The Official Sixline Wrasse Thread

[Whacked]

SW noob here, lurked forever finally registered.

 

Anyhow, my first SW tank finally cycled. Lots of reading and looking I finally got the courage to buy my first fish. Man coming from the land of FW, its almost scary. Is this bugger gonna die on me? a dead tetra aint no big thing, heck at $5 my koi angelfish is the most expensive. HUGE diff in cost from FW to SW

 

Anyhow, my first fish is the 6 line, no damsel for this noob Finished drip-acclimate a couple hrs ago. turned off the tank light for less stress. That bugger really found himself a tight hole to hide in

Edited May 26, 2008 by Whacked

[Toomin]

SW noob here, lurked forever finally registered.

 

Anyhow, my first SW tank finally cycled. Lots of reading and looking I finally got the courage to buy my first fish. Man coming from the land of FW, its almost scary. Is this bugger gonna die on me? a dead tetra aint no big thing, heck at $5 my koi angelfish is the most expensive. HUGE diff in cost from FW to SW

 

Anyhow, my first fish is the 6 line, no damsel for this noob Finished drip-acclimate a couple hrs ago. turned off the tank light for less stress. That bugger really found himself a tight hole to hide in

 

yeah, so how big was your tank?

[Whacked]

yeah, so how big was your tank?

in my sig

[CorvetteJoe]

SW noob here, lurked forever finally registered.

 

Anyhow, my first SW tank finally cycled. Lots of reading and looking I finally got the courage to buy my first fish. Man coming from the land of FW, its almost scary. Is this bugger gonna die on me? a dead tetra aint no big thing, heck at $5 my koi angelfish is the most expensive. HUGE diff in cost from FW to SW

 

Anyhow, my first fish is the 6 line, no damsel for this noob Finished drip-acclimate a couple hrs ago. turned off the tank light for less stress. That bugger really found himself a tight hole to hide in

 

 

After you get used to adding the first few things to your tank ,you get used to it, and it's not any harder than your FW setup, just takes a little more time to acclimate than the FW fish is all.

[geekreef_05]

I almost hate to say it, but I dont agree with sixlines in nano's. They're just insanely tireless swimmers and really need the extra room, eventhough they dont get very big.

 

I had one previously in a 10 gallon, then moved him to a 75 later on. Astounding difference in behavior, aggression and attitude.

 

Ive found sixlines are curious like cats.. they just explore everything. Smart and interesting fish for sure. Very cool to watch them hunt pods.

[fewskillz]

I have to agree with geekreef on this one. I originally had mine in a 20h, and he was fine and healthy, but since I've moved him to a 40 breeder he's become a completely different fish.

 

I would say a 20 long should be the smallest footprint one should be kept in.

[DamperFire]

Well, I had originally planned on an ocellaris in my 15g long, but after seeing a six-line at my lfs, I need to get one.

So, I know some people don't like them in nanos, but he'll be the only fish in there, and the tank is 24" long so he should have a bit of room to swim, and plenty of LR to hide in. It's not ideal I know, but it is good I think.

 

Anyway, to the questions.

 

This whole "pod" thing has confused me (noob, I know), I've heard that I need some pods in my tank before I get the wrasse, to entice him to eat. But what exactly are edible pods?

 

How many pods, and what kinds of pods should I have before I put the wrasse in?

 

Also, will these guys be ok on a diet of Hikari-S, and frozen mysis, including the pods that they will eat.

 

And, will it be safe with my astreas and hermits?

How big does a snail have to be before a wrasse won't touch it?

Edited June 1, 2008 by DamperFire

[HankB]

I almost hate to say it, but I dont agree with sixlines in nano's. They're just insanely tireless swimmers and really need the extra room, eventhough they dont get very big.

 

How much extra room? What would you consider the minimum tank size for one to be happy?

 

thanks,

hank

[geekreef_05]

How much extra room? What would you consider the minimum tank size for one to be happy?

