Keeping a Six line Wrasse

[sapling]

Hey Nano reef, I just had a possible Stocking question about my tank

I'd really like to get a 6 line as my 3rd fish in my DIY fusion IM 20. I really like the colors on the fish since the begining, as it'd match with my clown and TSB, But I have a few Concerns I cant seem to find a straight answer to online.

Mostly I am concerned if it will bully my TSB. Whether during every day or punk it out during feeding time. As I understand it, the wrasse is generally peaceful but might attack crustaceans in your tank.

As far as I am concerned on my hermits, I am upset with them as one has somehow got twice the size compared to the others and has started killing the others, even though same species, and I do not care for them anymore as CC (especially since I've seen them steal food from my blastos and ricordea's mouths.) I would only be concerned if the 6 line would attack feather dusters, brittle stars, or my snails.

if anyone has experience with 6 line's predatory diet, can you please list what it has preyed on?

The second part of the question is because my tank is a bit Open, Will my rockwork be suitable for it? It's the reason I chose not to get cardinals, shy, or fish that like alot of rockwork since I want to keep their habits in mind.

Lastly, would it attack a possible 4th fish being neon goby or other tiny fish if they were added after?

Anyways I really appreciate any imput, because i've been mulling on the next fish to add for a long time by now.

here is a picture of the tank for reference of the rockwork.

[TFish77]

3 minutes ago, sapling said:

Hey Nano reef, I just had a possible Stocking question about my tank

I'd really like to get a 6 line as my 3rd fish in my DIY fusion IM 20. I really like the colors on the fish since the begining, as it'd match with my clown and TSB, But I have a few Concerns I cant seem to find a straight answer to online.

Mostly I am concerned if it will bully my TSB. Whether during every day or punk it out during feeding time. As I understand it, the wrasse is generally peaceful but might attack crustaceans in your tank.

As far as I am concerned on my hermits, I am upset with them as one has somehow got twice the size compared to the others and has started killing the others, even though same species, and I do not care for them anymore as CC (especially since I've seen them steal food from my blastos and ricordea's mouths.) I would only be concerned if the 6 line would attack feather dusters, brittle stars, or my snails.

if anyone has experience with 6 line's predatory diet, can you please list what it has preyed on?

The second part of the question is because my tank is a bit Open, Will my rockwork be suitable for it? It's the reason I chose not to get cardinals, shy, or fish that like alot of rockwork since I want to keep their habits in mind.

Lastly, would it attack a possible 4th fish being neon goby or other tiny fish if they were added after?

Anyways I really appreciate any imput, because i've been mulling on the next fish to add for a long time by now.

here is a picture of the tank for reference of the rockwork.

 

What is a tsb?

[sapling]

1 minute ago, TFish77 said:

 

What is a tsb?

sorry, a tsb is a Tail spot blenny, the second fish in my Profile pic.

[TFish77]

hmmm that I dunno. The only other issue I have had with a sixline really being aggressive is with a a red ruby dragonette. They do like extensive rock work to go in and out of though. That being said they aren't really that hard to keep and are a good starter fish. 

 

If you really want to read into it there is another incredibly similar species of six line wrasse that isn't as aggresive. It looks exactly the same but is around 3-4 times more expensive but is supposed to be entirely passive . I can'f for the life of me think of the name now. 

[sapling]

Just now, TFish77 said:

hmmm that I dunno. The only other issue I have had with a sixline really being aggressive is with a a red ruby dragonette. They do like extensive rock work to go in and out of though. That being said they aren't really that hard to keep and are a good starter fish. 

 

If you really want to read into it there is another incredibly similar species of six line wrasse that isn't as aggresive. It looks exactly the same but is around 3-4 times more expensive but is supposed to be entirely passive . I can'f for the life of me think of the name now. 

do you mean the cryptic wrasse/pink streaked wrasse? I've seen that but from videos of it and descriptions, it sounds like a fish that wants more rockwork than the 6 line wants, along with not having the right colors I'm looking for, it really is a nice fish from what I saw though, and is another I'm considering still.

[BustytheSnowMaam]

A six line will be fine in your tank.  It won't bother feather dusters or snails.  I think it would probably eat a mini brittle star if it spotted one moving across the rock or bottom of the tank, but generally brittle stars stay hidden.  I've never had one bully another fish.

[sapling]

27 minutes ago, tashayar said:

A six line will be fine in your tank.  It won't bother feather dusters or snails.  I think it would probably eat a mini brittle star if it spotted one moving across the rock or bottom of the tank, but generally brittle stars stay hidden.  I've never had one bully another fish.

my brittle stars are not ever out entirely I've seen, but I do see them have a couple arms out during feeding time from holes in the rocks, I guess to try and catch a meal.

That's good, as I know my blenny is my biggest concern, and I have a moderate population of stomatella snails I was mildly worried about.

It sounds like the fish will not bully a similar sized fish(like my blenny hopefully), but might bully the very small ones like the dragonette @TFish77 mentioned? So the 4th fish should not be something like a red spotted goby(1") for example yes? but something like a clown goby or neon goby or bigger should be okay(1 1/2" or larger)?

thanks btw to everyone answering so far, Im trying to compile an overall idea of the fish, as a 6 line overall seemed a better choice than a pink streak wrasse, longnose hawkfish, or Mccoskers wrasse.

