I just got a cleaner wrasse in my tank today, beautiful color and good size, though currently he is harassing my magnificent foxface. I know cleaner wrasses help go after parasites and "clean" the fish, but right now he is going around the eyes and mouth of foxface, and a little of the gills. The foxface is flexing its spines, so I'm not sure if the foxface is getting annoyed or what. Is this normal for a cleaner wrasse?
Cleaner Wrasse
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For sure, and this is one of the issue cleaner wrasses can pose.
How large is the tank, and are there other large fish in the tank for the cleaner wrasse to service? If not, then it may pester the foxface to the point of effecting its health.
I had a cleaner wrasse for about 6 years,every new new fish that I introduced to my tank, he tried to go after for a week or so and then he would lose interest.What was so funny the other fish would come up to him and want him to give them a weekly physical
and he would just swim off and didn`t pay attention anymore.They would then follow him around and beg him for a quick checkup. That was my experience with that. Every fish is different, that is just my experience with the cleaner wrasse.
and he would just swim off and didn`t pay attention anymore.They would then follow him around and beg him for a quick checkup. That was my experience with that. Every fish is different, that is just my experience with the cleaner wrasse.
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Salty1962
Wrasse and SPS Lover
You could also have a False Cleaner Wrasse, I got one a while back as a cleaner. Didn't know it wasn't until after I'd release it;Rage Pestered my fish and took for ever to catch. The tail pattern is different.
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Steven91
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Hmm, I hope I dont have a false cleaner though now he seemed to calm down a little. I'll keep my eye on him and sees what happen. I don't want to lose my beautiful foxface over a cleaner wrasse
Salty1962
Wrasse and SPS Lover
He won't kill it, just pester it and your other fish. If you see it bothering your other fish you may want to look at it closer.
