Safe FOR your reef but not safe FROM your reef?

[salty joe]

Years and years ago, I had one and he picked the caudal peduncle on a little cowfish raw. Poor cowfish didn't last long and neither did the cleaner wrasse.
This hobby has come a long, long way. When my fish get bigger, I just might try another cleaner wrasse.

 

[ca1ore]

I've done a TON of research on this

AFRICAN Cleaner Wrasses (Eastern Africa and the Red Sea to French Polynesia) can be sustained in captivity for years bc they eat prepared food right along side your other fish. They MUST MUST MUST be Marketed as an "African" Cleaner Wrasse. Their only demise is them jumping out of the tank.

You absolutely need to visually see them eat mysis prior to buying it at the LFS. Not eating? Probably not an African Cleaner Wrasse. AVOID & WALK AWAY.

Indo-Pacific Cleaner Wrasses are a total disaster bc they have a special diet. They will NOT eat prepared food, live food, nothing. Complete waste of your time. They will last about 30 days in your tank and eventually hide in a hole and starve to death. One day you just quit seeing them and they die.. Irresponsible to even attempt owning one IMO.

I've kept one African Cleaner Wrasse for 5 years. Most last about 2 years before carpet-surfing

Africans are a great utility fish for multiple Tang owners. Tangs will chase down an African to get cleaned. The Tangs are very happy and mellow after cleaning that it improves the Tangs health a lot IMO. Definitely worth having a African if you own 3 or more Tangs.


.

Agree completely. I’ve had three African blue streak. The first for five years - it went with a tank sale. The second for four years before carelessness ended it on the carpet. The third now also for four years. I do have a number of large fish, but otherwise no particular issues keeping them.

 

[Why-Me]

I love MILES my Blue Streak Cleaner Wrasse
Always out and about swimming around, never hiding or shy.
Cleans my tang, clowns and 6 chromis all day, as well as picking at Nori and hair algae.
Loves to eat mysis, brine and tiny pieces of scallop.
Only had him 4 months now.
Photobomber! Every time I look into the tank at coral or other fish he comes to say "Hey what about me dude"
Loves to swim in front of magnifying glass and check me out when I'm checking out the tank during the day.
He will follow my finger, face or me in general around the tank, very cool personality.
At lights out, Zoom he's in his wrassehole for bed faster than a cheetah after a hyena.

Here's a shot of him sleeping in his various wrasseholes

Will probably have one in every tank I have, great member of the community.

 

[wilkinss77]

I had one long time ago and didnt survive a week. Since then, the live stock in my tank changed about 75 % . Would it be OK to have one with the following tank mates? 1 yellow tang, 1 blue hippo tang, 1 red coris, 1 lunare wrasse, 1 mexican wrassew. 5 blue /yellow damsels. 2 snowflake clown, 2 blood-orange clownfish, 1 niger trigger, 1 huma huma trigger. 1 dispar athia, 1 green chromis. Any recommendation about how to care for them?

Should be ok with any of those. Get a fat one that's feeding properly in the shop on easy foods to get, & it will do fine.

 

[wilkinss77]

I had one for 6 years. Even named it "Alice", after the housekeeper on the Brady Bunch that kept the house and everyone clean. Thinking I'm going to replace it, but then saw this poll / thread. Still thinking about replacing it.

But why, if it's doing ok?

 

[RobMcC]

I kept three in a tank for over five years. No issues, except I lost one to the carpet as the tank wasn't covered. I sold the other two when I had to relocate in 2015, they could still be doing well. They always swam together. Here is a picture. They are top middle.

A cleaner wrasse was one of the first fish I bought when I set up my new tank in summer of 2016. It is doing fine to this day in my 150G. I never found them to be any more difficult than any other fish. In fact I am just setting up a new IM 200EXT, and I will get cleaner wrasse for that tank too in a few months.

 

[green behind the ears]

They aren't, it's largely a myth spread by the aquatic press in the 90s. Get a fat one that's eating prepared foods in the shop & it will be fine.

Cool

 

[Jase4224]

Interesting how most of the vote is YES they should be left in the ocean.. but the vast majority of actual feedback is positive. I voted not sure.

My personal experience was terrible. I once (~2008) had a 300gal with quite a few decent sized fish. I added two blue streak cleaner wrasses which IMMEDIATELY attacked my 7” copperband butterfly. They harassed it over two days until I found the copperband in my carpet anemone. They were constantly chasing and pecking out the copperband’s scales. They were aggressive to other fish but not to the same extent and for the few days I had them they didn’t clean any fish or eat any foods. It’s like they were crazed.

I eventually caught them by removing the rock they slept in and returned them to my LFS. I don’t know what species they were or their location of origin but never again for me. And I checked to see if they were fang blennies but they were definitely cleaner wrasses.

 

[RobMcC]

Interesting how most of the vote is YES they should be left in the ocean.. but the vast majority of actual feedback is positive. I voted not sure.

