[Scooter and friends]

Hi,

Have a tank stocking question...

We have a 55 gal long tank that's been cycled and established for about 2 months. It currently houses: 3 green chromis (all juveniles under 1.5"), 1 coral beauty angelfish (2.5"), 1 pajama fish (1.5" the only one of three that survived their stint in quarantine the other two were slightly smaller and seamed quickly to be "not right"), and one small (1.75") sixline wrasse. Everyone is very peaceful, and in the rare events of nipping (usually among the chromis) the wrasse is there to break it up.

We have lots of live rock with plenty of caves, everyone appears to be thriving and eating well, all water tests have been perfect and stable.

We saw another sixline wrasse at our LFS today that is a bit smaller than the one we have. We were wondering if it would be dangerous to add this second sixline. Since they're both juveniles we thought they might grow up to pair, but we don't want to add someone who will be a problem. We know that putting similar wrasses together can be dangerous, but we love these guys and they're both young... so... what do you think?

 

[fishoutofwater25]

I have a sixline too he is very peaceful to all my other fish. But I've read that sixlines can be very aggressive to to other wrasses even if introduced when they are young. I would just pick another fish and not risk it.

 

[Scooter and friends]

The only reason we are even considering it is that when we initially researched this species we read the following at fishchannel . com:

" I would only keep one sixline wrasse per aquarium unless you can acquire a male and a female or two females. The sixline wrasse is a protogynous hermaphrodite, which means if you place two females in an aquarium, one may change to a male. Likewise, if you add two juvenile sixline wrasses — you are likely to end up with a pair."
fishchannel . com / fish-species / saltwater-profiles / sixline-wrasse-2.aspx

the little guy we saw yesterday was about the size that ours was when we got it three-four weeks ago. the wrasse we have was added before the coral beauty and the pajama fish and welcomed the new tankmates happily.

 

[reefref]

i wouldn't think sixlines would mate anyway even if they paired and my sixline doesnt care for his shadow or the melanurus wrasse in the tank..i would agree with above and say look elsewhere