Possum wrasse aggression?

[Pete Paschall]

Yep - you read that title correctly. So, I have a 185 gallon peninsula tank stocked with:

2 cleaner shrimp
purple tang
blond naso tang
yellow eye kole tang
flame hawkfish
bi-color blennie
Randall's goby
leopard wrasse
divided leopard wrasse
royal flasher wrasse
yellow coris wrasse
yellow banded possum wrasse

The wrasses have all been together for a while (this is their 3rd and largest tank), but the possum wrasse has started going after the divided leopard wrasse, chasing her all over the tank to the point where she has started burying in the sand to get away. Is this normal? I though wetmorella were one of the more peaceful wrasses out there.

 

[Pete Paschall]

I should add that I culture Tigger and Tisbe pods, have a large refugium, and admittedly overfeed the tank, so competition for food should not be an issue. Yesterday, there were pods crawling all over the sides of the tank, so I know there are plenty for them to eat..

 

[evolved]

but the possum wrasse has started going after the divided leopard wrasse, chasing her all over the tank to the point where she has started burying in the sand to get away. Is this normal?

No, that's rather atypical. And if the leopard is being forced into hiding, then these two won't work together anymore.

I though wetmorella were one of the more peaceful wrasses out there.

They are. However, you are dealing with wild animals here, and sometimes things don't follow the norms.