Evil 6-line wrasse??

[dgasmd]

Well, after sitting on my hands for over 9 weeks, I decided to start getting more fish. I only have a 6-line wrasse, a small school of 6 green chromis, and a yellow tang. Today I got an adult size mandarin fish and a small powder brown tang.

 

As soon as I got the fish in the water, the yellow tang started harrassing the new tang. Completely understandable and expected. Now, 6 hours later, he is begining to ignore him.

 

The problem is with the wrasse. He started to beat and peck on the mandarin from the moment it hit the water. It pecks at it on the head and back of the body and chases him around the tank while doing this. He is not just touching. We are talking about hard hitting abuse. What's up with this?? I ahd another mandarin before in this same tank and this wrasse acted as if he didn't even existed. Why is he doing this with the new one now? Any helpful ideas?

 

Alberto

 

Tank specs:

360 gal with 100 gal sump

4"DSB and 200+ Lb of LR and 300+Lb of base rock.

70+ SPS

All parameters in check

plenty of pods and other critters to go around!

[SDBDRZ]

I would suspect it is because the 6-line and the Mandarin have the same diet.  Hopefully the 6-line will stop because the Mandarin will probably not do a lot to defend himself.

 

Good luck.

[chideloh]

Maybe the mandrine is not a healthy fish. These fishes seem to know when one is not healthy and defenseless.

 

Just my observation.

 

David

[Coral Hind]

I agree with SDBDRZ.  I added a checkered goby two weeks ago and my six-line did the same thing.  It only lasted for about two days and now he does not seem to bother him any more.  The fins on the goby have all healed.

[michaelg]

Alberto-

Not sure what you can do about the current situation, but in the future, release animals in the dark if you are not already.  It gives time for the new animal to settle in before the other fish even notice it is there, and the existing fish seem less threatened.

[dgasmd]

Let me remind you that this is the same wrasse that was with another mandarin for months just about 3 months ago. So, why has it gone medival on the new guy? I don't really know.  The mandarin is actually much bigger than the wrasse :(

 

Alberto

[Larry Grenier]

I'll bet ya that during those 3 months, the wrasse has re-evaluated what is "his" territory.  If you can re-work the seascape, the problem may go away as everyone tries to re-establish their new territory at the same time.