Cleaner Wrasse compatibility

[mling]

I am thinking of adding a Cleaner Wrasse to my 45G tank. I understand that a Cleaner Wrasse is classified as “Care Level : Difficult”. Since I only been a reef tank addict for about half a year, am I asking for trouble ?

Is the only reason for the difficult “care level” that it’s primary source of food is parasites off the other fishes in the tank ? The current fishes in this tank are a Tomato Clown, Cardinalfish, Ocellaris Clown, Firefish, Royal Gramma & a Scooter Blenny. Is this enough for a Cleaner Wrasses to survive and not starve ?

Are there any other know “issues” with this fish ?

 

[fishfanatic2]

Yes the primary problem is starvation. They naturally feed on parasites and crustations and unless you have a tnakfull of diseased fish they probly wont do well. It is VERy hard to get them to switch to other food and even if they do they usually die because of malnutrition or whatever. I highly suggest that you dont try this fish, and that you get a six line wrasse or cleaner shrimp instead. Please dont support the appearance of these fishes in the fish store-they are best kept in the ocean. Plus, evidence shows that the removal of cleaner wrasses has a large impact on the environment since one wrasse serves so many fish.
I think you get my drift. :wink:

PS I think youve approached ypour max fish limit anyway.

 

[ChrisRD]

IMO cleaner wrasses (Labroides sp.) should be left in the wild as they don't generally survive in captivity. Considering their important function in keeping other life healthy on natural reefs, removing them from the ocean is a bad idea IMO.

If you're interested in something that performs a similar function, there are several species or shrimp and gobies that are "cleaners" and do well in captivity. IMO these are a much better choice.

If you insist on having a cleaner wrasse of some kind, Labroides dimidiatus (aka the Common or Blue Cleaner Wrasse) is reported to be your best chance.

HTH

 

[ChrisRD]

Sorry about the repetition - FF2 posted while I was typing... ...too quick for me.

 

[SpicyBalls]

I dont think you have enough "big" fish to suppor the cleaner wrasse... i found some of the small fish, like clowns, damsels, blennies.. don't want to be cleaned by the cleaner wrasse.. i had one before.. it died after 6 months.. sad.. i have a coral beauty and yellow tang.. def not enough large fish for the wrasse to clean.. the coral beauty and tang would continually solicit cleaning service from the wrasse.. all the other small fish didn't... i'm def not going to get a cleaner wrasse.. awesome fish with great personality, but i just don't have enough large fish to sustain it... my cleaner wrasse was weird, it liked to eat the nori sheets with the big boys.. used to nip at my hand also if i put it in the tank for maintenance work... and rest in the palm of my hand... i miss it... sniff sniff.. it just died suddenly one day.. fine in the morn, dead by night.. probably starved slowly to death...
_________________
blue moonshine pics

 

[Anonymous]

IMO cleaner wrasses (Labroides sp.) should be left in the wild as they don't generally survive in captivity. Considering their important function in keeping other life healthy on natural reefs, removing them from the ocean is a bad idea IMO.

If you're interested in something that performs a similar function, there are several species or shrimp and gobies that are "cleaners" and do well in captivity. IMO these are a much better choice.

If you insist on having a cleaner wrasse of some kind, Labroides dimidiatus (aka the Common or Blue Cleaner Wrasse) is reported to be your best chance.

HTH

I had to quote this, as I don't think it can really be emphasized ENOUGH, though there is NO "cleaner" wrasse I can recommend for your situation. Even those that reportedly feed on what's offered are not getting their nutritional needs met. I have seen successful instances of cleaners in captivity - all in public aquaria in systems at least thousands of gallons (3-5), with VERY large fishes in display with them. PLEASE don't purchase any cleaners, it only encourages further collection.

As Chris mentioned, there are some fantastic little gobies that perform cleaning duties, and my recommendation to you would be a small group of neon gobies - 3 could work very well in a tank of 45 gallons. They'll also do quite well even if they don't garner all nutrition from cleaning duties.

One thing to note: even with those animals noted for performing such services, it is never guaranteed that either they will, or the residents will accept them.

 

[Baianotang]

They go very well with the open sea.

 

[Anonymous]

'Don't know if you are looking for an animal that will clean your other residents, but I have two cleaner shrimp, and they seem to do the trick. Every once in a while, I see my tangs go in for a "cleaning". My goby is always getting his gills cleaned too.
~wings~