Can Purple Tangs and Cleaner Wrasses have Toxic Relationship?

[Corrola]

I have a purple tang and cleaner wrasse paired together. The cleaner wrasse would swim around the tang, cleaning and doing its thing.

I started noticing the cleaner wrasse would always go for the arm pits (both) of the purple tang.

Now the Tang’s armpits are white, as if the cleaner wrasse over a period of time sucked off the purple skin of the tang.

The Tang always welcomes the wrasse, but it’s skin is slowly being eaten by the wrasse.

Is this normal? I’ve read baby cleaner wrasses only eat dead skin, but once grown larger they go for polyps, but.. Tang skin?

The cleaner wrasse is a true cleaner wrasse.

Cleaner wrasse: 2.5” length
Tang: 3.5” length

 

[i cant think]

I have a purple tang and cleaner wrasse paired together. The cleaner wrasse would swim around the tang, cleaning and doing its thing.

I started noticing the cleaner wrasse would always go for the arm pits (both) of the purple tang.

Now the Tang’s armpits are white, as if the cleaner wrasse over a period of time sucked off the purple skin of the tang.

The Tang always welcomes the wrasse, but it’s skin is slowly being eaten by the wrasse.

Is this normal? I’ve read baby cleaner wrasses only eat dead skin, but once grown larger they go for polyps, but.. Tang skin?

The cleaner wrasse is a true cleaner wrasse.

Cleaner wrasse: 2.5” length
Tang: 3.5” length

Any photos of the cleaner?

 

[littlefoxx]

Are you sure the tang isnt developing HLLE? Agree picture would help. I would think if it bothered the tang he would let the wrasse know

 

[Corrola]

So I put the cleaner wrasse in a different pod.

Now the Purple Tang’s “de-skinned” armpits are now beautiful and fully colored purple/blue again.

Indeed the wrasse was picking on the Tang’s skin.

I gave the wrasse away.

No Ich and no HLLE for sure. After the wrasse was done nipping on one armpit, it went for the other armpit lol