6 line wrasse vs percula clown

[Harif87]

So I've had this 6 line wrasse in my tank for about a year now and today I added in a percula clown. The instant that I added the perc to the tank the 6 line went haywire chasing him and flaring at him. There are plenty of places to hide and so the perc went into hiding. Once I can get it out of hiding its going into a QT tank. As far as I've read there shouldnt be any problems between wrasses and clowns. Plus I've kept percs before and I know they can hold their own....Has anyone ever experienced this?

 

[ZANYMASTER]

Get rid of the wrasse.There have been several threads about those nasty suckers.Get a Mystery or some other fairy wrasse.

 

[mandown123]

they shouldnt have problems with the clowns. it will likely work itself out. however the 6 line will prohibit you from getting any other wrasses and some other docile fishes. getting rid of it isn't a bad idea. I miss my 4-line but my green coris makes up for it.

 

[JimmyR1rider]

Harif- get rid of the 6 line and get a nice radiant wrasse. Mine is a teddy bear- the biggest fish I have and doesnt pick on anyone even gives the firefish the ability to grab flake when I feed them and will swim away to grab another if they had both gone for the same one, and is a really pretty fish. Hasnt challenged one fish in my tank.

 

[mandown123]

if you decide to get rid of him forget about any other method besides a nice fish trap.

 

[pweissma]

I've got a bunch of conflicting opinions about 6 lines when I was thinking of getting one for my Solana. (I didn't) But even the people who think them to be good community fish say they should be the last fish introduced to avoid exactly what you describe. Personally I think you should try to make it work. You can try removing the 6 line for a while, perhaps a month, to let the perc establish itself in the tank. At the same time the 6 line will de-establish itself. Good luck. They're beautiful fish.

 

[SevTT]

Six-lines can be nasty once they establish themselves in a tank. On the other hand, so can clownfish. Since the clownfish looks nothing like a wrasse and doesn't exploit the same food niche, it may settle down -- or it may not. It's up to you whether you want to watch and see if it settles down -- and take the risk that the clown may wind up the worse from it.

If you have an anemone in the tank, or even a large stinging euphyllia of some sort that extends at night too, the clown will (hopefully) host in it and that should prevent the worst of anything the six-line might do.

 

[basiab]

If it is a small tank you are not going to be able to add any fish after the 6 line. So you can try removing for a while as was suggested.

 

[mandown123]

I disagree with that. A lot of people are coming down hard on the 6 lines here. IME they are really just wrasse haters. Mine never bothered anything but wrasses. You have to draw the line to what is typical of new addition behavior and what is never going to stop. His clown will likely not be bullied after the initial shock wears off. Wrasse on wrasse, yeah, not likely to stop after a few days.

 

[pweissma]

I disagree with that. A lot of people are coming down hard on the 6 lines here. IME they are really just wrasse haters. Mine never bothered anything but wrasses. You have to draw the line to what is typical of new addition behavior and what is never going to stop. His clown will likely not be bullied after the initial shock wears off. Wrasse on wrasse, yeah, not likely to stop after a few days.

lol, I don't have an opinion. Just echoing what others have told me. Seems like everyone has an extreme view of the 6 line, either good or bad.
So give it few days. Seems like a reasonable thing to try. Please let us know how it works out.

 

[Harif87]

If it is a small tank you are not going to be able to add any fish after the 6 line. So you can try removing for a while as was suggested.

I forgot to mention, I have it in a 72g with a yellow tang. The perc tried seeking refuge in my candy canes when this first started to happen for a little but to no avail. Id rather not get rid of the six line, but if im going to have these kind of issues when I introduce a new fish it might be my only option

I dont plan on "waiting to see" if the conflict resolves itself. Because most times the conflict does get resolved - only with the death of the smaller fish....

 

[scarf_ace1981]

i had to get rid my of my sixline because everything i put after him was a target. clowns twice his size, mandarin .... all got beat up. after i took him out i've had no other problems

 

[JimmyR1rider]

I disagree with that. A lot of people are coming down hard on the 6 lines here. IME they are really just wrasse haters. Mine never bothered anything but wrasses. You have to draw the line to what is typical of new addition behavior and what is never going to stop. His clown will likely not be bullied after the initial shock wears off. Wrasse on wrasse, yeah, not likely to stop after a few days.

Maybe yours didnt attack other types of fish----but his is

 

[Awibrandy]

My 6 line is in a 120, he is about 3". I guess fully grown. He has allowed me to add 4 clowns, 3 dwarf angels, and even another wrasse (red coris a bit bigger then he).
Guess I must have the only good 6 line citizen!!LOL

 

[irvp13]

Clowns can be nasty as well, my ocelaris would try to bite, chase, push, sand or kill everything I put in the tank, including clams, corals and even rocks!! My last addition was a sailfin twice as big and the clown has nip the fins several times throughout the past 6 months.
I'd keep the wrasse even over the clown.

 

[Harif87]

so its been the end of day 3 and i havent seen the clown at all to get him out of the tank :arg:... I have plans to get rid of the six line, I'm looking into my options for replacement, maybe a sleeper goby or a neon dottyback. I just need to be careful with my selection, I have a coral banded shrimp in the tank and dont want it ending up as lunch.