but he just hangs out around his rock and won't go near the bottle or the trap. I may move a small rock piece in to the trap and see if he will be interested then.

 

[cmcoker]

I'm having trouble baiting him, been trying for months. I tried the 2l bottle and a real fish trap but he just hangs out around his rock and won't go near the bottle or the trap. I may move a small rock piece in to the trap and see if he will be interested then.

I've heard of people putting a mirror on the glass behind the trap, when dealing with an aggressive fish. The fish goes to attack the the mirror and swims into the trap.

 

[wdavid]

I've heard of people putting a mirror on the glass behind the trap, when dealing with an aggressive fish. The fish goes to attack the the mirror and swims into the trap.

Good idea I'll try that first when I get home, thanks

 

[Scurvy]

The rock may help. I added some rubble to weigh down the bottle and maybe thats what did it. Make sure the opening is a decent size. A raquet ball size opening is good.

In other cases ive used mysis for bait and have waited as long as two weeks for a target fish to finally take the bait but they almost always will eventually.

 

[Fritzhamer]

A radiant wrasse will hold its own vs a six line.

 

[Greenstreet.1]

When i had a six line I had a lunar and melanurus with him without any problems in a 75g

 

[Jesterrace]

One suggestion on the water bottle trap, stand it vertical and weigh it down with rubble. This forces the fish to swim down in and makes it easier for you to grab the trap. I successfully used this method on an aggressive Red Head Salon Fairy Wrasse and a Flame Angel. Figure out what sort of food the fish goes nuts for and make sure to hold off on feeding so it is hungry and that will help. I have used PE Mysis Pellets and Frozen Reef Frenzy to trap my fish.

 

[eatbreakfast]

A radiant wrasse will hold its own vs a six line.

There may be some exceptions, but for the most part an established and aggressive 6line will tear up a newly introduced radiant wrasse.

 

[Bpb]

Agree with others. Get it out. The problem isn’t the sixline. The problem is that the sixline went in first. I have a 2.5” sixline adult that I’ve had for a year now in a 90 gallon along with a damsel, chromis, cardinal, melanarus wrasse, and fairy wrasse (there are bigger fish also) and there are never fights. The sixline is the last addition to the tank and is completely fine with all other fish. It picked its territory and that’s it. Otherwise it swims out in the open and among the corals right along with the others and there has never been a fight.

 

[landlubber]

A radiant wrasse will hold its own vs a six line.

I have a mystery wrasse which is similar to the 6-line and I had no luck introducing a radiant to the system. it probably won't be easy but I would agree to pull it if you are interested in adding different wrasses.

 

[Fritzhamer]

I’ve pulled off the Radiant Wrasse + 6 line on two tanks. Radiant was larger than the six line in both occasions (they’re usually only available seasonally and in my experience when I see them, rather larger).

Two isn’t a large sample size, it seems I may have just been lucky.

 

[eatbreakfast]

I’ve pulled off the Radiant Wrasse + 6 line on two tanks. Radiant was larger than the six line in both occasions (they’re usually only available seasonally and in my experience when I see them, rather larger).

Two isn’t a large sample size, it seems I may have just been lucky.

The vast majority or radiant wrasses I have come across are under 3", are delicate after shipping, and available year round. I have also had sixlines go after wrasses 2x's their own size.

 

[Fritzhamer]

Definitely delicate after shipping but that’s what QT is for. I guess I’ve just had some really mean Radiants. I had a pair in the first tank with the six line and a single in my current tank with a six line.

Live aquaria has them once or twice a year and are fairly small when they do. Local shops here say they’re rarely available and tend to be around 4” when they do get them. I’m on the East Coast if that’s relevant. It’s my favorite fish so I tend to notice when shops have them.

I also add six lines last for all the obvious reasons. I can see having one in early causing a lot of problems. As everyone mentioned taking it out is probably your best bet.

 

[wdavid]

Definitely delicate after shipping but that’s what QT is for. I guess I’ve just had some really mean Radiants. I had a pair in the first tank with the six line and a single in my current tank with a six line.

Live aquaria has them once or twice a year and are fairly small when they do. Local shops here say they’re rarely available and tend to be around 4” when they do get them. I’m on the East Coast if that’s relevant. It’s my favorite fish so I tend to notice when shops have them.

I also add six lines last for all the obvious reasons. I can see having one in early causing a lot of problems. As everyone mentioned taking it out is probably your best bet.

Yeah I mean I added mine before the tang but after everything but still no luck. I'm guessing that's why the lfs told me initially it will probably be fine because he was smaller than most of my fish and added last.

I'm still trying to catch him but no luck