Hawaiian cleaner wrasse

Tallison · Mar 12, 2018

I've been trying to get my girlfriend more into the hobby which has been a struggle and decided the best way was to let her pick out any fish she wanted. She spotted the Hawaiian cleaner wrasse and immediately loved it and even bought it herself. I know the stigma that comes with them but seeing as I had them feed it mysis and it was a pig I decided it was worth a happy gf who's more keen to me dropping $500 on corals. What's the best way to make sure they sustain in the aquarium? I know live blackworms are nutritional but any other foods I can give to boost immunity?

evolved · Mar 12, 2018

Sorry to say, but there isn't a known way. I have only ever heard of 2 long term success stories with this species - it is one best to avoid.

Tallison · Mar 12, 2018

evolved said:
Sorry to say, but there isn't a known way. I have only ever heard of 2 long term success stories with this species - it is one best to avoid.

Yeah that's what I gathered from research but it ate mysis/brine yesterday soaked in Selcon that I give all my fish so I guess I was lucky in that it seems not to be a picky eater. Any specific diseases associated with this species or anything I should be on the lookout for?

Deinonych · Mar 12, 2018

evolved said:
Sorry to say, but there isn't a known way. I have only ever heard of 2 long term success stories with this species - it is one best to avoid.

I agree. This fish performs a vital function in the reef and is better left there.

Tallison · Mar 12, 2018

Deinonych said:
I agree. This fish performs a vital function in the reef and is better left there.

I agree but seeing as it was at my LFS I don't think it's getting back to its Hawaiian reef so I'm looking for tips to give it a great home considering there's not much out there.

Maritimer · Mar 12, 2018

I know that "Rising Tide" has bred and raised a few of these guys, but I think they started by collecting random eggs from a gigantic display, where the wrasse had plenty of fish to groom.

~Bruce

FDAWG · Mar 12, 2018

Since it’s in your tank now and you don’t plan on flying to Hawaii and releasing it to its reef, I heard some success with Nutramar Ova and Frozen Cyclop-Eeze.

Tallison · Mar 12, 2018

Maritimer said:
I know that "Rising Tide" has bred and raised a few of these guys, but I think they started by collecting random eggs from a gigantic display, where the wrasse had plenty of fish to groom.

~Bruce

So fish to groom on is essential. I have 3 tangs that it's been looking over but hasn't picked at them much. It's 2 for 2 on feedings so I'm guessing it'll take blackworms for supplemental feeding. From my research getting them to eat frozen has been the key to long term success similar to some other picky species

Tallison · Mar 12, 2018

FDAWG said:
Since it’s in your tank now and you don’t plan on flying to Hawaii and releasing it to its reef, I heard some success with Nutramar Ova and Frozen Cyclop-Eeze.

Awesome, thanks!

crayon · Mar 13, 2018

My cleaner wrasse is now over 5 years old. I had a Hawaiian cleaner wrasse in a different tank which was hitting close to a year old until we had a viral outbreak from feeding the harlequin shrimp asterinas from a friends tank and I lost all my wrasse in that tank.
We feed Larry’s Fish Frenzy but start new fish with Larry’s fish eggs for finicky eaters in the mix as well. The new fish generally start with the eggs, but quickly pig out on anything that comes into the tank.
My 5 year old even eats nori off the clip. He does go around and pick at the other fish looking for stuff, and sometimes I see him pounding away on the back of one leather but he is a very healthy fish and never turns down a meal.

eatbreakfast · Mar 13, 2018

Getting one to eat readily is half the battle. But also having client fish to clean is important too.

Bob Loblaw · Mar 13, 2018

I have a juvenile Hawaiian that eats small mysid, LRS, TiggerFeast, picks at the algae clip, and absolutely goes nuts for Cyclopeeze. The TiggerFeast seems to be hit or miss where it will eat some but spit others out.

Eastlake · Mar 13, 2018

I agree with eatbreakfast, getting them to take captive fare is half the battle. Since it's eating you're halfway there and if you have three tangs it should have enough of a clientele to get the slime coat that I think cleaner wrasse need to be kept healthy long term.

Skynyrd Fish · Mar 13, 2018

I would say multiple small feedings per day. = Happy GF.

Kyl · Mar 14, 2018

My blue cleaner eats nori off the clip, it's kind of funny to watch. It also eats mysis and PE pellets, with the rare feeding of LRS frenzy since it's not available in the province anymore, rationing what I have as a treat. Bought it before I knew better, but it's been one of those rare lucky ones that eats anything. It's been owned for almost two years.

Tallison · Mar 14, 2018

Kyl said:
My blue cleaner eats nori off the clip, it's kind of funny to watch. It also eats mysis and PE pellets, with the rare feeding of LRS frenzy since it's not available in the province anymore, rationing what I have as a treat. Bought it before I knew better, but it's been one of those rare lucky ones that eats anything. It's been owned for almost two years.

I think i got pretty lucky tbh. He's pigging off of mysis and has been eating off the Nori clip

Maikoa02 · Mar 14, 2018

The colors on this fish are truly stunning and seeing them on the reef when I lived on Maui, their colors really stood out. Your girlfriend has a good eye. I know one person who kept one for over a year but he had a 400 gallon reef with multiple huge tangs that the cleaner constantly picked at. Keep us posted, and hoping that you're successful.

Tallison · Mar 14, 2018

Maikoa02 said:
The colors on this fish are truly stunning and seeing them on the reef when I lived on Maui, their colors really stood out. Your girlfriend has a good eye. I know one person who kept one for over a year but he had a 400 gallon reef with multiple huge tangs that the cleaner constantly picked at. Keep us posted, and hoping that you're successful.

Yeah I had been trying for over a month for her to pick out a fish but she just kept telling me " I'll know it when I see it." She gets traumatized when a snail dies so long term success is what i'm shooting for here

Jr'sReef · Mar 14, 2018

I’d say variety, a mix of flake with brine, mysis, cyclops, pellets, nori, krill, squid, eggs, clam etc. spread out during the week is what I do. I change it up daily, seems to keep everyone happy and I’d imagine each food would supplement the fishes better than feeding the same thing every day. JMO

Vaughn17 · Mar 14, 2018

I have had a Hawaiian cleaner wrasse for a year. It (Alvin) has grown about a half inch. He eats fish eggs (San Francisco fish eggs are his fav), any variety that are small enough for him to consume. He also eats cyclops, small pieces of mysis, and nori. And no, I'm not certain that Alvin is a male, lol. He just acts like one of the chipmunks from that old cartoon. For those who have not kept a cleaner wrasse, their personality is like no other wrasse.

FYI: Alvin jumped out of the tank the first week and I almost stepped on him. I thought he was dead but I held him in my hand (underwater) for a few minutes, and he finally swam off. Put up a screen around the tank after that, although he seems to have lost all desire to jump from the tank (at least I've never seen him bouncing off the screen).