Anyone else successful with cleaner wrasse long term?

4FordFamily · Apr 18, 2015

So in the past (like most have said for years) I've had trouble keeping cleaner wrasse for more than a month or two.

I tried two cleaner wrasse about 8 months ago in different tanks and they're thriving. They eat anything they can get in their mouths and are FAT.

Am I just really lucky, the wrasse whisperer (I have 7 leopards and fantastic success with them also), or are they just hardier now for some reason? (Source, distributor husbandry?)

MIKE NY · Apr 19, 2015

I have my cleaner for about a year now and I know a few friends of mine who have them even longer. I also have Leopards, Tamarins , flashers and fairy wrasses.

Keepswiming · Apr 19, 2015

7 leopards! Oh my!

vladandlilith · Apr 19, 2015

The first Yellow Corris Wrasse that I got about a month ago didn't make it home from my LFS alive. I picked up a replacement and another one this past Wednesday and they are eating every AEFW and Red Bug that they can pick off. As far as food goes, I have offered Mysis, PE Mysis , krill, brine shrimp, Seachem Marine flakes, New Life Spectrum Thera A pellets, Omega One pellets, and cyclops. What they finally ate and they tore it up was LRS Reef Frenzy. I normally reserve the LRS for a treat and my carnivorous corals, but hey it worked and it worked well. I mainly got them to try and help with my AEFW problem after I lost over 4000k in SPS corals, so I will only give it to them occasionally.

RobberyinCSharp1824 · Apr 19, 2015

I'm glad that I'm not the only one that hasn't had negative experience with cleaner wrasses. I got one with my first salt water tank to try and control any pests that might come about. They did a great job keeping the tank tidy, never bothered any of their tankmates, and never nipped at my coral. I was stunned when I read people were having bad experiences with these guys!

Bbaz123456 · Apr 19, 2015

I know they have been captive bred in the past. Probably not likely that you got captive bred ones though. Like any "hard to feed fish", if you get them past the hump of eating prepared foods, your success will be much better.

Fieryfrog · Apr 19, 2015

I have had my Cleaner Wrasse for a year now, and he is doing great. He has a little "Cleaning Station". The others like my Purple Tang and Powder Brown Tang will come to the same spot when they are in need of cleaning. I like watching the whole process.

4FordFamily · Apr 19, 2015

Glad I am not alone. My cleaner wrasse are thriving. One of them I have is GIANT, probably 3" or more, the other maybe 2" standard size you see. Both very healthy!

4FordFamily · Apr 19, 2015

MIKE NY said:
I have my cleaner for about a year now and I know a few friends of mine who have them even longer. I also have Leopards, Tamarins , flashers and fairy wrasses.

I wish I could afford a tamarin!

Keepswiming said:
7 leopards! Oh my!

I actually have 8 but I haven't seen one in a week (tiny black leopard) I don't know if it made it yet so I'm not counting it. Didn't realize they would ship me a 1".

Keepswiming · Apr 19, 2015

1" leopard, thats tiny! PIC?

Mike&Terry · Apr 19, 2015

Our Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus) has been with us since 2011. I hesitate to recommend them as most do not do well in captivity, but in the right environment, they can thrive for many years (8+).

A better alternative for most aquariums would be the captive bred Neon Goby (Elacatinus oceanops). They are easy to keep, will perform the same cleaning services, but in a more "polite" way by setting up a cleaning station and waiting for "clients" (fish) to come to them. Cleaner wrasses on the other hand, are highly active and tend to chase, harass and even bully other fish with their constant need to groom.

Not the best pic, but here's our Neon Goby hanging out at his station:

4FordFamily · Apr 19, 2015

Keepswiming said:
1" leopard, thats tiny! PIC?

I don't have one, he's still hiding or dead (been 6 days they hide 6-15 days, especially the shy black leopard)

4FordFamily · Apr 19, 2015

Mike&Terry said:
Our Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus) has been with us since 2011. I hesitate to recommend them as most do not do well in captivity, but in the right environment, they can thrive for many years (8+).

A better alternative for most aquariums would be the captive bred Neon Goby (Elacatinus oceanops). They are easy to keep, will perform the same cleaning services, but in a more "polite" way by setting up a cleaning station and waiting for "clients" (fish) to come to them. Cleaner wrasses on the other hand, are highly active and tend to chase, harass and even bully other fish with their constant need to groom.

Not the best pic, but here's our Neon Goby hanging out at his station:

Great photos and suggestions!

hybridazn · Apr 19, 2015

I recently lost my previous skunk cleaner wrasse to my own doing. I was 93rd arranging some rock work and the lights turned off. He must have went to sleep while I was moving around stuff because I found him the next morning crushed. I was pretty upset, he would have been with me 10 years this year. He was a pig and ate everything. My favorite thing he did was she I put algae sheets in the tank I would fold them up and he would swim inside the sheet and eat it from the inside out. It was a sight to see.

I just recently picked up another one off a fellow hobbiest so I hope to have this one just as long If not longer.

Maldonado · Apr 19, 2015

I just got one myself, hoping for the best. From what I've read, seems like they thrive most when a constant parasite intake takes place. My seems to eat anything lol

Mike&Terry · Apr 19, 2015

Maldonado said:
I just got one myself, hoping for the best. From what I've read, seems like they thrive most when a constant parasite intake takes place. My seems to eat anything lol

We quarantine all of our fish, so no ectoparasites on the menu. He eats mucous, scales, dead skin (along with an occasional nip of flesh, lol). We keep a large number of fish in our display with several being good sized Tangs and Angelfish which helps spread his "services" around and keeps him from hyper focusing on just one or two fish. He will eat any prepared foods, but also hunts for live foods, especially in the morning.

Good luck with yours. It is a good sign that he is eating prepared foods.

Maldonado · Apr 19, 2015

Well that's good to know. Thanks for the info

KJ · Apr 19, 2015

I heave my for over 3 years he eat different frozen food and seaweed from veggie clip.LOL

luke33 · Apr 19, 2015

These guys are my favorite fish. I have had a couple that lasted 4+ yrs. I have had one in my new setup for a month now. Ime they need a large tank, plenty of fish and a variety of frozen meaty food. I have also seen them be pretty nasty with fish.