 

thanks,

hank

 

 

Hank, thats a hard question to answer & Im no expert, Im just giving advise based on what Ive seen/ my experience. Now I jumped from a 10 gal to a 75gal... and its a big difference. So its hard to determine an minimal size given that.

 

If i had to pick out a rule, Id probably go with something comparable to the 4' tang rule - because we are talking about swimming room here and not necessarily just gallonage. A couple posts up fewskillz suggested no smaller FOOTPRINT (very important) than a 20L. I kinda like that.

 

But if I had to pick a gallonage Id go with 40 gallons minimum. Best suited to LOTS of rockwork, lots of pods and a high flow environment.

Edited June 2, 2008 by geekreef_05

[fewskillz]

yeah, gallon rules don't make sense, and are often abused. When a website says 55 gallon minimum, they're talking about a 4' long 55 gallon, not a 2' 60 gallon cube. When talking minimum swimming areas you need an area, not a volume.

 

I could see a sixline doing okay by itself in a 20 long, with some good rock work and an excellent refugium keeping up a pod population. 29 gallon would be preferred (same footprint) in that situation of no competition, good refugium.

 

So I'm going to say as a good rule a 30 gallon (36"x12" footprint) is a good minimum for a sixline. Mine seemed okay in a 46 bowfront (same footprint as a 30, just with a bow-front), but happier in his 40 breeder now (36"x18"). He's moving to a 125 this weekend. For the record, I put dwarf angels in the same swimming area category. Call me the Sixline/Cherub Police!

[HankB]

Our tank footprint is about 23" x 15" so that's right on the edge compared to a 20L - slightly smaller footprint and less overall length.

 

thanks,

hank

[fewskillz]

I don't think I would try a sixline in your tank, there just isn't much straightline space. That'd be a little better than your average 15 or 20h, but just not the swimming distance I think a sixline needs.

[noobofreefs]

Tank- Must be a fowlr or reef with plenty of live rock to roam. Tank size is always undisputed. They can be kept in 10 gallon tanks but some people disagree. There are several people here that have them in 10 gallon tanks. I have mine in a BC 14. They usually do good in all types of tanks. Of course not picos. Keep it covered cause they are good jumpers.

 

 

Ya 8 gallon is tooooo small. And there are many other kinds of wrasses... but only 1 sixline wrasse.

 

 

Well I have a six line in my BC14, he was pretty tame when I fist got him. I've had him for about 5 or 6 months now and he's starting to get aggressive/territorial. He steals food from other fish, and really enjoys bossing my clowns and shrimp around. I think he's going to need a new home soon.....

 

 

I've got one in my 12NC. He is my favorite tank mate to watch besides the urchin.

 

His name is Linus

 

What I don't get is why people don't recommend them for tanks less than 10 gallons when they have one in an AIO tank (NC, BC, AP, ect.) less than 15 gallons. In reality these tanks only hold ~8 gallons maybe a little more or less when you consider water displacement of rock & sand, the fact that AIO companies constanstly overshoot their gallons in the tank, & the filtration part of the tank. I don't understand how you could deny the person with an 8 gallon it, but you have one in a tank around the same amount of gallons; maybe a little more or less.

 

BTW I don't think they belong in anything less than 24+ maybe a 20 long.

 

NOR

 

EDIT: spelling

Edited June 9, 2008 by noobofreefs

[Aqua newbie]

I was rearranging my rocks at night and I saw my wrasse sleeping inside of a mucus bubble. Surprized me!!!!?

[OziD]

 

I have two 2 inch long clowns and this 6 line in my 20L.

 

Since I put the 6 line in, one clown has become very shy and the more dominant one and the 6-line took a couple shots at each other initially, but now THEY are BFF and the shy clown just hangs out in his own area.

 

Kinda funny, I feel a bit bad for the clown, but this is more entertaining anyways

 

Oh and my 6 line has two dots on the opposite side than the one that is pictured.

