Melanauras Wrasse is bullying every fish in my tank!

[biggie4jets]

Hey everyone,

I just had a causality in my tank due to obsessive bullying from my wrasse. He sometimes chases fish around and bullies fish, but this time, he’s taken it too far. He took out my flame angel fish’s eye! My flame angel only has one eye now and isn’t going to make it. Even when I was taking the fish out with a net, the wrasse kept trying to get at him.

Is this normal behavior?! I’m about to give the wrasse back to the lfs after a year of owning him. I couldn’t believe this. I’ve never had a fish die from my Wrasse and they’ve been rank mates for about 5 months.

Not sure what else to do. Thanks.

 

[Apotack]

How big is your tank?
stocking list?

 

[biggie4jets]

40G Breeder

-2 clowns
-yellow goby
-1wrasse

 

[Dolelo96]

Some people don’t have problems with them. My first one was great. My second one, not so much. I had to bring him back to the LFS. Didn’t matter how much I fed him. Maybe someone else has suggestions. Good luck

 

[biggie4jets]

Some people don’t have problems with them. My first one was great. My second one, not so much. I had to bring him back to the LFS. Didn’t matter how much I fed him. Maybe someone else has suggestions. Good luck

Thank you!

 

[Greybeard]

I had to take one back, traded him for a blue throat wrasse. He was killing shrimps, snails, crabs, pestering my other fishes... I try and keep a low stress environment for my fishes. He had to go.

 

[Apotack]

your tank is a bit small for a full size Melanauras

 

[nereefpat]

your tank is a bit small for a full size Melanauras

I would agree. It certainly could be that an adult melanurus isn't tolerating the other fish in a 40 breeder.