Six line wrasses are a great addition to a marine aquarium.
While they can liven up any aquarium with their activity and striking personality, these fish are known to be aggressive and bully their tankmates.
So, you may wonder about the compatible tankmates for six line wrasses.
Tankmates for Six Line Wrasses
The compatible tankmates for six line wrasses are those fish that don’t get bullied by their aggression. Some compatible tankmates for six line wrasses are clownfish, tangs, copperband butterfly, saltwater angelfish, clown triggerfish, and dragon wrasses.
7 Compatible Tankmates for Six Line Wrasses
Six line wrasses are known for their aggression and high energy.
They love exploring their surroundings and can be seen darting through the tank most of the time.
These fish should be kept with large, semi-aggressive fish that can defend themselves when bullied by six line wrasses.
Some of the compatible tankmates that you can house with six line wrasses are given below.
1. Tomato Clownfish
Tomato clownfish are an excellent addition to a six line wrasse tank as they’re hardy, easy to care for, and don’t need a special aquarium setup.
They’re favorites among aquarists due to their striking coloration that spruces up any marine aquarium.
Many aquarists prefer housing tomato clownfish with six line wrasses as they can withstand the aggression and territorial behavior of six line wrasses.
These fish are also not fussy eaters.
They prefer to eat all sorts of meaty food such as shrimp, krill, squid, chopped clams, etc.
Veggies, frozen, and flake foods are also readily eaten by these fish.
2. Maroon Clownfish
Maroon clownfish are one of the most favored reef tank fish. They’re popular for their unique appearance.
Like tomato clownfish, these fish are also hardy and can tolerate moderate changes in water parameters.
Maroon clownfish are compatible tankmates for six line wrasses due to their bold and feisty behavior.
They’re territorial and don’t get bullied easily.
Maroon clownfish also prefer warm water and have similar water parameter requirements to six line wrasses, making them an ideal tankmate.
These fish are also not picky eaters and will accept almost everything offered to them.
You can feed them various foods such as vegetables, live or frozen food, and flakes and pellets.
3. Copperband Butterfly
Copperband butterfly fish, also known as the beaked coral fish, share the same habitat with six line wrasses in the Indo-Pacific oceans.
These fish can be housed with six line wrasses in a reef tank as they don’t bother the corals.
However, they’re highly sensitive and require stable water parameters resembling their natural habitat.
Copperband butterfly fish need to be housed in a tank with ample space as a lack of it can make them aggressive.
Being carnivores, these fish prefer meaty and protein-rich food such as brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, bloodworms, insect larvae, aiptasia, etc., along with mineral-fortified pellets to meet their nutritional needs.
4. Tangs
Tangs are one of the most recognizable marine fish due to their distinctive body shape and coloring.
These fish are native to the tropical waters of the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, as well as the Caribbean and Atlantic regions.
Tangs are excellent tankmates for six line wrasses as they’re very active and energetic fish, just like six line wrasses.
Moreover, most species of tangs are semi-aggressive and will not allow six line wrasses to bully them.
Tangs are also reef-safe and can be housed safely with six line wrasses in a reef tank.
5. Saltwater Angelfish
Saltwater angelfish are famous for their unique coloration and striking personalities.
There are over 80 species of these fish, primarily inhabiting the shallow, tropical reefs in the Indian, Atlantic, and western regions of the Pacific oceans.
These fish are simply majestic and stand out in the reef environment.
Although aggressive toward their own species, these fish are generally tolerant of species from other fish families.
The main challenge with saltwater angelfish is feeding.
They need a varied and nutritious diet to thrive. Lack of adequate food can lead to stress and be fatal to them.
Some species of saltwater angelfish mainly eat filamentous algae, while others feed on benthic invertebrate organisms like hydroid, bryozoans, and sponges.
Depending on the species and its dietary requirements, you can feed them flakes, pellets, and live and frozen food such as brine shrimp, krill, shredded shrimp, etc.
6. Clown Triggerfish
Clown triggerfish are popular for their dazzling colors and distinctive personality.
Although aggressive, these fish are good tankmates for six line wrasses as they have similar temperaments.
Clown triggerfish are messy eaters.
Hence, a robust filtration system and protein skimmer are a must while housing them with six line wrasses.
These fish are carnivores and need a protein-rich diet daily for optimal growth.
Feeding them a nutritious diet thrice a day is essential for their fast metabolism and curbing aggression.
You can feed them live or frozen vitamin-enriched brine shrimp, ghost shrimp, mysis shrimp, bloodworms, krill, chopped clams, etc.
The only problem with clown triggerfish is that they’re not reef-safe as they tend to nibble at corals and coral polyps.
7. Dragon Wrasses
Dragon wrasses primarily inhabit the Indo-Pacific region’s shallow coral reefs and lagoons.
Their large size and bright colors characterize them.
These fish are aggressive and attack any fish that comes near them.
Hence, a large tank with ample space is required while housing dragon wrasses with six line wrasses.
This helps each fish to claim its territory and avoids territorial aggression.
Dragon wrasses have similar water parameter requirements to six line wrasses and hence are favorites among aquarists for community aquariums.
Being carnivores, these fish need a protein-rich diet to meet their dietary needs.
Live foods or frozen foods like brine shrimp, mysid shrimp, bloodworms, blackworms, etc., are good choices to feed dragon wrasses in captivity.
High-quality flakes and pellets must be fed in moderation to dragon wrasses as they provide less nutrition.
Fish that You Should Avoid Housing with Six Line Wrasses
Six line wrasses are aggressive and can be territorial toward their tankmates.
So they can’t be housed safely with other fish that may get into a fight with them.
Six line wrasses are active fish that love to dart around the aquarium.
Hence, slow-moving fish should be avoided as they won’t get along well.
Similarly, slow-feeding fish must be avoided as they can starve because six line wrasses are known for their voracious appetites.
Any large and predator fish should also not be housed with six line wrasses as they can be an easy meal for the predatory fish.
On the other hand, small fish also shouldn’t be kept with six line wrasses as they’re known to attack the small fish.
Six line wrasses are even known to bully the shy and peaceful fish. So it’s better to avoid these fish too.
Given below are some fish that you shouldn’t house with six line wrasses:
- Snails,
- Clams,
- Gobies,
- Wrasses such as Leopard, Fairy, Flasher, Melanurus, Yellow Coris, etc.,
- Pipefish,
- Seahorses,
- Predator fish such as Lionfish, Scorpionfish, Groupers, and
- Royal Gramma fish.
Can Multiple Six Line Wrasses Live Together?
Keeping multiple six line wrasses together in the same tank isn’t advisable. These fish are highly territorial toward their own kind.
You can house a male and female six line wrasse together.
However, you need to be sure about their gender as it’s difficult to differentiate between a male and female six line wrasse.
Keeping two male six line wrasses together can turn into a bitter battle, resulting in one of them being fatally injured.
If you still wish to keep two six line wrasses together, the tank must be huge with enough space for each fish to claim its territory.
The six line wrasses shouldn’t cross each other’s path to avoid territorial aggression.
