The present from hell...... possibly

Timbo13

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So last Friday my wife and I went to the local fish store for a look around. We spent a good 2 hours or so there. She has really come around to the idea of having a saltwater tank. I think it was the initial cost of starting-up that concerned her. Anyway, a bit of backstory, I got my first saltwater tank up and running (Fluval Evo 13.5) about 2 months ago. Just have 2 small clowns and a little bit of coral with plans for a Red Sea reefer 170 or 250 in the future. Here's where my potential problem starts.
I get home form work on Saturday night and she says to me "I got you a present!". Now I'm thinking maybe some beer or a shirt. Turns out she went back to the LFS and decided to buy a fish. A 6 lined wrasse!! I don't know much about them so I read up on them and discovered they are semi-aggressive and can be real jerks. She told me she got it because the tank looked empty and the fish was pretty.I'll admit, it is a nice looking fish. It kept to itself and hid around the rock work for the most part of the first few days. Then this morning (I have today off work), I was having a coffee watching the fish. The wrasse seemed to attack the bigger (black) clownfish whenever it went down towards to the rock-work. So I kept watching. It did it again about 20 minutes later. Snapping at the clownfish with its mouth open. I can see a few white spots on the clownfish's tail but not sure if they've always been there. It leaves the smaller orange alone though. I think it's stressing the clown out because it seems to swimming all over the place like crazy every now and then.
I rang the LFS an hour ago and they said that they don't take returns on live stock and I'm not one for flushing a fish. Not sure what to do...
I don't have anywhere else to put it (this is my first and only saltwater tank), don't know anyone else in this hobby near me that might take it (live in Tokyo) and I'm not planning on a bigger tank till I move house (at least a year in the future).
Will this aggression stop once they work out territory or are my clowns in danger? Is there anything else I could try.
It has only been a few days since its been in the tank but from what I've read the 6 lined wrasse can be a real d#%k towards other fish.
Sorry for the length of the message but I'd really appreciate some ideas or anything anyone else has done in the past to solve this potential issue.
Thanks
 

laverda

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It is unlikely to stop in such a small tank. It is really to small a tank for the 6 line even if it was alone. I would take it back to the store where you got it. they should never have sold it to your wife.
 

kichimark

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Sorry to hear about your situation. I had a six line in my last tank and it was a model citizen but it was a 100G and it could have been an exception to their aggressive behavior.

BUT, this could be a sign to get the big tank now. I know you said you want to wait but if no one else is around to take it and you have no other means to dispose, then that leaves only one option. OR....is there any other reef fish stores in tokyo that would take it?
 
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Timbo13

Timbo13

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Thanks for the quick responses. I only have the one store that is kind of close by. I could try and call one of the other stores and see what they say.
In saying that, Japan has several New Year's sales. If I could find a reefer on sale this could be the perfect segue into getting the big tank sooner. She is the one that's caused this situation after all.
Why couldn't she just get a goby :(
 

kichimark

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Thanks for the quick responses. I only have the one store that is kind of close by. I could try and call one of the other stores and see what they say.
In saying that, Japan has several New Year's sales. If I could find a reefer on sale this could be the perfect segue into getting the big tank sooner. She is the one that's caused this situation after all.
Why couldn't she just get a goby :(
She didn't want to get the goby because there would be no drive for the larger tank.
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Hugh Mann

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What you could do, is set up a temporary holding tank. Basically a big plastic bin or some such with pvc. Put the wrasse in there so it will stop harassing your clowns. Cycle by taking out a chunk of rock and sand from your display. Monitor ammonia.

Not pretty and takes up space, but allows you time to figure out a more permanent solution.
 
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Timbo13

Timbo13

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Thanks. I'm not sure why they won't take back livestock. Maybe they're worried about illness or something. I think I'll get my wife to take it back. If they won't take it I have an old aquarium in the cupboard for emergencies. I'll take a bag or ceramic rings out of the back of the evo and put that in the spare tank.
Now I just need to catch it!!
 
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Timbo13

Timbo13

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So my wife just got back. I made her watch the action from the tank. Within 5 minutes she was phone and now she's telling me the LFS have changed their mind about letting me return the fish. I wonder what she said... The fish was a pain to catch. I ended up taking all the rocks out of the tank and putting them on a towel. I used a medium sized tupperware container to catch it. It's convenient that I'll be using the same container to transport the fish back to the LFS.
Thanks for all your help everyone. Good news is now she says she won't add anything to the tank without asking first now :)
 

namfuak

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Now the problem might be that she doesn't want any participation with the tank after making this mistake. That would be my worry if my wife bought the wrong livestock (highly unlikely in the first place).
 

Subtropic Reefer

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So last Friday my wife and I went to the local fish store for a look around. We spent a good 2 hours or so there. She has really come around to the idea of having a saltwater tank. I think it was the initial cost of starting-up that concerned her. Anyway, a bit of backstory, I got my first saltwater tank up and running (Fluval Evo 13.5) about 2 months ago. Just have 2 small clowns and a little bit of coral with plans for a Red Sea reefer 170 or 250 in the future. Here's where my potential problem starts.
I get home form work on Saturday night and she says to me "I got you a present!". Now I'm thinking maybe some beer or a shirt. Turns out she went back to the LFS and decided to buy a fish. A 6 lined wrasse!! I don't know much about them so I read up on them and discovered they are semi-aggressive and can be real jerks. She told me she got it because the tank looked empty and the fish was pretty.I'll admit, it is a nice looking fish. It kept to itself and hid around the rock work for the most part of the first few days. Then this morning (I have today off work), I was having a coffee watching the fish. The wrasse seemed to attack the bigger (black) clownfish whenever it went down towards to the rock-work. So I kept watching. It did it again about 20 minutes later. Snapping at the clownfish with its mouth open. I can see a few white spots on the clownfish's tail but not sure if they've always been there. It leaves the smaller orange alone though. I think it's stressing the clown out because it seems to swimming all over the place like crazy every now and then.
I rang the LFS an hour ago and they said that they don't take returns on live stock and I'm not one for flushing a fish. Not sure what to do...
I don't have anywhere else to put it (this is my first and only saltwater tank), don't know anyone else in this hobby near me that might take it (live in Tokyo) and I'm not planning on a bigger tank till I move house (at least a year in the future).
Will this aggression stop once they work out territory or are my clowns in danger? Is there anything else I could try.
It has only been a few days since its been in the tank but from what I've read the 6 lined wrasse can be a real d#%k towards other fish.
Sorry for the length of the message but I'd really appreciate some ideas or anything anyone else has done in the past to solve this potential issue.
Thanks
If you are near palm beach/Fort Lauderdale/ Miami, I can take it off your hands. I could pay $10
 

laverda

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So my wife just got back. I made her watch the action from the tank. Within 5 minutes she was phone and now she's telling me the LFS have changed their mind about letting me return the fish. I wonder what she said... The fish was a pain to catch. I ended up taking all the rocks out of the tank and putting them on a towel. I used a medium sized tupperware container to catch it. It's convenient that I'll be using the same container to transport the fish back to the LFS.
Thanks for all your help everyone. Good news is now she says she won't add anything to the tank without asking first now :)
I think its great your wife bought you a fish. Let her know she can not rely on any LFS to be honest when selling fish. Perhaps you can give her some links to research before buy your next fish. And encourage her get a 6 line once you have a suitable tank.
 
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Timbo13

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Thanks again everyone. I told her when we get the bigger tank she can help me choose the contents. She seemed happy.
 
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