Our Cleaner Wrasse

[dngspot]

We have one of those little guys that live for about a week, they usually die after they have consumed the parasites from the other fish in the tank. When I first got into the hobby I got one and was surprised how quickly they went to work, but they soon died after they did a great job cleaning the infected fish. It is not really a good idea to do this even if they had enough food to live on; they are susceptible to the same illness that they are usually put in the tank for.
I soon found out they would die from starvation after cleaning the fish. I kept looking and found a tidbit about beef heart as a food supplement. The guy wrote said he was able to keep them alive and breed them wile on beef heart, and his fish are about 2 years old. Thinking that these guys are a good preventive measure and add activity to the tank, I would get one… really, I did same thing most do, I thought I had a parasite, which I did not, and wanted it out, but I did think I could keep it alive with the beef heart.
So Gail and I went to Dillon’s looking for the stuff, no luck there. We eventually went to a carnicia, Spanish for meet market, and asked for beef heart, the guy went into the back and pulled out this red Buick sized piece of meet, then asked if I wanted the whole thing. I said how about 1/2 pound fat trimmed off, it was no problem.
We then went to Sea Dreams in Wichita, KS and bought a Cleaner Wrasse. We took him home and he went right to work looking for any morsel on the fish, none to be found the fish where clear. I froze the beef heart, and the next day was ready to feed. I shaved off about 1/2 tea spoon and mixed it into some of my defrosted DIY fish food. I fed and that little guy went to town. He ate so much that I could see his stomach bulge. I have never seen a Cleaner Wrasse's stomach bulge from eating; they usually take prepared food in then spit it out.
We bought this guy 9/07/07 and he is still alive. He is now eating the DIY Frozen food; I only give the beef heart once a week. He is also not pestering the fish like most I have seen.
Here he is cleaning my Red Sea Sailfin, dang camera just will not get a close up pic.

[twon8]

even when they feed they usually die. these fish really should be left on the reefs where they are needed.

two months really can' be considered success

[Wrench]

They're great fish but I'm not sure how well they're suited to captive life. I've got one that I've had for a month or so. Believe it or not, it eats mysis, cycolpeeze, squid and nori! It does a great job of cleaning the fish, much better than cleaner shrimp ever did. If you don't find success with them, neon gobies would be another viable option for you. They're also great cleaners and are more hardy.

[pinkie]

I have had my cleaner wrasse for about 10 months now. I got him before I knew their short life in captivity, but have been very happy with his lifespan thus far. He seems very healthy and eats very well twice a day. I don't see any signs that he will be dying in the near future, and I sure hope I don't get surprised.

[reef_doug]

I think there are three basic types, which one is better for aquaria?

Common cleaner wrasse

Red Sea Cleaner wrasse
http://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_11...ot_parent_id=4

Hawaiian Cleaner wrasse
http://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_11...ot_parent_id=4

[Wrench]

Mine looks like neither of those. Mine looks like the one in the original post.

[pinkie]

The one you have (from the picture) is a common cleaner wrasse, which is the same one I have as well.

[dngspot]

Originally posted by twon8
even when they feed they usually die. these fish really should be left on the reefs where they are needed.

two months really can' be considered success

I hope check back in a year. I am happy so far, this little guy is still doing well.

...the wrasse I have is a common wrasse. I think the Hawaiian Cleaner Wrasse are just as difficult to keep as the Common Cleaner Wrasse.

[twon8]

Originally posted by reef_doug
I think there are three basic types, which one is better for aquaria?

Common cleaner wrasse

Red Sea Cleaner wrasse
http://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_11...ot_parent_id=4

Hawaiian Cleaner wrasse
http://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_11...ot_parent_id=4

none of them are good for aquaria; they have a dismal record of survival

[Thurge]

I tend to agree that they should be left on the reef. That being said I did have a Hawaiian Cleaner and had great success by feeding it from my hand. I kept it with a bunch of Fairy wrasses and they would out out eat him. He would be trying to orentate his small mouth to the mysis and the Fairy's would come zooming by and eat it before he could. When I held the mysis in my fingers he could come up and eat to his hearts content.
He was evicted when he decided to start monkeying with my clams.

[GoingPostal]

I was given one very close to death that had came unordered to my pet store, at the time I had no frozen foods so I bought out the store's supply which was a few things for freshwater i.e. brine and frozen discus food (this had beefheart in it). After he ate that for two weeks and fattened up a little I ordered in some mysis. He lived in my tank for seven months then stopped eating and disappeared. He also nippped at algea sheets. Cute active little bugger but not on I suggest for the home tank. Let us know how he does but mine did great for months and then was dead with no warning.

[mile sq. reefer]

I have had my blue streak cleaner wrasse for close to four years now and he is big, fat and happy. He is an absolute pig and even eats Nori. He also cleans the fish from time to time. Its funny to watch him dance at the glass when it is feeding time. I guess I have the exception to this hard to keep fish.

[Gillybaby]

Nope, not an exception. I've had my common cleaner wrasse for 3 years and know folk who have had them just as long if not longer. Mine feeds on anything I put in the tank including flake food. Doesn't have a problem getting food even with tangs, angels and other boisterous fish. He's a great fish with lots of character.