Long nosed Hawkfish -vs- 6 line Wrasse.......HELP!

[reefkpr123]

I have a 30 gallon reef that is a pretty well established, and healthy tank.
Two days ago, I bought a long nosed Hawkfish, and added him to the tank. He promptly proceded to get his butt kicked all over the tank by every other fish in the tank.....specifically, my Wrasse.
After a couple of hours in the tank, he was nowhere to be found. I looked everywhere outside the tank thinking he may have leapt out...but he was nowhere to be found. I figured that he found a little spot to hide somewhere, and just let it go for a while. I went to work yesterday....came home...and still couldn't find the hawk anywhere. I was just about to start tearing down my rockwork to find him, when I thought to check the HOB refugium. Well...after a few minutes I found him laying inside the top part of the ref (which is covered). The only way he could've gotten there would've been to travel through all of the different sections of the ref. What a ride!! I thought he was dead for sure and went to pick him up, and he was still alive! I put him back in the tank, where once again, this bully wrasse proceded to relentlesly beat him up.
So my question......
Does anyone have experience with wrasses being this aggressive? I know they can be territorial, but thought they were in general, a peaceful fish.
I don't want to have to take the hawk back to the lfs....but am afraid I might have to if the wrasse won't let up.
How long should I let him get beat up before I take him out and bring him back? Will the wrasse eventually accept his presence? Or are they just destined to be mortal enemy's?

 

[florida joe]

My sixline is the fish from hell he bulled my RG, clown and orchard dotty back relentless. I did not see my dotty back for months until he reappeared. He now tolerates them. IMO he will always bully certain new arrivals. Ultimately it is your call on which fish to keep personally as much as I love my sixline I will never get another

 

[btldreef]

I agree, I had a Sixline and he also was the "fish from hell". Horrible, I'm afraid to have another wrasse after what I went through with that fish. I had a very small one (not even a full 1") and he caused chaos in my tank. He killed a mandarin, and attacked just about everyone he could see. I was lucky enough to finally catch him in my overflow and to the LFS he went as a "gift." After 10 days at the LFS, the owner told us that the wrasse was killing fish in every tank he put it in and that he gave it away for free to someone with a big tank. I think he gave it away as a free lunch to his shark tank, LOL. Evil fish, I'll never own one again!

 

[reefkpr123]

I absolutley love my sixline. That fish has so much personality! I have sat in front of my tank for hours...as I'm sure we all have...and watched this guy interact with other tankmates, and he literally teases the other fish in the tank. He cruises all over every inch of the tank, and will stop and pose in front of the other fish...turning from side to side....at times i can actually hear him calling na na na na boo boo!! lol He is so quick, and he knows no one in that tank can catch him.
But yeah....Not sure what to do about the hawk. Right now, he is tucked up in the top corner of the tank nestled into a clump of chaeto. His tail is getting pretty tattered. I think I'll give him another day or two to find his place.
BTW.....got him at *****.....antone familiar w/ their return policies? I wouldn't think they'd give me a hard time about returning a fish in order to keep it alive, would they?

 

[ophiura]

I had a 45g and really couldn't keep any other fish. Sixlines can be very very aggressive...don't apply the more cute tease sort of approach...it is an aggressive display and he is absolutely serious.

Many places will not take a fish in return if it is battered. You might be able to keep lights out, rearrange rock, etc. standard practice stuff.

 

[stanlalee]

my sixline is just the opposite, doesn't trouble ANY new additions (it was my 1rst fish). He wont back down to anything that troubles him but has been 100% peaceful as far as being the aggressor. Really depends on the individual. Most accounts of sixline aggression seem to be highly variable (from peaceful to terrors). Definately not timid though.

 

[florida joe]

The problem with sixlines IMO is the hobbyist not prioritizing their stock list. IMO if you decide to add a sixline, he should be added last. A peaceful sixline is great. But an aggressive one can be hell on wheels not only the its tank mates but to the hobbyist if they decide to try to remove him

 

[wangotango]

Originally Posted by florida joe
http:///forum/post/3152583
The problem with sixlines IMO is the hobbyist not prioritizing their stock list. IMO if you decide to add a sixline, he should be added last. A peaceful sixline is great. But an aggressive one can be hell on wheels not only the its tank mates but to the hobbyist if they decide to try to remove him
+1. I think this is the most important thing. I had one for years and it never bothered anything (last fish added).
I'd be interested to see what would happen if rearranging the rock prior to adding a new fish helped with territorial aggression any...
-Justin