Know I posted similar elsewhere, but want to add a more lasting memorial for my sixline here on FOTM.
Quote:
Originally Posted by omard  |
R.I.P.
(2002-2008 )
Sixline Wrasse
Pseudocheilinus hexataenia
Besides its incredible beauty, it is great fun to watch whizzing around tank, playing in heavy water current and "schooling" around with other fish.
It is a fish with wonderful characteristics.
It will eat flatworms, bristle worms, small nuisance snails (esp. those that prey on clams) and is known to act as a "cleaner" to other fish that might be afflicted with some parasite such as Ick.
I often see it carefully inspecting my larger fish, which will hold still for it to do so.
While it does carry a bad rep for being overly aggressive, mine is the most docile, mellow and fish friendly in the tank. The reason being it was the last fish to be added to the population, other then my flame wrasse, which it does not bother at all. It seems to be that they will not tolerate new fish.
He has lots of personality and fun to watch him following around my coral beauty which his best friend.
The only downside that I have heard of, is that it also loves copepods which will put it in competition with other pod eaters, such as mandarins. But my mandarin is a fat little sausage so does not seem to be a problem in my tank.
So for a cheap, colorful and playful addition to a already established fish population, consider adding a sixline wrasse.
It is the perfect reef fish.
I love mine.
Expect we all have different degrees of emotional attachment to creatures living on our created reefs.
I, for one, develop a much closer relationship with each critter, the longer I have it.
There are a number of fish that have been with me since I first got into hobby.
We are extremely close.
I know their habits, they know mine.
Ever notice how they learn feeding times and go into frenzy when you approach tank during regular feeding periods and just kind of wander about and do their thing when you come close during non-feeding periods. (expect this is much more pronounced if you generally feed at same times every day.)
Also ever observe how they will come up to glass to say hello(?) whenever you or family member comes into room or come near glass...but ignore or actually go into hiding when a stranger approaches? (esp. visiting children...they know, they know...) Even when my cats which like to perch on nearby chair and sit for hours watching and dreaming about getting in there with them, the fish used to go into hiding...but now totally ignore or put on shows for.
Losing a long held resident is a traumatic event.
Trip to LFS is best means to remedy sense of loss.
But even same kind of replacement fish is just not the same as lost one.
Its just looks different, habits are not the same and there is very little sense of attachment or emotional bonding for long period to come. Even to point of little regret if for some reason it does not make it for one reason or other, or if does not get along with other fish in tank...except of loss in $$ spent.
Usually I only give it a few days to adjust to other fish and new environment, or out it comes and goes back to LFS if does not. Existing fish have priority
Even while looking the same as lost one, other fish tank know it is a different fish and will generally harass it for a while till accepting new resident...
Enough blabbering...guess I am still in grief period over demise of my sixline.
It just glides around the rocks effortlessly looking for something to pick at. But don't worry, it won't touch your corals, it likes pods, worms.. that sort of thing. It doesn't seem to bother my crabs or snails though.
