Are my Cleaner Wrasse spawning?

[Spicoli]

I've got 3 Cleaner Wrasses in my 300G Fowler. I'd say they are medium size, doing well. 2 seem to be buddies and the third one is smaller and gets a bit of chasing occasionally from the other two. There is room for all and I've had them doing well and eating everything for 6-8 months.

Today I witness the pair doing high speed abrupt movements and then going back through where they went Mach 1 speed and appearing to be picking food out that I can't see. I've seen fish spawn using this parallel, high speed, abrupt up change of direction kind of behavior before. They sort of do a hard banked turn together going towards the surface.

I'm glad they are doing well, if this is what they are doing, but they seem not full grown yet. Just about 3 inches long and not as thick as I've seen pics of other specimens. Could this be a spawn? Has anyone had Cleaner Wrasses lay eggs?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I've got 3 Cleaner Wrasses in my 300G Fowler. I'd say they are medium size, doing well. 2 seem to be buddies and the third one is smaller and gets a bit of chasing occasionally from the other two. There is room for all and I've had them doing well and eating everything for 6-8 months.

Today I witness the pair doing high speed abrupt movements and then going back through where they went Mach 1 speed and appearing to be picking food out that I can't see. I've seen fish spawn using this parallel, high speed, abrupt up change of direction kind of behavior before. They sort of do a hard banked turn together going towards the surface.

I'm glad they are doing well, if this is what they are doing, but they seem not full grown yet. Just about 3 inches long and not as thick as I've seen pics of other specimens. Could this be a spawn? Has anyone had Cleaner Wrasses lay eggs?

I had a pair of cleaner wrasse that would spawn each day around 4pm. They would come together and rush to the surface where there would be a small cloud of eggs and sperm. The tank was 4’ deep, in shallower tanks, I’m not sure what their spawning runs would look like.

I hatched some eggs but couldn’t raise them - these have been raised by some hatcheries now, but they are really delicate.

Jay

 

[Spicoli]

They've been doing it in the late afternoon two days in a row now. I think that is what is going on. My DT is 28" deep. I'm not up for trying to raise them, but am glad they are displaying this behavior. I've never had a problem keeping them healthy.

From what I've read, I bet I have African specimens. They made it through QT, and life in the DT with zero issues and have always been eating lots.

Thanks for the information. I always appreciate your input Jay!