Cleaner wrasse

[Lakeside518]

When going through Scott Micheal's pocket expert guide these always peaked some interest. I have not seen any for sale local. Until this week.

Does anyone keep them? Is thier behavor annoying to other fish>? Fish at the LFS seem irritated by them. I'm interested in getting one. Their services could be of use.

 

[Ken668]

I know Tony at Swamp Bottom has them in his display tank. I believe he can pick them up for you on request. One big thing is to verify that they are eating properly. A lot of people have a hard time getting these guys to eat.

I think fish at the LFS are going to be irritated by anything, even cleaner shrimp. They are most likely very stressed out anyway. But once you get them in your tank and well acclimated, they will probably be more receptive to these cleaning services. A little research can probably reveal more on the topic.

 

[reefD]

they are available through all lfs. seen them at scotia,union, and eddies.the issue is again feeding them. they only eat certain things do a search on them. a better alternative is the neon goby. they behave just like the cleaner wrasse. i have had some in the past and they ride on the side of large fish like my yellow tang. they are small but once acclamated last long. mine past when i upgraded...again they are small but behave just like the true cleaner wrasse. ecept they eat anything samll that is offered. i fed mine cyclopeeze no problems.

 

[reefD]

they are large fish (2-5 inches)so most tank species that we keep are warry of thier approach. an ideal host would be a fish a few feet big. again this is why the small neon goby(at most an inch) is accepted immediatly in home reefs for cleaning duty.

 

[reefD]

this link has extensive first hand care experiences and some of the issues we speak of.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/clnrfaqs.htm

a qoute from the above site ..........Cleaner Wrasse Question
Hi Bob,
<Steven Pro in this morning.>
You should be proud of me... I'm reading... and thus have a question. Is it true that cleaner wrasse will not survive in a captive system with no parasites present? Is there any way to save these hard-working creatures after they have saved the rest of the tank inhabitants?
<While their are some people who have been able to keep cleaner wrasses alive, the vast majority perish inside of a year. Any real claim of success with any fish must be measured in years. Someone that keeps a fish alive for six months has not really accomplished anything yet. In many instances, it merely takes that long to slowly starve to death. If you a looking for a cleaner animal, take a look at the Lysmata species of cleaner shrimp. Very hard workers and easy to supplement their diet with prepared foods.>
Thanks, Oksana
<You are welcome. Steven Pro>

 

[reefD]

any other oppinions?

 

[jaze36]

I had one of these and it didn't last to long. It did eat but not much and slowly wasted away. The are a great looking fish, but from what I read while trying to keep mine alive I came to the conclusion that the fish would have been better left on the reef. At one point I went down to the LFS where I bought it from and talked with the owner, and he described it as "a through away fish", he said "if you have a parasite problem it will take care of it but after its gone they won't last long." Information I wish the clerk had given me instead of "it's a great fish it should do well in your tank." Personaly I would leave this fish where it is, it provides a important role on the reef.

I didn't read your link David, if info conflicts, sorry, this is just my experience with the fish.

 

[Lakeside518]

Thanks for the advice. I'll have to read the link later when i get home. A $20-25 throw away fish, I think I'll have to pass. The neon goby maybe an option.

I like the looks of the cleaner wrasse and its function. I have a good size powder blue tang and will be adding a salfin tang this week, along with a butterfly and some peppermint shrimp. As been sometime since any new additions to the tank. I feel its time and the tank is more mature now.

 

[michaelg]

I am pretty sure that there are captive bred cleaner Blennies or gobies??. Look very similar, but much easier to keep alive.
The cleaner wrasses invariably die in short order from starvation.

A pair of cleaner shrimp is the only way to go. Get a pair of them, they will breed, release fry into the tank, and you get the secondary benefit of the fry feeding other animals such as corals.

 

[Dave ESPI]

I've had a few cleaners that I kept sucessfully for about 2 + years.

They really are a fish that should be left in the ocean. They do enormously good work in the oceans because of what they "do".

I really feel sad for them when I see 100's of them all in the transshippers tanks and starving. They are best utelized in large aquaria with big fish OR in "newcomers" tanks of fish at the transshippers who clean the ick and what not from said fish.

In captivity, they are usualy good in tanks with Tangs.... esp a powders and palatte since if you have any disease or pest in your tank, then are magnets for them.

 

[xian]

I had luck with one that I happened on at the LFS that was eating but I agree with Dave. I'd rather see them stay in the reef. If they are eating they will eat mysis but I read that they suffer from malnutrition anyway due to the fact that they have such a specialized diet.

Oh BTW stay away from the cleaner "blenny" Its a mimic that eats chuncks out of fish. The neon gobies are nice but for some reason I have never had good luck with tiny fish. Might be my brittle star but I've never seen it act aggressive.