6 line wrasse doubts

[Peli45]

I am getting a 55 gallon, and I initially had a 6 or 8 line wrasse on my list, but after reading horror stories about these, I am skeptical. Is it really that bad?

 

[blaxsun]

I am getting a 55 gallon, and I initially had a 6 or 8 line wrasse on my list, but after reading horror stories about these, I am skeptical. Is it really that bad?

I keep hearing that too, yet my sixlines have been some of the most peaceful fish in my tank. I think if you have a large enough tank, excellent rockscaping (ie: lots of places to hunt and hide) - you'll have less behavioral issues. My sixline is kept preoccupied 24/7 with an abundance of pests and things to hunt - so that's probably the other half of the battle.

As with any fish, YMMV. Perhaps I've just won the sixline lottery twice in a row...

 

[Peli45]

I keep hearing that too, yet my sixlines have been some of the most peaceful fish in my tank. I think if you have a large enough tank, excellent rockscaping (ie: lots of places to hunt and hide) - you'll have less behavioral issues. My sixline is kept preoccupied 24/7 with an abundance of pests and things to hunt - so that's probably the other half of the battle.

As with any fish, YMMV. Perhaps I've just won the sixline lottery twice in a row...

Would a sixline fit in a 55?

 

[jpark457]

Very much would fit in a 55. I have one very happy for about a year and a half in 34G. It’s also never really had any aggression problems but I have a ridiculous amount of rock and everything in w it is on the aggressive side for the most part.

 

[Peli45]

Very much would fit in a 55. I have one very happy for about a year and a half in 34G. It’s also never really had any aggression problems but I have a ridiculous amount of rock and everything in w it is on the aggressive side for the most part.

Would the sixline work with:
Coral beauty angel
2x anonymous clowns
Yellow watchman goby
Lawnmower blenny

 

[jpark457]

Mine has been fine w clowns and a YWG. The clowns bullied it away from their turf. My tank is too small for a coral beauty otherwise I probably would have tried. Haven’t had a lawnmower but think it should be ok from what I have heard of them.

 

[nkyreef]

I have a 60 gallon long that I use for a frag tank. The only fish is a six line for pest control. Black Friday I bought an orange back wrasse and put him in the frag tank to quarantine. The next day I had to put him in a separate box because the six line damaged his eye and tore some fins. I thought the 60 would've been big enough for the both of them but I guess not.

 

[secret_reefer337]

Always have sixline in my tank and I have never seen mine get aggressive. Never killed or harassed new fish. Most of the time curious for few hours then will leave the new fish alone.

 

[jmichaelh7]

I didn’t know there was horror stories or bad reviews of 6 line.

I literally watched a amphipod crawling in between the rocks.. before I could tell my wife to come look Wham! The 6 line took two bites and it was gone.

they are scavengers for sure

 

[blaxsun]

Would the sixline work with:
Coral beauty angel
2x anonymous clowns
Yellow watchman goby
Lawnmower blenny

Yes. All different "swim lanes".

 

[Floyd-]

My 6 line is great in my tank (150gal display) he is one of the smallest fish I have.

 

[Duffer]

also have a 6 line for the last year, he has been a fine fish to have, no issues and no problems with other fish in the tank

 

[Big Smelly fish]

I have a 6 line and the only fish in my tank he goes after are the Firefish. I think it’s the shape of the firefish. They stay under the rock and over come out at feeding. Before the sixline they stays out for hours every day

 

[Mark Goode]

I added a sixline recently, it's the smallest fish in the tank. There was a bit of bullying at first, but after being on the receiving end of a few vicious headbuts the others left it alone. It's name's now Wee Mad Arthur, after a thuggish gnome in a Terry Pratchett book.

 

[Nemo&Friends]

I am on my 3rd six line wrasse and never had any problems.
My first jumped, though I had a cover, the second I killed by accident, when I took out a rock it was hiding in, to scrub the algae, I found the fish dead in my sink... the 3rd one is fine and very peaceful. I depends of the other fish and the space they are in. Your tank is big enough for it.

 

[Nemo&Friends]

My four stripe damsel is a lot more aggressive than my six line.
It should do well with the fish you mentioned, especially if you have many rocks.

 

[Nemo&Friends]

I have a 60 gallon long that I use for a frag tank. The only fish is a six line for pest control. Black Friday I bought an orange back wrasse and put him in the frag tank to quarantine. The next day I had to put him in a separate box because the six line damaged his eye and tore some fins. I thought the 60 would've been big enough for the both of them but I guess not.

I may be wrong, but the frag tanks do not have many hiding place. Your tank is big, but the fish are very exposed.

 

[Mhamilton0911]

Love my 6 line. She's been a model citizen in my 29g. Loads of caves and tunnels in my rockwork and she's buzzing around all day looking for yummies. Frequently swims with my clowns and tail spot blenny, they will all check out things in a group. The only fish that didn't like the 6 line is my royal Gramma, who hides 99% of the time until feeding then hides again, but I've never seen the wrasse harass it, the Gramma is just a nervous scaredey cat. Love the color and activity of the 6 line, my favorite fish in that tank.

 

[kevgib67]

I’ve had a Sixline off on on for the majority of my 17 years reefing. When I jumped back in the hobby over a year ago it was a must have for my new tank. All have been model citizens and so fun to watch. Upon joining R2R I was shocked by all the negative press they get and thought I must have just been lucky. But more and more people are telling similar experiences as mine.

 

[OrionN]

I am getting a 55 gallon, and I initially had a 6 or 8 line wrasse on my list, but after reading horror stories about these, I am skeptical. Is it really that bad?

Sixline wrasse going into my tank over my dead body was my vow. Then a good friend move out of the country and I inherit a Sixline wrasse. He is every bit of a pain as I remembered about my previous experience with Sixline wrasse, and it was a bad one.