Can cleaner wrasse live in BB tank?
- Thread starter diver_ua
- Start date
jmaneyapanda
Commencing hatred
i would not suggest a cleaner wrasse for any tank without hundreds of fish in it.
wayne in norway
New member
Because they starve to death and then die 'mysteriously' from malnutrution
Bump for starving out a cleaner wrasse.
They eat parsites off the fish as their main diet. With a small load, albeit less than 20-30 fish this fish will starve to death.
I know becasue I killed one out of ignorance. Pretty fish too. Unfortunatley I learned the hard way. I bet the crabs got him in the end. Took about 3 weeks to die what a shame!
They eat parsites off the fish as their main diet. With a small load, albeit less than 20-30 fish this fish will starve to death.
I know becasue I killed one out of ignorance. Pretty fish too. Unfortunatley I learned the hard way. I bet the crabs got him in the end. Took about 3 weeks to die what a shame!
BTTRFLYGRL
New member
Very few survive in captivity..sand has nothing to do with it. Some even eat prepared food and still die. These fish really need to be left in the oceans..
Try Cleaner Gobies [Neon Gobies] and/or Cleaner Shrimp
Try Cleaner Gobies [Neon Gobies] and/or Cleaner Shrimp
I cant believe they sell this fish in stores. Yea mine ate prepared foods but because the mouth is so small it has to be ground very small.
I read up on it when he was alive and beef liver was the recommended food. So off I went looking for beef liver. It also liked ground up brine and squid. Unfortunately its so active in the tank that it burns off the little bit of food it gets. The other fish beat it out almost every time I fed and because its mouth is so small it never could compete in the tank.
IMO this fish is best left in the Ocean too. It serves a purpose there to cleanse the reef of parasites and you souldnt remove fish from that roll in nature.
I read up on it when he was alive and beef liver was the recommended food. So off I went looking for beef liver. It also liked ground up brine and squid. Unfortunately its so active in the tank that it burns off the little bit of food it gets. The other fish beat it out almost every time I fed and because its mouth is so small it never could compete in the tank.
IMO this fish is best left in the Ocean too. It serves a purpose there to cleanse the reef of parasites and you souldnt remove fish from that roll in nature.
emperior911
New member
i've had my cleaner wrasse for quite awhile now. i've seen him eat mysis shrimp. he's fat and is growing like crazy. Collection has alot to do with it.
RichConley
New member
Honestly, we've got about a dozen in my local club, and they seem to be pretty hardy. I'm starting to think that collection practices were the issue with them.
jmaneyapanda
Commencing hatred
Emperior and RichConley- There is likely exceptions to every single rule, which I think is what you're dealing with. Every single piece of literature I have read says they are destined for failure.
I have personally never tried them due to the warnings I have read, but "hardy" has never been a description. But, again, Im just speculating.
I have personally never tried them due to the warnings I have read, but "hardy" has never been a description. But, again, Im just speculating.
RichConley
New member
90% of the literature in this hobby is either A) Outdated, or B) based on other literature in this hobby.
People keep telling me that leopard wrasses shouldnt be kept either. They seem pretty damn hardy to me.
jmaneyapanda
Commencing hatred
You're right, much literature is outdated. I agree, I've heard many times that leopard wrasses are doomed to failure (or majetic angels, or...). What do you think is the key to success? In other words, why is it outdated that these are impossible to keep fish?
zemuron114
In Memoriam
i collect hawaiian cleaners every now and again, and everyone i have caught/held has eaten frozen foods pretty eagerly. I am NOT saying people should buy them/collect them. I get them on requests from clients who want to put it in a show tank with big fish (this i dont mind doing)
the long term success with these isn't very known. My thought is that if collected while young, they will adapt well and do very well in captivity. If a full adult is collected, the chances are slim. (i only have experience with hawaiian cleaners...)
feed a VERY VARIED diet.. feeding only frozen mysis will result in death almost certainly.
I do think more are being collected then should be... they aren't very abundant in Hawaii...
the long term success with these isn't very known. My thought is that if collected while young, they will adapt well and do very well in captivity. If a full adult is collected, the chances are slim. (i only have experience with hawaiian cleaners...)
feed a VERY VARIED diet.. feeding only frozen mysis will result in death almost certainly.
I do think more are being collected then should be... they aren't very abundant in Hawaii...
Ooulophilia
New member
There are plenty of fish collected with dismal survival records in captivity - my reasoning for never stocking them was (and I am basing this entirely on word of mouth, albeit from people who know what they are talking about) wild populations of fish suffer if where they are collected.
zemuron114
In Memoriam
Taking cleaner wrasses probably wont change much if anything at all in the wild. for every 1 you take another 1000 are dropping.. if we are taking them in mass quantities.. then its a problem. Hawaiian cleaners are not taken in mass quantities. Most collectors dont get them, and i only do if i have a specific request (in which case i make sure its going somewhere appropriate)
lux_06
New member
ive only had success with the fish, but then ive read that most Australian ones dont have the problems the ones in the states do, mine will eat anything i feed and grows and fattens without any special attention. yes it has a small mouth, but takes bites out of the food and has a few goes at it till hes eaten it all.
in answer to your original question tho, they sleep in little holes in my liverock not the sand so a BB would work.
in answer to your original question tho, they sleep in little holes in my liverock not the sand so a BB would work.
petoonia
HereWeGoAgain...
If people are arguing over it, your better off going with something else. Everyone I have talked too, and the info. I have read suggests you would probably be better off with the neon goby, they are much more likely to survive. Cleaner shrimp are great additions as well, they do a good job, and can be very entertaining!
Good Luck!!!
Good Luck!!!
zemuron114
In Memoriam
lux 06 what do the aussie ones look like??
i wouldn't suggest getting one. Go with the neons
i wouldn't suggest getting one. Go with the neons
lux_06
New member
they look exactly the same, heres a crappy pic but you can see the colour, i cant remember the reason i read as to why they have better survival rates here but maybe someone else knows.
lol, and ive never had problems with elegance corals either fwiw, and i am by no means a pro as far as reefkeeping goes so leeds me to think there is something to do with collection of these "difficult" species.
adam
lol, and ive never had problems with elegance corals either fwiw, and i am by no means a pro as far as reefkeeping goes so leeds me to think there is something to do with collection of these "difficult" species.
adam
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