Cleaner Wrasses, are they worth it?

[vetteguy53081]

Have you had any other wrasses during that time and do you think my 6 line is a deal breaker? 5'x2' tank with 100#'s of rock.

has been in with 6 line, yellow coris and harlequin tuxk

 

[TheDragonsReef]

8 years is amazing! I had them in a few different tanks, 2-4 years seems to be it for lifespan. I've always had them slightly loose color over a few months and then kaput, dead. Figure they were aging out.

Mine is also nearing 7/8 years. However its definitely showing signs of old age. Its starting to lose its color. I also have a sixline and yellow corris that dont bother it.

 

[PeterEde]

Put a blue streak cleaner in today.
I had a 3 spot Domino that harassed it silly so the 3 spot is now in exile. So far my 6 line has not bothered with it.
It takes mysis and brine so hopefully it lives more than a few days.

 

[blaxsun]

I have both a streaked (or bicolor) cleaner wrasse and sixline wrasse, and they've gotten along absolutely fantastic (different fish, different pursuits). They're both absolute workhorses and keep the tank and fish relatively pest-free.

That being said, the cleaner wrasse is a murderous little *******. He went out of his way to kill a pufferfish (this behavior towards certain types of fish has been reported by others) and he absolutely harassed our quoy's parrotfish for the first two weeks after he was introduced (quite hilarious watching a 7" parrotfish chase and lay the smackdown on a cleaner wrasse).

They're of course buds now, and with 49 other fish to care for the cleaner wrasse is livin' the dream!

 

[SamsReef]

I would never bring another cleaner wrasse in my tank. In a closed system, They become a nuisance and after a while, they figure out which fish, they can get away with taking tiny chunks of meat out.

I had to break my entire tank to take that fish out but was so happy I did. We should leave these sobs in the ocean.

Sam

 

[blaxsun]

I would never bring another cleaner wrasse in my tank. In a closed system, They become a nuisance and after a while, they figure out which fish, they can get away with taking tiny chunks of meat out.

I had to break my entire tank to take that fish out but was so happy I did. We should leave these sobs in the ocean.

Sam

If they have things to keep them busy (like actually cleaning fish), they're generally more relaxed (minus the puffer thing). All it took was adding another dozen fish...

 

[SamsReef]

If they have things to keep them busy (like actually cleaning fish), they're generally more relaxed (minus the puffer thing). All it took was adding another dozen fish...

Adding dozen more fish to distribute aggression just to keep one fish would be some commitment . Jokes apart, I strong recommend keeping these fishes out of home aquaria.

Sam

 

[PeterEde]

Well that didn't last long.
Turned my back for a few minutes and the cleaner is nowhere to be seen.
It is ramp down time. Maybe it's gone to bed early?
I have a redsea netted cover so surely it didn't get through that?
Hopefully it comes out in the morning

 

[i cant think]

Well that didn't last long.
Turned my back for a few minutes and the cleaner is nowhere to be seen.
It is ramp down time. Maybe it's gone to bed early?
I have a redsea netted cover so surely it didn't get through that?
Hopefully it comes out in the morning

Wrasses tend to be the first to go to bed IME. You have to feed earlier with them as once it’s night in their mind, they’re off and scouting for a good spot to setup camp if not already sleeping.
My Halichoeres wrasses, Escenius Blenny and Cryptocentrus Goby are the first to sleep (around 7-8pm) then my Paracheilinus wrasse goes and cocoons himself up for the night (around 8.30-9pm) and lastly my Cirrhilabrus go to bed later on (around 9.30-10pm). Then the rest go to bed around 11pm, although the CBB seems to never sleep as I’ve been near the tank at 2-3am and the CBB is wide awake hovering around the rocks hunting.

The only times my wrasses and other early sleepers stay awake is when I forget to feed early and feed them around 8pm.

 

[saltyfins]

Did it do a bang up job helping keep parasites off your fish?

I have had one in our tank for 6 almost 7 years. it's a work horse, and I have either been very lucky, or it does it's job! Not 1 sick fish in 7 years. The other fish will come for their baths from it daily!!

 

[blaxsun]

Adding dozen more fish to distribute aggression just to keep one fish would be some commitment . Jokes apart, I strong recommend keeping these fishes out of home aquaria.

I was always going to add more fish - it just had the side benefit of providing more "customers" for the cleaner wrasse. My cleaner wrasse is one of the support mechanisms in my tank and a valued component of my reef with its unique setup.

But I agree that for your average reef tank a cleaner wrasse may not be a good choice.

 

[Saltees]

Absolutely essential! Not so much for disease control, though mine had a full stomach during my last episode with ICH, they are excellent ICH pointers as to whether you have successfully managed and/or eradicated ICH. I got mine at under an inch and it’s almost double in size under a year.

