Cleaner wrasse

[cougaran]

I've heard many different takes on these fish, some are survivors in the tanks and some rapidly die.... I see the various web fish merchants sell these fish with different prices from different places..

I've seen Cleaner wrasses from Tonga, Sri Lanka, Solomon Islands, Indonesia, Hawaii, Fiji, Vanuatu and Maldives. Is there any real difference to justify paying $25 versus $10 for the same size fish just because it comes from a different part of the world? Does any one of these fish have better coloration, better survivability, better eating diversity?

Anyone have any thoughts or advice in keeping these fish? Do they survive better in small schools in the tank? Do they do better in large tanks such as 300G w/ loads of tangs, but when the parasites are gone, arent they all gone for good...

I personally have read that feeding them 3 times a day helps.

 

[Makaveli2010]

The colors do vary!!! That is why the Hawaiian cleaner is ENDEMIC. I think that the Indonesian, Fiji, and Christmas Island cleaners are easier to get eating right away, but there is a little trick to getting them to eat no matter where the fish is from.... All animals naturally want to eat, right? Its our survival mechanism. The second we are born--we're feeding off of mama's nipple. Fish and all other animals are the same. If you have a very established tank with LOTS--keyword LOTS of eating fish then the cleaner wrasses will see the other fish eating and after 3-5 days they will also start eating. Monkey see, monkey do. If you got 2-3 fish in the tank and a few of them are already finiky eaters or dont eat very often, the cleaner wrasses will not know what you are offering them is food since their natural food is parasites and other biomatter that is "cleaned" by them off of other living fish. If they know that its food and everyone else is eating, then so will they. I have a 600 gallon holding system that has anywhere between 60-180 fish in it at any given time. I feed the fishes once every 2-3 days. When the cleaners see that 30-60 of the other fish are eating my prepared foods, they eat it too.

 

[iamwrasseman]

most cleaners have trouble in captivity because they are cleaners and rely on parasites on other fish to eat . they also eat the slimy mucus on the fishes body which is not good for the fish involved and they can be hurt and possibly die as a result . i would suggest purchasing a cheaper one because they usually dont survive . they can learn to eat prepared foods as Makaveli2010 has stated and then they have a much better chance of survival .they eat very small foods and do not have the capability to chop up food that is to big so feed offer them small foods such as cyclopeeze and they will have a better chance of getting some nutrition . also they need to be fed often as they are constantly forging for food and burn many calories in doing so .
good luck

 

[snorvich]

I am in agreement with Dave. Best chance for success are the ones out of Africa (which of course cost more) but with the others, it is a crap shoot. Be SURE you are putting this fish in with fish that will accept cleaning otherwise you are going to make the other fish crazy as cleaners are obsessive. But if you are getting a cleaner for parasite control, don't waste your money as that is a myth, they do not (stomach assay has shown) actually eat parasites.

 

[cougaran]

I had ordered 3 generic(they didnt specify)for my fish tank from a vendor. One was DOA, the other was almost DOA as they taped a corner of the bag and it got stuck in there and died next day--both of these were small..The last one survived for 2 days, was large and then just disappeared. I checked the carpet and he wasnt there, so he just died in the tank. The large one had been eating--monkey see monkey do like Makaveli2010 said-- but im not sure how much of it he was actually digesting.. I didnt try cyclopeeze though...

 

[cougaran]

But if you are getting a cleaner for parasite control, don't waste your money as that is a myth, they do not (stomach assay has shown) actually eat parasites.

This is kind of disapointing news.....next your going to tell me that cleaner shrimp are useless too...lol

 

[auem]

my experience on cleaner wrasse is that they only survive in matured reef system...i tried 4 times in my fowlr in past 3 years,it died within 2-3 month,despite everytime learned to eat flake...but in my my reef tank,current one is living for 11 month...
all of them are from asian waters....

 

[snorvich]

This is kind of disapointing news.....next your going to tell me that cleaner shrimp are useless too...lol

Right. A common misconception. Sorry. I have them because fish enjoy being cleaned and it is interesting to watch. However cleaners have NO impact on parasites.

 

[scchase]

They do have impact on parasites just not the ones most people are worried about. The 2 biggest that they due eat are flukes and Turbellaria (black ich). Not sure if they are worth it for that though both are easily treated for.

 

[snorvich]

They do have impact on parasites just not the ones most people are worried about. The 2 biggest that they due eat are flukes and Turbellaria (black ich). Not sure if they are worth it for that though both are easily treated for.

You are, of course, correct. Most people think cryptocaryon irritans and oodinium both of which are not treated by cleaner wrasse or cleaner shrimp. But I suggest routinely treating all new fish with prazipro for flukes.

 

[btkrausen]

I bought a cleaner wrasse a few months ago from the LFS, and he's doing great. My kole tang will lay over on his side to be cleaned by him, but I guess he bites cause the kole usually turns and chases him afterwards. haha.

My cleaner eats mysis really well, and eats pellets as well. He's actually following my Kole tang around right now as I type, haha. I have seen him clean up on my blue throat trigger until he died. I haven't seen him clean the new one yet, as he's still pretty new and shy, so he hides out.

Funny thing I've seen is that people seem to enjoy the colors of him, as they usually point him out.

 

[cougaran]

Anyone have any experience with them schooling? I recall reading that they'll set up a station if more than 1.

 

[snorvich]

Anyone have any experience with them schooling? I recall reading that they'll set up a station if more than 1.

They do not school or shoal. In the wild cleaner shrimp will set up a "cleaning station" and will also do so in our aquariums. Cleaner wrasses, given the small size of our aquaria, do set up cleaning stations.