Cleaner Wrasse odd swimming

[407Hunter]

Hello Fellow Reefers!

I have a question on the swimming behavior of my Cleaner Wrasse (Blue Neon I believe). Just purchased and proper introduction into the tank was prepared. Same day I also introduced a Clown Goby which is doing great for comparison.

The Wrasse swims funny like seen in the video only during mid day. I don’t think it’s a lack of O2 as my other fish don’t aren’t replicating this behavior. On the First day it was circling below my light in circles now it does this around the whole tank but gaps at the surface.
Early morning will swim normally and low in the tank. After lights will tuck away under a rock.

Isn’t eating much yet but will nipple at frozen mysis, frozen brine, and frozen fish eggs.

Any thoughts to this?

Any input is appreciated!

 

[Slocke]

Hello Fellow Reefers!

I have a question on the swimming behavior of my Cleaner Wrasse (Blue Neon I believe). Just purchased and proper introduction into the tank was prepared. Same day I also introduced a Clown Goby which is doing great for comparison.

The Wrasse swims funny like seen in the video only during mid day. I don’t think it’s a lack of O2 as my other fish don’t aren’t replicating this behavior. On the First day it was circling below my light in circles now it does this around the whole tank but gaps at the surface.
Early morning will swim normally and low in the tank. After lights will tuck away under a rock.

Isn’t eating much yet but will nipple at frozen mysis, frozen brine, and frozen fish eggs.

Any thoughts to this?

Any input is appreciated!

I assume it’s wild caught? They very rarely do well if wild caught. This is a fish that survives off of dead skin and parasites in the wild and will often not take to most tank foods. They usually starve and sometimes harass other fish to death.
In that video it looks hungry to me. Do you feed flakes as it looks like it is trying to eat off the surface?

 

[407Hunter]

I assume it’s wild caught? They very rarely do well if wild caught. This is a fish that survives off of dead skin and parasites in the wild and will often not take to most tank foods. They usually starve and sometimes harass other fish to death.
In that video it looks hungry to me. Do you feed flakes as it looks like it is trying to eat off the surface?

Thanks for the input! I doubt my LFS World Wife coral has these wild caught. I don’t feed flakes. Just pellets. And frozen. This was well after feeding by a few hours so I doubt any food was on the surface. Although I have an oily surface just thing my tank is too small for a skimmer. I’ll get a different marine pellet brand first thing in the morning and some more live brine as it ate a few.

 

[Slocke]

Thanks for the input! I doubt my LFS World Wife coral has these wild caught. I don’t feed flakes. Just pellets. And frozen. This was well after feeding by a few hours so I doubt any food was on the surface. Although I have an oily surface just thing my tank is too small for a skimmer. I’ll get a different marine pellet brand first thing in the morning and some more live brine as it ate a few.

It’s almost certainly wild caught unfortunately. Biota is the only company that does captive bred. I’m sorry to say that cleaner wrasse are an expert fish. I’d usually suggest a tank of at least 100 gallons that is heavily stocked. Even then most fail.

I’m not blaming you LFS’s all over sell these to people with and lie about how difficult they are. WWC is no exception. Read the article I included. To start with I would increase the amount of feedings. This is a high energy fish that needs to eat a lot throughout the day.

Bluestreak cleaner wrasse: care guide & quick facts

Learn about the bluestreak cleaner wrasse--a popular and typically inexepensive saltwater fish known for its distinctive stripe and parasite eating behavior

www.saltwateraquariumblog.com

 

[407Hunter]

It’s almost certainly wild caught unfortunately. Biota is the only company that does captive bred. I’m sorry to say that cleaner wrasse are an expert fish. I’d usually suggest a tank of at least 100 gallons that is heavily stocked. Even then most fail.

I’m not blaming you LFS’s all over sell these to people with and lie about how difficult they are. WWC is no exception. Read the article I included. To start with I would increase the amount of feedings. This is a high energy fish that needs to eat a lot throughout the day.

Bluestreak cleaner wrasse: care guide & quick facts

Learn about the bluestreak cleaner wrasse--a popular and typically inexepensive saltwater fish known for its distinctive stripe and parasite eating behavior

www.saltwateraquariumblog.com

I had no idea the cleaner wrasse was such a challenging fish to care for. Sounds like the Mandarin Goby they sold me with tigger pods $ phyto on the same day before educating myself that the pods needed to populate first before introducing the Mandarin.

I appreciate the advice about increasing feedings. I'll make sure to adjust the diet to provide more frequent and varied meals to meet its high energy demands. I want to see the effort of trying and having this Wrasse for at least a few months.

Thanks for the valuable information and guidance. That link was a good read!