Cleaner Wrasses, are they worth it?

[Saltees]

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

Great news! I would certainly get a captive one if its up for sale, but i doubt my LFS will bring in any given the wild caught ones are abundant.

 

[TWYOUNG]

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.

That being the case I may just skip the cleaner wrasse. I'm not willing to sacrifice a bunch before I find that one that survives. Also, I don't have nearly as many fish for it to feed on as you. I thought you said you had a 120 gal. tank but that must have been a typo.

 

[TWYOUNG]

Great news! I would certainly get a captive one if its up for sale, but i doubt my LFS will bring in any given the wild caught ones are abundant.

Biota sells them but be prepared for a significant investment.

 

[PeterEde]

Sounds like mine going mia first day might be good for me. Not so for the fish

 

[Saltees]

That being the case I may just skip the cleaner wrasse. I'm not willing to sacrifice a bunch before I find that one that survives. Also, I don't have nearly as many fish for it to feed on as you. I thought you said you had a 120 gal. tank but that must have been a typo.

Yes a 120G (Reasea Peninsula 500).

 

[TWYOUNG]

Yes a 120G (Reasea Peninsula 500).

I'm certainly not an officer of the Tang Police but that sounds a little outrageous. I feel I'm pushing the limits of my similar sized tank with 15 fish including yellow, powder blue and white tail tangs.

 

[Saltees]

I'm certainly not an officer of the Tang Police but that sounds a little outrageous. I feel I'm pushing the limits of my similar sized tank with 15 fish including yellow, powder blue and white tail tangs.

Yes, I actually get that comment a lot.

Because my aquascapes so far are minimum with lots of hiding and swimming space for all fishes, therefore you’ll hardly feel claustrophobic.

My latest scape will be raised/floating and SPS centric, I doubt I will see the wrasses and anthias until feeding.

Visually I’m more incline towards the busy reef look, with splashes of colors, shapes/sizes and movements. Corals are secondary.

 

[Blake Fabian]

I had one for a few years, they are a cool working fish. Some other fish hate them and they have a tendency to harass other fish with their 'cleaning'. The hawk won't bother with it, the sixline will more than likely hate it with a passion.

I've always thought of cleaner wrasses like medics on the battlefield. It's generally accepted not to harm them but they're mortal, just like the rest of us, and can be harmed. So far, the only fish I've ever seen kill a cleaner wrasse is another cleaner wrasse.

I've had one for a few years and it's done a great job at keeping my fish clean. Whenever it swims up next to one of my Tangs, the Tang holds still & flares out its fins and gills and stays there while the wrasse does it's job. It's really cool to watch.

 

[blaxsun]

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

When I draped a mirror on the side of the tank it would literally spend hours looking at itself, so I'd tend to agree. It does seem very, very smart. Perhaps too smart...