My personal experience was terrible. I once (~2008) had a 300gal with quite a few decent sized fish. I added two blue streak cleaner wrasses which IMMEDIATELY attacked my 7” copperband butterfly. They harassed it over two days until I found the copperband in my carpet anemone. They were constantly chasing and pecking out the copperband’s scales. They were aggressive to other fish but not to the same extent and for the few days I had them they didn’t clean any fish or eat any foods. It’s like they were crazed.

I eventually caught them by removing the rock they slept in and returned them to my LFS. I don’t know what species they were or their location of origin but never again for me. And I checked to see if they were fang blennies but they were definitely cleaner wrasses.

Maybe the survey responders are repeating what they've heard without direct experience (like copperbands are hard). For your case, sounds like you were maybe sold a false cleaner wrasse, Aspidontus taeniatus. My copperband used to queue up for a clean.

 

[Bossman]

Interesting how most of the vote is YES they should be left in the ocean.. but the vast majority of actual feedback is positive. I voted not sure.

I think there is a lot of misconception/myth regarding the Blue Streak cleaner wrasse. Are people voting in the poll that have actual experience or going by what they've heard. In this thread alone I've seen stated:

*The tank needs to be big
*There needs to be lots of large fish
*The cleaner wrasse will harass your fish, some to death!
*They have small stomachs and need multiple feedings a day
*They have a high mortality rate

I was told in another thread a cleaner wrasse should not be in anything less then 300 gallons with lots of large fish. The cleaner wrasse needs a certain amount of fish slime to survive? I've decided to put one in my nano 10 gallon just to see if this myth holds true. Although none of my tanks are what you would call big.

Maybe Cleaner Wrasse from years back were different in some way? I have 4 now and have lost a few from disease and tank crash due to power outage. I haven't experienced any of the above issues with the cleaner wrasse I've kept. Most I've gotten from LA! And they're still kicking...

 

[Sleeping Giant]

The Cleaner Wrasse is safe FOR your reef but are they safe FROM your reef? Some say YES and others say NO! Others have had long term success but most have been unsuccessful!

From Live Aquaria: This unique fish forms a symbiotic relationship with other species by setting up a “cleaning station” to remove unwanted parasites that may have attached themselves. The Cleaner Wrasse will invite fish to their “cleaning station” by performing a calming up and down movement of their tails. These fish may even clean the inside of larger fish’s mouths and gills. Procured through a short supply chain in the Western Indian Ocean in very small numbers, the African and Maldivian Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse can thrive in the home aquarium. Requiring advanced care, we recommend this species is only considered by the experienced marine aquarist. The Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse requires plenty of swimming room as they are very active fish, and should be housed with dissimilar shaped and colored fishes in the community marine aquarium. A tight fitting lid or canopy is a must as they can leap from open topped aquariums or into uncovered overflow boxes in reef ready style displays.

The Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse must be fed small quantities of fresh, meaty food multiple times per day as they do not have the ability to eat large meals at one sitting. Ideal offerings include small pieces of vitamin enriched frozen mysis shrimp, vitamin enriched frozen brine shrimp, and other smaller, meaty foods. Once fully adjusted to the home aquarium these fishes can also be offered a high quality marine flake and tiny marine pellet food to complement their staple diet of enriched frozen food.

So let's talk about it!

1. Should the cleaner wrasse be left in the ocean?

2. What is your experience with these wrasse?


The cleaner wrasse not the tang!

I want one

 

[Why-Me]

I think there is a lot of misconception/myth regarding the Blue Streak cleaner wrasse. Are people voting in the poll that have actual experience or going by what they've heard. In this thread alone I've seen stated:

*The tank needs to be big
*There needs to be lots of large fish
*The cleaner wrasse will harass your fish, some to death!
*They have small stomachs and need multiple feedings a day
*They have a high mortality rate

I was told in another thread a cleaner wrasse should not be in anything less then 300 gallons with lots of large fish. The cleaner wrasse needs a certain amount of fish slime to survive? I've decided to put one in my nano 10 gallon just to see if this myth holds true. Although none of my tanks are what you would call big.

Maybe Cleaner Wrasse from years back were different in some way? I have 4 now and have lost a few from disease and tank crash due to power outage. I haven't experienced any of the above issues with the cleaner wrasse I've kept. Most I've gotten from LA! And they're still kicking...

Before I just recently set up my 120, my Blue Streak Cleaner Wrasse was in a 40 Breeder with 2 clowns and one tang.
Happy, fat and healthy!!

 

[SamsReef]

I rescued a cleaner wrasse(from a fowlr, where it was being bullied by another wrasse) and used to love its personality till it started to take bits of pieces off my Blue Hippo tang. He used only do that to my large blue hippo tang...Mind you - my tank has no Ich or Velvet of any other fish parasites...This guy just realized one day that its fun doing that to Hippo tang who was not being able to defend itself. Well,,,,,papa came to rescue...No cleaner wrasse is going in my tank. Ever!!!

