Teach me about cleaner wrasse

[Ben34105]

I'm working on building my CUC and my LFS recommended I get 2 cleaner wrasse. They are pretty cool looking fish, but I want to see what the board has to say about them.

What do you guys think?

 

[bertoni]

Most or all true cleaner wrasses are a terrible choice. They feed only on fish parasites, and will starve in a tank.

 

[Frogmanx82]

Based on that recommendation, I wouldn't believe anything you hear from that lfs. A totally irresponsible recommendation. A cleaner shrimp on the other hand would be a much better choice.

A CUC is primarily snails (turbo, trochus, nassarius, astrea, cerith), some people, me included like red leg hermits and emerald crabs once hair algae shows up. Cleaner shrimp could be considered part of the crew. The skunk cleaner is the most active and a good choice.

 

[flare1185]

agree with whats said i had 2 cleaner wrasses they fought each other the whole time and both end up dying in 2 weeks one probably due to the other one harassing it and the other one probably just starved. have u ever seen them put the two cleaner wrasses together?

 

[wickedfish]

Agreed, with comments above. I have owned a few. The longest one lasted in my tank was about a month. There survival rate is 0. Unless, you have a big tank with a few sick fish. From just hearing you LFS recommendation's they just want to make money of you. Horrible, advice. I suggest you dont ask him anything, do your research know what your going to buy ahead of time and never by on impulse. I sugges a neon goby and cleaner shrimp. Its fun, to watch them at work.

 

[Beaun]

It is possible to get them to eat prepared foods, but it is very, very, very rare. They are best left to the most expert of aquarists. This is one of those fish that is almost always better left in the ocean. Many of them get sold to simply die within a few weeks.

 

[stanlalee]

many eat prepared food and still die. they dont live in captivity. thats all that really needs to be known. LFS should know better (even one thats not that good as this is pretty common knowledge amongst aquarist).

 

[TP123]

General consensus on cleaner wrasses is they live for 6 months if you're lucky. Even ones that eat don't make it long-term. They tend to pester the other fish to "clean" them. There have been quite a few reports on the boards from respected people too who've not been able to keep them. Not a good choice.

Cleaner gobies are a much better choice if you want that sort of fish. They're much hardier and do well. They'll also not obligate cleaners (they eat other stuff too).

Neither is required (or suggested) for a cleanup crew though. Most of the literature doesn't even suggest they have much impact on disease control either.
For cleanup crew, Frogman has a pretty good list of optimal items.

 

[iLLwiLL]

What size tank, and what is the planned stock list?

I have a neon goby and a cleaner shrimp and couldn't be happier with them. They both set up stations on opposite sides of my tank, the smaller fish prefer the goby and the larger seem to go for the cleaner shrimp more.

~Will.

 

[Whisperer]

I have one and going strong for over 2 months. He had good appetite and loves finely chopped shrimp meat. He even partakes some nori, cleans my tangs and even my arm (not that it's dirty , probably picking on dead skin or parasite or somethin') when I am working on my tank.
PS. I am not telling you to get one. I just like mine and had to share my experience.

 

[Frogmanx82]

You might get one to live, but saying its part of a CUC is just dead wrong.

 

[todd141]

I would completely avoid a cleaner wrasse. Period. All the info you've read is correct from my experience/investigation. LFS employees are mostly clueless - I know that from experience...."yes, you can keep multiple dwarf angels in one tank" for example. I just laugh.

These fish should never/ever be purchased. Search Google for Cleaner Wrasse. They're best left on the reef.