[el fabuloso]

They're psychotic bastards. Don't do it.

[sapling]

Just now, el fabuloso said:

They're psychotic bastards. Don't do it.

I've heard of that for damsels, but only twice have I ever found anything specifying the 6 line as truly negative such as mr saltwater on youtube creating a trap to pull one proactively out of the tank since he was getting a mandarin dragonet iirc, and a random vid of someone making a trap for one. is there a reason you feel that way about them?

[el fabuloso]

Every fish is different but for the most past they don't have the best personalities as far as fish go. One minute they're chill, the next minute they're clashing with another fish for no reason at all. They can also pick on any particular fish in your tank at random. It's not necessarily damaging as they're not overly aggressive to the point that they kill their tankmates but they can create a lot of unnecessary stress for the other fish in the tank. Like I said, psychotic. But they are pretty and they add a lot of movement and color in a reef tank. And they're reef safe so corals and inverts will be fine. If you really want to scratch that sixline itch, I would advise adding them to the tank last as any newcomer will surely be harassed.

[sapling]

@el fabuloso Ah I see, well I really liked them for a choice as far as options go since they seem to be the least aggressive choice between a neon dottyback and 6 line, as even stores call the dottyback explicitly aggressive unless kept in check and one forum even mentioned a dottyback bullying a peaceful 6 line.

if I was to substitute the fish, do you know of any suitable peaceful reefsafe fish in a fusion 20 that would be orange/blue? It seems with the theres not much of a choice for the perfect fish that I can think of once you add in all the conditions.

 

[BustytheSnowMaam]

Huh.  I've had 2  and both were model citizens. They just bopped around the tank and minded their own business.  Maybe yours had a rough childhood @el fabuloso.  YMMV I guess.

[el fabuloso]

@tashayar YMMV is right. I've always heard mixed reviews about them but I decided I'd go ahead and take a chance anyway and I guess I ended up with a bad one.

33 minutes ago, sapling said:

@el fabuloso Ah I see, well I really liked them for a choice as far as options go since they seem to be the least aggressive choice between a neon dottyback and 6 line, as even stores call the dottyback explicitly aggressive unless kept in check and one forum even mentioned a dottyback bullying a peaceful 6 line.

if I was to substitute the fish, do you know of any suitable peaceful reefsafe fish in a fusion 20 that would be orange/blue? It seems with the theres not much of a choice for the perfect fish that I can think of once you add in all the conditions.

 

 

I think you're really limited with that size of tank. What other fish are you trying to keep with it?

[sapling]

6 minutes ago, el fabuloso said:

@tashayar YMMV is right. I've always heard mixed reviews about them but I decided I'd go ahead and take a chance anyway and I guess I ended up with a bad one.

 

I think you're really limited with that size of tank. What other fish are you trying to keep with it?

as i mentioned, I have a occelaris clown and a tailspot blenny. My main concern is finding an orange/blue reefsafe fish that wont bully my current blenny, or a possible ~2" goby.

[el fabuloso]

@sapling Oh yeah that was literally in your first post. My bad! Yeah I still can't think of that many fish for a tank that size that would be compatible with what you currently have. Also it has to be orange and blue?

[BustytheSnowMaam]

Maybe a firefish?  It's orange-ish and peaceful. 

 

I have a flame hawkfish that I get a kick out of.  He's a neat little perching fish.  

 

Just some ideas for you.  

[sapling]

@el fabuloso im sorry It's so specific, but Im a little adamant on the colors, although I've liked some gobies with just orange or just blue like the court jester or neon gobies. those were most likely going to be the 4th and final fish though. but even the court jester I've read is a reluctant eater,

Im trying to avoid known jumpers since Im not wanting instigate a firefish carpet surfing for example since someone in the other room closes a cabinet or something. the tank is Rimless without cover.

@tashayar I saw some really nice Longnose hawkfish i liked on live aquaria the other day, but I was even more worried of that ambushing a small goby for example. there was a geometric pygmy hawkfish that looked to fit the bill best from hawkfish family though,

[el fabuloso]

How about a Catalina goby? It's really more of a bright red than a true orange and  a nice metallic blue. Although admittedly I've never kept one and as far as I know they're not really true tropical fish although they can tolerate warmer temperatures.

[BustytheSnowMaam]

This is my flame hawkfish. He's more likely to be bullied than to bully.  

 

Just FYI- they're all capable of jumping.  What happens is something spooks them, they shoot forward, hit the corner, and pinball up and out.  It might not look aesthetically appealing, but I always keep an egg crate cover over my tank.  

[el fabuloso]

My flame hawkfish took a clean bite out of one of my damsels. Why were all my fish so aggressive??

[MrJDanP]

I had a sixline as one of my first fish. It didn't really bother any of my other fish. It did attack all of my snails and I was constantly replacing them. It did pick at hermits every now and then, and I also saw it eat some bristleworms every now and then. 

