Six line committing suicide??

Switched everything over to my acryclic and my wrasse must see his own reflection on the side of the tank. He hasn't left that side all night and keeps ramming himself into the side. Will he finally give up in awhile or will he kill himself? Obviously it answers my other question if I can put another wrasse in.

 

Wrasses don't like other wrasses.

A six-line wrasse hopefully won't kill itself from seeing its reflection, but on the flip side, they are considered pretty aggressive towards other fish and once established make it difficult to add other fish to the tank.

I've had one before and it left the other fish alone, but over at Reef Central, there is a big thread about posting your intended fish stocking list, and the experts over there agree that a 6-line can be a pain-in-the-wrasse....

 

Nick I have to disagree. Wrasse usually get a long very well with each other

 

I have heard it over and over that a six line will hate another six line, and so forth through the wrasse family. Hmmm... I will be the first to say that I could be wrong.
However, six line wrasses are aggressive most of the time towards anything else that has a similar shape. Again, my six line got along with everything in my tank that I had years ago, so who knows. So strike all of my comments as clearly I must be wrong. Sorry. I didn't mean to offer incorrect information.
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There's a guy over on another forum that has about 7 different wrasses in his 90. They get along, but none are a six line. Six lines are a little more aggressive than other wrasses, but I've always had a six line with other fish with zero problems.

Nick, I've heard the same thing about six lines a lot, so I never tried keeping more than one.

Justin, one of my previous six lines would go up to the glass and flare up, as if he was wanting to fight his reflection, but then would turn and take a lap around the tank just to do it all over again. Periodically through the day he'd do this routine and it would go on for a while. Eventually it quit doing it.

 

When I had my 120 , I had 2 Sixlines in there, and they were introduced to the tank about 8 months apart...
Never had any concerns..
I have seen other Reef tanks with 2-3 wrasses in them also...

 

Sometimes wrasses can pick at each other a little bit, but they usually get over it in a few weeks. I highly suggest QT and fattening up your new wrasse if you do introduce a new one. But after a while they are model citizens and they get along well. I have a melanurus and a mystery wrasse (same genus even) and they behave very well, they're even friends! lol


As far as reflection chasing, it's something they will do their entire lives. IDK if its agressive posturing or vanity. They won't kill themselves though.....now comitting fishicide though (jumping out and drying up) is VERY common with wrasses.

 

I'm getting old I guess. I went back and searched the thread over at R.C. about fish compatibility, and it mainly mentions that a 6-line is agressive towards other peaceful fish with a "wrasse like shape" such as firefish.

I also have read too many posts about agressive wrasses, but looking closer at those posts this morning, they seem to all have one thing in common: Tanks that are way overstocked for their size.

Again, sorry for my bad memory. The only wrasses I've ever had were a six-line and a cleaner wrasse.

 

My six-line killed several tankmates before he disappeared. good riddance to bad rubbish. I have a melanarrus now and he's much more awesome.

 

Oh yah! I'm not saying by any means that 6 line wrasses can't just be total assholes. It's just not wrasse on wrasse specifically!

 

Well, mine did kill a pretty little fairy wrasse. Killed the poor bugger dead. Screw the six-line wrasse. He sleeps with the fishes now.

 

Did you kill him?

 

No. He disappeared from the tank. Never found the body.

 

Someday you will find that little ****er all dried up under your tank stand and he will have a sad look on his face. And you will feel strangely satisfied....

 

No I bet the dogs ate it!

 

Just like all fishes, one bad egg gives many a bad name.

I have had a six line in my home tank for over 3 years with firefish with no issue.

At the store, we have over 50 wrasses in the wrasse tank with six lines mixed in. There have been no problems at all.

I am sure there are individual fish out there that can be complete terrors, but I wouldn't judge the whole group by one or two bad eggs.

And to answer the initial question. It will probably chill out after a few days. He may even think it is a mate and trying to get close to it, hard to say.

 

Good post X just in reference Tangs can at times not be reef safe. Just an update on my wrasse he disappeared all yesterday then last night he was back attacking the acrylic side of my tank. I've had one before and think he jumped out. This one is really fat and eats like a pig.

 

wait, how are tangs sometimes not reef safe?

 

Over in Europe they've been considered not because they can pick and eat soft corals as they are picking algae off rocks. And as I said at times.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reef_safe