SPS keepers beware: Cleaner wrasse...

[dreaminmel]

I had read that some cleaner wrasses were reef safe such as Labroides dimidiatus...

Purchased a neat looking Yellow Tail Cleaner Wrasse this a.m. at the LFS and turns out he's this: Polyp munching machine...

So far in the 30 mins in my tank he's eaten polyp off caps, pocillopora, birdsnest, milles, valida and doesn't seem to have a favorite. Soon as I can catch him he's going back to the LFS (already called the LFS and told them what it is as they still had a couple more in there) but wanted to give you guys a heads up that not all cleaner wrasses are created equal.

 

[BLKTANG]

u need a trap,& fast.

 

[PUGroyale]

That's not a cleaner wrasse :lol:

 

[Letmegrow]

Larabicus quadrilineatus aka Redsea cleaner wrasse does too !

Mostly when the wrasse become adult do they switch over to this diet of polyps.

 

[dreaminmel]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8386105#post8386105 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by PUGroyale
That's not a cleaner wrasse :lol:

If you read the fishbase description they are fish cleaners as juveniles. They just switch over to cleaning sps branches from their polyps as adults.

 

[dreaminmel]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8386094#post8386094 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by EXPEDITION
u need a trap,& fast.

He's not as smart as my other fish... I'm a bit rusty w/ the net though. I had him in it once already but when I put it against the glass the net handle bent and let him back out. The net is hanging out in the tank and all the fish are swimming around and getting used to it right now...

Problem w/ the trap is I'd have to use sps as bait but there's like 42 other sps meals around the tank so I don't think he'd go for that.

 

[PUGroyale]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8386161#post8386161 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dreaminmel
If you read the fishbase description they are fish cleaners as juveniles. They just switch over to cleaning sps branches from their polyps as adults.

I did read it

Did the LFS tell you it was a cleaner wrasse? That's what struck me as funny...

reef safe cleaner wrasse...

 

[dreaminmel]

It was labeled as Yellow Tail Cleaner Wrasse

 

[PUGroyale]

^^^ they're evil :furious:

 

[Nuuze]

This is one I have in my tank. I'm hoping these are safe, so far its been cool to watch. All the fish let him clean...

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8386227#post8386227 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by PUGroyale
I did read it

Did the LFS tell you it was a cleaner wrasse? That's what struck me as funny...

reef safe cleaner wrasse...

 

[dreaminmel]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8386276#post8386276 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by PUGroyale
^^^ they're evil :furious:

:lol: Yeah, we're about to see how long it take me to go from calm and calculating to evil and vengeful... I'm leaving the house for 30 min so he can make friends w/ the net otherwise I'll just keep attempting to follow him w/ it...

 

[bosborn1]

Mel...Just had a similar problem with a Singapore angel. What I did to bait the trap was place a nice tasty coral in the trap and them prepared a food mix with plenty of Garlic. Took a little bit but he went in there. I notice when the other fish would go into the trap it intigued the fish I was trying to catch. Before I added the coral the fish would go partially in the trap but I didn't want to spring it and let hime know what I was up too. Once I added the coral it was easy.

If you need a trap LMK

Good Luck.
Scott

 

[Sparkss]

Good luck in getting him/it out. At least you noticed that it was munching. There are a couple that are like that, fine and safe as juvis but polyp terrors as adults. The bright side is that it was an adult now, so that you could witness it's "chowing down", it could have been worse.. like it turned from juvi to adult while you were on vacation, developing that poly appetite while you were away, only to come home to a "cleaned" tank (of polyps).

 

[Chaotic Reefer4u]

not good...

 

[dreaminmel]

Got him out! After leaving him w/ the net for a while he wasn't so scared of it. I got him cornered and put the net outside the hole he was swimming in and out of... then wooha! trapped him against the glass w/ the net. So... wet hair, wet sleeves, water logged hands and a couple knocked over frags later... he's back at the LFS and I instead came home w/ a shrimp now. I was talkin' smack to that fish the whole way back to the store... hmm? what? did you say you wanted to get out here? :lol:

 

[coralnut99]

Ahhhh......Sweet victory.

Warning: LFS fish ID and labelling should always be second-guessed when it comes the the infamous "reefsafe" term.

 

[bradleyj]

I just caught the same polyp eating machine out of my tank. I only had him in there for 6 days and he was destroying my frags.
I asked the owner of the LFS store about him and he said he puts them in all of his maintenance accounts. ( Probably so he can keep adding coral.) I now have the blue wrasse pictured above and no problems whatsoever, and my fish love him.

 

[dreaminmel]

Curious if Nuuze and bradleyj still have the blue wrasses... if so, how are they doin? Any problems getting them to eat prepared foods or w/ them slackin' on cleaning duties? Biggest question... Are they still stayin' away from your sps?

 

[Nuuze]

I had mine up to a couple months ago. It jumped to it's death out of the tank. But it had no problems eating flake, pellet and frozen food when I had it. I also have a tricolor, sixline and yellow with black dot wrasse currently. They all get along fine without fighting.

 

[HIGHREEFER]

i wish i would have seen this before i bought the fish, should have known better than to trust the genius @ the LFS. seems to stay away from my stags at least