Sam

 

[SamsReef]

I think there is a lot of misconception/myth regarding the Blue Streak cleaner wrasse. Are people voting in the poll that have actual experience or going by what they've heard. In this thread alone I've seen stated:

*The tank needs to be big
*There needs to be lots of large fish
*The cleaner wrasse will harass your fish, some to death!
*They have small stomachs and need multiple feedings a day
*They have a high mortality rate

I was told in another thread a cleaner wrasse should not be in anything less then 300 gallons with lots of large fish. The cleaner wrasse needs a certain amount of fish slime to survive? I've decided to put one in my nano 10 gallon just to see if this myth holds true. Although none of my tanks are what you would call big.

Maybe Cleaner Wrasse from years back were different in some way? I have 4 now and have lost a few from disease and tank crash due to power outage. I haven't experienced any of the above issues with the cleaner wrasse I've kept. Most I've gotten from LA! And they're still kicking...

I have experienced this first hand.

Sumit.

 

[dennis romano]

A little food for thought. Back around the 1990's, I read a scientific article where a team of Australian biologists removed all of the cleaner wrasses from a small isolated reef. Within a few weeks, reef fish were showing parasites and a general lowering in health. After the wrasses were re-introduced, the fish's health returned to normal.

 

[Billldg]

I voted not sure because, well, I wasn't sure. I have heard that they are hard to keep, but so was every other fish in our tanks. Eventually we find out what is needed to keep the fish healthy and long term, we just have to be responsible in doing it. If they are captive breed, as some have said, then its a plus, not only for the species that is wild, but the fact that captive breed have a better chance on surviving in our tanks. I agree @revhtree , after seeing this thread I now want one, LOL!!!;Hilarious

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I've done a TON of research on this

AFRICAN Cleaner Wrasses (Eastern Africa and the Red Sea to French Polynesia) can be sustained in captivity for years bc they eat prepared food right along side your other fish. They MUST MUST MUST be Marketed as an "African" Cleaner Wrasse. Their only demise is them jumping out of the tank.

You absolutely need to visually see them eat mysis prior to buying it at the LFS. Not eating? Probably not an African Cleaner Wrasse. AVOID & WALK AWAY.

Indo-Pacific Cleaner Wrasses are a total disaster bc they have a special diet. They will NOT eat prepared food, live food, nothing. Complete waste of your time. They will last about 30 days in your tank and eventually hide in a hole and starve to death. One day you just quit seeing them and they die.. Irresponsible to even attempt owning one IMO.

I've kept one African Cleaner Wrasse for 5 years. Most last about 2 years before carpet-surfing

Africans are a great utility fish for multiple Tang owners. Tangs will chase down an African to get cleaned. The Tangs are very happy and mellow after cleaning that it improves the Tangs health a lot IMO. Definitely worth having a African if you own 3 or more Tangs.


.

That is spot-on. I can't explain why, but that is the case time and time again. Trouble is, some dealers have figured this out and market them all as "African cleaners".

I had a pair of African cleaners in with a giant grouper, they would spawn every afternoon around 4pm.


Jay

 

[DaddyFish]

I had three in two tanks, but one went carpet surfing while I was doing some tank maintenance and unfortunately I did not notice until the next day. Both of the remaining cleaner wrasses are doing great, healthy, growing and with well established cleaner stations. My dogface puffer wasn't so keen on the wrasse at first. He would turn angry dark brown and spin around like a big dude chasing a chihuahua. Now even the dogface opens up and holds still for a couple cleanings each day.
Cleaner wrasse is the one of the best additions in my tanks. I should name them Photobomb-1 and 2, because that's what they love to do!

 

[BadPanda]

Ok this might be a long shot, but I currently own a blue streak wrasse for about eight months. I initially bought the guy for possible ich removal. Long behold, no ich. I really don't think that the cleaner wrasse had anything to do with ich eradication. I'm pretty sure that ich is just laying dormant for now. I did not treat my tank for any anti ich. The cleaner wrasse is currently on a mysis and 0.5 mil pellet diet. My cleaner wrasse does like swimming with my male blue star wrasse and lion fish. Oh the best part. Just like my other wrasse, it goes ballistic when I feed them ghost shrimp. To the point that it tries to steal some bites from the other wrasse. If possible, I would like to try the Hawaiian cleaner wrasse for the purple/yellow highlights.

So after reading the rest of the post here,
I guess the cleaner wrasse did contribute in removing ich in my tank. My question though, will ich come back with the cleaner wrasse around or does it just keep ich at bay?

 

[Jase4224]

Maybe the survey responders are repeating what they've heard without direct experience (like copperbands are hard). For your case, sounds like you were maybe sold a false cleaner wrasse, Aspidontus taeniatus. My copperband used to queue up for a clean.

Thanks for the response. I did make sure by carefully looking at the mouth that I didn’t have a fang blenny/false cleaner wrasse. The cleaner wrasses have a pointed mouth that points forward whereas the false cleaner wrasse has a downward pointing mouth.

I have no explanation for the issues I had with mine unless they had rabies.