Cleaner Wrasse

[thetrueclown]

Anyone know anything about them? I saw one of them on a website and just thought it would be cool to have a fish cleaning other fish. It said that they have a extremely difficult time acclimating to captivity. The best part is they are only 8 bucks. I do not know anything about them and just want some info.

 

[Mariner]

Usually considered to be a fish that's best left in the ocean (according to fish experts like Robert Fenner). They are very difficult to sustain longterm in captivity. If you want a similar fish that will clean and is pretty hardy, try a neon goby. Better yet, a cleaner shrimp.
HTH,
Mariner

 

[snorvich]

Yes, I agree with above. In addition, in a normal sized tank, a cleaner wrasse can harass it clients with a desire to clean.

 

[hawkeyes]

if I remember correctly, cleaner wrasses are mostly dependent on cleaning other tank mates of parasites for food. that is why they have a hard time acclimating into smaller tanks.

 

[Mariner]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12876835#post12876835 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hawkeyes
if I remember correctly, cleaner wrasses are mostly dependent on cleaning other tank mates of parasites for food. that is why they have a hard time acclimating into smaller tanks.

Yes, I believe that's correct. It's hard to get them to eat anything else, and since the fish in our aquariums are hopefully fairly parasite free, the cleaner wrasse starves.
Mariner

 

[DarthSimon]

I just tried one... I was eating great at the store... Mysis and other frozen foods. He was eating that and parasites off my fish for about 4 weeks... He then started turning a nasty brown color, and wilted away and I guess died. Never found his body....

 

[BangkokMatt]

Mine is as tough as a bullet. Eats anything and is as fat as you like! It is over a year old now. I know people have difficulty with them but mine has been very easy. Maybe it is due to them being a local reef fish (Thailand).

 

[Wrench]

I'm with Matt.

I've always had one and they do well. Several people in my club have kept them long-term with no issues. Mine eats everything including Nori, Flake,Mysis, Krill, Squid and Cyclopeeze. Not harder than any other wrasse IMO provided you get a healthy specimen and provide it with a good habitat.

 

[trueperc]

I have had a few with no issue, Mine have all eaten normal food and constently clean the fish. THe only reason I have lost is due to tank crashes in the past. The one I have now I have had for a year. Now though in my tank is full of big fishes, large angels and tang, because there are some many he is not just trying to clean one fish. I think this helps. But he does eat anything I put in the tank.

 

[snorvich]

By the way, cleaner shrimp and cleaner wrasses do not ONLY eat parasites off of fish; they also clean off "dead skin". I have had one cleaner that lived for years; the remainder have not done well.