 

[PeterEde]

Still mia.
Either still hiding of nem got it.

 

[TWYOUNG]

Absolutely essential! Not so much for disease control, though mine had a full stomach during my last episode with ICH, they are excellent ICH pointers as to whether you have successfully managed and/or eradicated ICH. I got mine at under an inch and it’s almost double in size under a year.

Interesting, there's so much contradictory information out there. I've read that they A) Don't actually eat the ich parasite B) Couldn't eat it if they wanted to bc it's buried under the skin C) Can pester fish trying to clean them causing stress and contributing to ich. Is your's captive bred?

 

[Saltees]

Interesting, there's so much contradictory information out there. I've read that they A) Don't actually eat the ich parasite B) Couldn't eat it if they wanted to bc it's buried under the skin C) Can pester fish trying to clean them causing stress and contributing to ich. Is your's captive bred?

Mine’s wild caught for sure.

Ashamed to say, this is the sixth cleaner, all the former perished within a week, perhaps due to way they’re being collected. Typically, LFS tout them as ICH remedies, therefore they are usually a sell out in a couple of days. I got my current one, just because he is the smallest one and inconspicuous, therefore he’s being passed over for purchase many batches. I bought it for the fact that it managed to live for at least a month or 2 in the LFS. And I stand correct.

As a matter of fact, they don’t eat ICH but rather provide relief to the ICH site, which is why they are highly valued to the infected fishes. IMHO, they are effective ICH warning markers, as well as indicators that the ICH population is managed.

In my recent ICH episode where I dosed H2O2+UV daily, the wrasse was picking on fishes all the way to Week 8, even though at Week 6, I can nearly notice any ICH. Beyond week 8, my fishes can be seen patronizing the wrasse less, and the wrasse is also servicing them a lot lesser.

To me, they are essential, perhaps because I have a huge fish population to begin with…40-60 fishes in 120G.

 

[TWYOUNG]

Mine’s wild caught for sure.

Ashamed to say, this is the sixth cleaner, all the former perished within a week, perhaps due to way they’re being collected. Typically, LFS tout them as ICH remedies, therefore they are usually a sell out in a couple of days. I got my current one, just because he is the smallest one and inconspicuous, therefore he’s being passed over for purchase many batches. I bought it for the fact that it managed to live for at least a month or 2 in the LFS. And I stand correct.

As a matter of fact, they don’t eat ICH but rather provide relief to the ICH site, which is why they are highly valued to the infected fishes. IMHO, they are effective ICH warning markers, as well as indicators that the ICH population is managed.

In my recent ICH episode where I dosed H2O2+UV daily, the wrasse was picking on fishes all the way to Week 8, even though at Week 6, I can nearly notice any ICH. Beyond week 8, my fishes can be seen patronizing the wrasse less, and the wrasse is also servicing them a lot lesser.

To me, they are essential, perhaps because I have a huge fish population to begin with…40-60 fishes in 120G.

If I get one it would be captive bred so that should make things easier. I'm guessing your fish must be pretty small, no tangs?

 

[TWYOUNG]

If I get one it would be captive bred so that should make things easier. I'm guessing your fish must be pretty small, no tangs?

I'm curious what effect the H2O2 had on snails, shrimp, crabs, copepod population?

 

[Saltees]

If I get one it would be captive bred so that should make things easier. I'm guessing your fish must be pretty small, no tangs?

I beg to differ, I feel captive bred ones may not pick on fishes, as with some wild caught ones taken to prepared food, they may not be performing their natural duties.

I have the following tangs…Powder Blue, Blonde Naso, Purple, Yellow, Gem, Derjardin Sailfin and White Tail Bristletooth. Plus 2 Banana Moray Eel, Copperband Butterfly along with 20+ Anthias and Wrasses.

 

[Saltees]

I'm curious what effect the H2O2 had on snails, shrimp, crabs, copepod population?

H2O2 took out my shrimps… but snails, crabs all ok. I don’t think i have copepods though.

 

[Slocke]

If I get one it would be captive bred so that should make things easier. I'm guessing your fish must be pretty small, no tangs?

Captive bred cleaner wrasse will pick at your fish just like wild ones. Mine is great while not being so crazy it damages fish like wild ones. Far too many of these fish die because our tanks just generally aren't right for them. In the wild a single fish will clean hundreds to thousands of fish every day. Captive bred and raised on frozen is the only way to me.

Also this is the only fish that is apparently capable of self recognition so it may be the most intelligent fish too.

This tiny fish can recognize itself in a mirror. Is it self-aware?

The cleaner wrasse joins humans, chimpanzees, dolphins, and a select few other animals that can pass a long-standing intelligence test.

www.nationalgeographic.com