Upsetting the balance?

FishyReef

Broke Reefer!
I'm watching a very interesting dynamic in my tank today. Yesterday I added a melanarus wrasse, which seems to be completely settled in today. He could care less about anyone else in the tank and no one seems to notice him at all. But today everyone else seems to be fighting with each other which I've never seen before. They've all been established for awhile now and living in harmony. But today my fairy wrasses are in chase mode, the anthia and chromis are fighting, and I even watched my tang and tilefish get into it with each other. What gives?
 
Maybe adding some more rock to your DT for more hiding places if not an opinion I would get rid of your latest addition maybe. Overstocked maybe? Black-Axil Chromis, Tail-Spot Blenny, Domino Clowns, Mimic Lemonpeel Tang, Pink-Spotted Watchman Goby, Yellow-Flanked Fairy Wrasse, Solon Fairy Wrasse, Lyretail Anthias, Lubbocks Fairy Wrasse, Orangeback Fairy Wrasse, Purple Tilefish, Melanarus Wrasse 13 fish? There could be many different issues.. I'm not 100% sure.
 
I hung some nori and that seemed to settle everyone down. I'd consider overstocked, but I had this many fish living quite happily together for some time. I lost a red velvet fairy wrasse about a month or so ago (prior to that he was happy and healthy for a year in my tank). The melanarus isn't even interacting with anyone, just going about his business picking stuff off the rocks. All I can think is that the others might see him as a more dominant fish and are having to re-evaluate their own rank in the tank, and hence are jockying amongst themselves. If thats the case then things should calm down in a few days as they re-establish themselves. I'd fully expect this if the new fish were part of the jockying, but he's not so its a bit odd. Anyhow, its nothing terrible, just more chasing than I've previously witnessed, and the fighting between my tang and tilefish was a bit shocking and crazy! All seem okay now, I think I'll continue feeding a few extra times a day to keep everyone in check (not feeding more, just the same amount spread over a few additional times).
 
You have a 90g tank. There is enough bioload their and on an established tank with 1 small fish isnt going to be an issue. With a 40b i would say you may have an issue
 
I have personally had this happen myself. Being a fish limit pusher myself as you are there is a risk. I have had it go the way you are describing and then things settle down but I have also had it go with much worse results. In my case, my best guess was there was shift in the hierarchy which seems to be one of the ways you are leaning. Glad they have settled down for you.
 
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