 

Overall cool fish though

[Tamberav]

My sixline was a typical sixline asshole, my 8line is as well. They are peaceful when small but if it is a fish you plan to have for years, they may turn at anytime. They are generally regarded as semi-aggressive/aggressive. Peacefulness just depends on how long you plan on keeping the fish and if you get lucky or not.

 

@sapling Sixline/wrasses are known jumpers so if you are trying to avoid one.... this may not be the best option. Maybe not as jumpy as a firefish but pretty damn jumpy... more so than a clown or such.

 

Springers damsel is peaceful and blue, starkii damsel is semi-aggressive, probably around the same if not a bit less than a 6line. Just depends on the fish. 

[sapling]

@el fabuloso I thought that was a bit of a ethical no-no to keep them in a tropical tank, like when people put a tang in too small of a tank. they are really nice fish, i think they were one of the fish I saw that drew me to the hobby but I rather not due to my conscience.

@tashayar Yeah im in a bit of the coming to terms with an eggcrate on the tank, but I haven't just committed to it yet, mostly due to not going to Lowes yet for it. If I recall correctly, I think its also called light diffuser no? do you know offhand the spacing should be on the eggcrate? should see about going ahead with it this week as a project.

@Tamberav thats crazy, as I thought I saw the 4 and 8 line wrasses as recommended peaceful alternatives to the 6 line. good point though, makes the choice very difficult, since I would like to keep the fish for it's lifespan. the only situation I can think of in the case of the 6 line becoming to aggressive over time is to place it in my 10g but that tank is pretty barren except live sand.

it seems in total its 2-2 of the 6 line becoming too aggressive towards other fish over time. this is making me open to changing the stocking though.

does anyone have experience with court jester gobies instead? they seem look similar enough to a 6 line, while being considered totally peaceful. afaik, its a sand sifting goby and shouldnt be able to exhaust a 20 gal sandbed nearly 1.5-2" thick if it wont eat meaty frozen food or flake/pellet. Im just worried ordering one blind since I cant tell if it will eat or not.

the swalesi swissguard basslet looks very similar too, but I have honestly no Idea of temperament since I cant find much videos on them.

maybe I can see about one of these similar fish and just choose a blue one for the last fish.

again, Thanks to everyone so far, even if I am still on the fence without a definitive choice yet.

[Lula_Mae]

1 hour ago, sapling said:

@el fabuloso I thought that was a bit of a ethical no-no to keep them in a tropical tank, like when people put a tang in too small of a tank. they are really nice fish, i think they were one of the fish I saw that drew me to the hobby but I rather not due to my conscience.

@tashayar Yeah im in a bit of the coming to terms with an eggcrate on the tank, but I haven't just committed to it yet, mostly due to not going to Lowes yet for it. If I recall correctly, I think its also called light diffuser no? do you know offhand the spacing should be on the eggcrate? should see about going ahead with it this week as a project.

@Tamberav thats crazy, as I thought I saw the 4 and 8 line wrasses as recommended peaceful alternatives to the 6 line. good point though, makes the choice very difficult, since I would like to keep the fish for it's lifespan. the only situation I can think of in the case of the 6 line becoming to aggressive over time is to place it in my 10g but that tank is pretty barren except live sand.

it seems in total its 2-2 of the 6 line becoming too aggressive towards other fish over time. this is making me open to changing the stocking though.

does anyone have experience with court jester gobies instead? they seem look similar enough to a 6 line, while being considered totally peaceful. afaik, its a sand sifting goby and shouldnt be able to exhaust a 20 gal sandbed nearly 1.5-2" thick if it wont eat meaty frozen food or flake/pellet. Im just worried ordering one blind since I cant tell if it will eat or not.

the swalesi swissguard basslet looks very similar too, but I have honestly no Idea of temperament since I cant find much videos on them.

maybe I can see about one of these similar fish and just choose a blue one for the last fish.

again, Thanks to everyone so far, even if I am still on the fence without a definitive choice yet.

You can actually do a mesh lid that will be more attractive and less bulky than eggcrate, I believe people get mesh from Bulk Reef Supply and a window screen kit from Lowe's or Home Depot.  I've never tried it though.

[sapling]

44 minutes ago, Lula_Mae said:

You can actually do a mesh lid that will be more attractive and less bulky than eggcrate, I believe people get mesh from Bulk Reef Supply and a window screen kit from Lowe's or Home Depot.  I've never tried it though.

wow, thanks for the heads up! I found the kits from BRS but thats way out of the budget atm, like 5 times more than expected. It does look exactly whats needed though, and they even have a way to hold the lid up with suspension clips. maybe I should hold off on doing the lids for now until I can get that?

im just wondering how would I set it since I have to figure in the skimmer and such. maybe only creating the lid to be over only the main area and not behind the false wall? sizing it from the front of the tank to the false wall? seems to make the most sense since I want the back open so I can let cables by and skimmer and gooseneck to my light and etc.

thanks alot for the BRS suggestion! I tried to find the stuff on Lowe's but couldnt find anything correct for the application. the closest thing I saw that could be cost effective but needed to be jury rigged a bit was a 24" x 12" zilla screen cover