Edited June 10, 2008 by OziD

[Fugetaboutit]

I have a pair of clowns about 1.5-2 inches long in a 24 gallon Nano Cube. I am planning to add a Six Line soon. Should I get a Six Line smaller, larger or the same size as my clowns?

[GioReef]

Go a little smaller so that he is less likely to be mean. But not to small so that the clown dont pick on him.

[IndicaCorialis]

Well, I had originally planned on an ocellaris in my 15g long, but after seeing a six-line at my lfs, I need to get one.

So, I know some people don't like them in nanos, but he'll be the only fish in there, and the tank is 24" long so he should have a bit of room to swim, and plenty of LR to hide in. It's not ideal I know, but it is good I think.

 

Anyway, to the questions.

 

This whole "pod" thing has confused me (noob, I know), I've heard that I need some pods in my tank before I get the wrasse, to entice him to eat. But what exactly are edible pods?

 

How many pods, and what kinds of pods should I have before I put the wrasse in?

 

Also, will these guys be ok on a diet of Hikari-S, and frozen mysis, including the pods that they will eat.

 

And, will it be safe with my astreas and hermits?

How big does a snail have to be before a wrasse won't touch it?

Don't worry about the pods. A sixline would eat anything you throw in the tank. They don't need live food.

[Daveg99]

I got one today and he is doing great. AWESOME fish.

[trojandds]

so i've had my 6 line wrasse for about a month and i havent been able to find him in the past 2 days...what gives? My livestock consist of 2 peppermints, 1 cleaner, emerald crab whose constantly chomping down on algae, 1 blue tang, true percula, and a stripped damsel (who is missing as well).

 

 

My tank is a 24g NC, I have a 4 line wrasse that hangs out in my 30 gallon with 2 BTA, a 5 inch coral banded whose super aggressive, a purple lobster, and like 5 really large blue hermits that occupy 1 1/2 inch opening shells.

Edited October 7, 2008 by trojandds

[chris-t]

I have had my six-line for about 3 months. He was fine in the begining but now he is a murder. He left my sexy shrimp alone for about a month then ate them. I wasnt really to upset. then the other day he killed my cardinal. He is the devil, im taking him back to the fish store tomorrow and getting something different cause i dont want him killing my goby.

 

Christie

[AcroporaLokani]

Great info and nice pics of the six line wrasse.

[GioReef]

Thanks AL...

 

Hey all, we need more pictures in this thread. Lets see your fishies.LOL

[CorvetteJoe]

Well I have a six line in my BC14, he was pretty tame when I fist got him. I've had him for about 5 or 6 months now and he's starting to get aggressive/territorial. He steals food from other fish, and really enjoys bossing my clowns and shrimp around. I think he's going to need a new home soon.....

 

Now that I've had mine for 6 months... he doesn't bother anybody, but boy can he steal food!! He takes it from the clown, takes it from the shrimp, takes it from the firefish, takes it from the cardinal, i've even seen him brave it out and take it OUT OF THE ANEMONE!!! stupid fish.

 

But he doesnt bother anybody. Just steals food only. I just have to give him a big piece to run around with and tear up (think of a dog with a new toy or a bone) so I can then feed the others. it's quite comical to watch for such little creatures.

 

-------------

 

my Sixline is named "Linus"

 

 

Here is mine trying to "smack" the hermit crab I think. I can't figure out what he was doing.

 

He looked intensely at the area in front of the crab, then turned sideways and smacked the sand with his tail. He did this about a dozen times in a row before swimming away.

 

 

Old FTS.. but you can see him sized up with the others.

 

 

And one of the coolest pics of them all. I found mine sleeping one night in his mucus bubble.

You can barely make out the bubble, but take a good look, they are near impossible to find unless they just pick a spot in the front of the tank somewhere to sleep.

 

1st pic you can see the edge of the bubble.

2nd pic you can see him sleeping inside with little air bubbles trapped in it.

 

Edited October 16, 2008 by CorvetteJoe

[GioReef]

Awesome pics corvette. I wanna see mine "smack" the crab.LOL