Mixing Wrasses w/ A Sixline

alisamac

Member
Considering mixing up our fish stock and looked at some wrasses. Currently we've got a six line and when I looked up adding a fairy wrasse the internet was in an uproar. I understand mixing same species gets hairy when it comes to certain fish, and every fish has it's own quirks and personality, but people weren't nice. Six lines are apparently the devil and can't cohabitate with anything ever. EVER. Unless added last and under the right phase of the moon according to the internet.
Ok. Weird. Because our sixline is not only the oldest resident in our tank but has never bullied another fish ever. Bigger, smaller, or the same size including two different sets of clowns, two different gobies, two different yellow tangs, and a blue hippo.
I'm not suggesting just because my sixline is a nice fish I can add anything and expect it to be fine. But people were saying sixline's are the devil and I would rip my tank apart to get it out and how can it even be considered reef safe.
Am I missing something? Ours has never nipped at a single piece of coral.
Someone please enlighten me if this is the case and I am so jaded in my thinking about this funny little guy that just wants to swim sideways in the current and hang out with our other fish.
/end rant
Soo any body have any luck with other wrasses and a sixline? =)
 

btldreef

Moderator
Some six lines are bad, some aren't. It's luck of the draw and what type of tank you have. I've always ended up with aggressive six lines and have completely written them off. If you have a peaceful six line, you might very well be able to keep it with other wrasses without an issue. They're reef safe, it's the aggression towards other fish that is usually an issue, especially like sized fish. I had a six line kill a mandarin. I've also had one that attacked my Fridmani Psuedochromi on a daily basis and eventually ripped its tail off. My first six line was so aggressive that it ended up in a tank with lion fish and eels and lasted more than 2 weeks before it finally got picked off.
The big questions when deciding whether or not to put something else with your "peaceful" six line are what size tank and what other fish has he been with? Also, on the off chance that there is aggression, you need to have a back up plan. Catching a six line, or any other wrasse is not easy work. They will figure out your rock work very quickly and swim very fast so catching them is close to impossible.
 

rickross23

Active Member
Some six lines are bad, some aren't. It's luck of the draw and what type of tank you have. I've always ended up with aggressive six lines and have completely written them off. If you have a peaceful six line, you might very well be able to keep it with other wrasses without an issue. They're reef safe, it's the aggression towards other fish that is usually an issue, especially like sized fish. I had a six line kill a mandarin. I've also had one that attacked my Fridmani Psuedochromi on a daily basis and eventually ripped its tail off. My first six line was so aggressive that it ended up in a tank with lion fish and eels and lasted more than 2 weeks before it finally got picked off.
The big questions when deciding whether or not to put something else with your "peaceful" six line are what size tank and what other fish has he been with? Also, on the off chance that there is aggression, you need to have a back up plan. Catching a six line, or any other wrasse is not easy work. They will figure out your rock work very quickly and swim very fast so catching them is close to impossible.
To catch them, get a fish trap.
 
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