Six Line Wrasse attacking Strawberry Dottyback

ttf5003 · Dec 31, 2022

Hi,

I've had a Six Line wrasse in my Nuvo IM 40 since last February along with a pair of clowns and a watchman Goby.

Yesterday I brought home a Strawberry Dottyback and the Wrasse started biting at it today. I'm seeing visible wounds on the back of the dottyback. I called my local fish store and they abruptly said they wouldn't take the dottyback and hung up. The store I got him from his almost 2 hours away. With the New Years holiday my options are diminishing.

Is there any chance of them starting to get along after a day or two? Or should I be exhausting all options to find a home for the dottyback?

Thanks,

Travis

vetteguy53081 · Dec 31, 2022

ttf5003 said:
Hi,

I've had a Six Line wrasse in my Nuvo IM 40 since last February along with a pair of clowns and a watchman Goby.

Yesterday I brought home a Strawberry Dottyback and the Wrasse started biting at it today. I'm seeing visible wounds on the back of the dottyback. I called my local fish store and they abruptly said they wouldn't take the dottyback and hung up. The store I got him from his almost 2 hours away. With the New Years holiday my options are diminishing.

Is there any chance of them starting to get along after a day or two? Or should I be exhausting all options to find a home for the dottyback?

Thanks,

Travis

Not surprised- They can be territorial je*ks and favor bullying smaller fish. You may have to isolate the 6 line for a couple of weeks in a container such as isolation box

Lavey29 · Dec 31, 2022

Can you change your rockscape slightly to create a different environment. Sometimes this changes aggressive fish focus.

ttf5003 · Dec 31, 2022

So I could run to Petsmart and get a critter cage and put the wrasse in. You think he might be ok on re release? Would he be stressed out waiting in there for a few weeks?

I don't think changing the aquascape will help. He's attacking him wherever he tries to hide.

Lavey29 · Dec 31, 2022

ttf5003 said:
So I could run to Petsmart and get a critter cage and put the wrasse in. You think he might be ok on re release? Would he be stressed out waiting in there for a few weeks?

I don't think changing the aquascape will help. He's attacking him wherever he tries to hide.

You can also try a mirror on the side of the tank to distract the wrasse. This with moving a couple rocks should suffice otherwise your other fish might not last the weekend.