View Full Version : How long have you kept a Cleaner Wrasse?
Espocrespo
04-06-08, 20:32
0 - 6 months
6 - 1 months - year
1 - 2 years
2+ years
From what i have read it is a little irresponsible to keep a cleaner wrasse. The y dont fair well in tanks and removal from the reef has a negative effect on it
Kept a Red Sea Cleaner Wrasse for just a few days when I first started keeping marines 10 or so years ago. It went back to the shop after I found out they are not cleaner wrasse as adults but feed on SPS polyps. Learned to research before I buy the hard way!
John
Wow that answers my question, My cleaner Wrasse is a Red Sea one Black with Blue stripes, had it about 2 years and its been a great fish, however its pretty big now and has just polished off my SPS frags I was trying although it still cleans the larger fish.
Something Fishy
03-09-08, 13:29
I originally bought two individuals which have formed a pair. Spawn every night.
Had mine now for around 18 months and still going strong.
:thumbsup:
Had my cleaner wrasse for about 3 years and still going strong.:thumbsup:
Had mine nearly 2 years now and he eats everthing thrown in the tank.
Paul
Espocrespo
03-09-08, 17:11
From our results if they are fed well and they eat flakes and frozen food they do survive.
Yes it might be unfair to keep cleaner wrasse in aquarium, but couldn't say that about any wild fish.
Norvern Rob
03-09-08, 23:24
Nearly a year and still going strong, including a 25 minute trip down the back of the tank one night!
Eats everything that goes in, just make sure the one you're buying eats frozen/flake or both.
My one just wants to eat all day! Still going strong after 7 months. Eats anything.
Had mine 3 years it eats anything frozen, flake and even Norri, it still spends all day cleaning the other fish which isn't always appreciated.
John.
0-6 months but only because he went to a new home.
The one we had was fairly small and ate basically any mysis, brine or flake. He went because a) he cleaned 1 of our 3 larger fish and not the two we put him in the tank for really and b) the particular fish he took he took a liking to didnt take the same liking back and it got abit stressful to be honest.......I once watched him go inside our Puffers gill completely, no jokes, the whole body was gone!!!
My experience of the one we had was that he was an hardy little ****** who didnt partcularly need or want for the large fish there supposed to be in with to live but i suppose all fish vary.
Had my cleaner wrasse for about 3 years and still going strong.:thumbsup:
What he said!
i have had two for about 2 years
Perhaps it would help if we new what size the tanks are for people who have kept these fish long term. I'm pretty sure my Chromis wasn't large enough for it.
Perhaps it would help if we new what size the tanks are for people who have kept these fish long term. I'm pretty sure my Chromis wasn't large enough for it.
I've had mine coming up a year, he started in a 90 litres and is now in 180 litres, eats any food added to the tank, doesn't clean any of my fish and was the sole survivor of the Brooklynella outbreak early last year.
Mine is in a 4 foot heavily stocked tank (3 years).
John.
Norvern Rob
18-01-09, 11:32
Had mine 18 months, in a 150 gallon heavily stocked tank - he's also survived a WS outbreak and a 25 minute trip down the back of the tank when he jumped! He eats anything and only cleans the fish when they ask for it.
Something Fishy
18-01-09, 13:59
Perhaps it would help if we new what size the tanks are for people who have kept these fish long term. I'm pretty sure my Chromis wasn't large enough for it.
Approx 110 gallons (48 x 28 x 26). Fairly heavily stocked and fed but to be honest the wrasse tend to keep themselves to themselves unless a fish indicates that it wants a bit of attention. I've seen it written on numerous occasions that these fish are obligate cleaners and will not survive in the long term unless they have parasites etc in their diet but mine are coming up for 3 years in captivity, spawn every night and look very fit and healthy.
Had my cleaner for approx 3-4 years, has a go at any frozen and nori, and always cleaning the fish, especially the tangs. Tank is a 5fter approx 125 uk gallons.
hth,
Bry
deanemarine
18-02-09, 18:19
had my cleaner for over 2 years now
simon garratt
19-02-09, 13:00
from a personal standpoint ive never had issues keeping them, 1st one i had for 5 yrs (50gallon setup) and was a right ropey old ****** by the time it passed away (it was a good 3" when i got it), the second one i had for about 3 years (200gallon) before i did a tank strip and passed it onto a fellow reefer. Both these fish were fat and happy.
I think mainly there is some serious updating of information required on these fish in respect to captive care. They are still veiwed by many newcomers (and recommended in many older litteratures or web sources) as an addition on a par with cleaner shrimps in that they are a disease or parasite cure/prevention rather than a fish in thier own right that requires a set range of environmental conditions to ensure thier well being.
In the wild they dont seem to need that big an area to take on as a territory becouse most of the food comes to them in a constant stream of fish wanting to be cleaned (alot of times its the same fish at the same time each day), but in a closed system they are frequently subjected to a far smaller number and size of potential candidates for cleaning with a subsiquently smaller amount of food available. In fact i'm not even sure in most cases that many of the fish we keep commonly even use cleaning stations inhabited by cleaner wrass in preferance for other cleaners such as shrimps etc or juvinile Angels or butterflies. Much of what i have observed at these stations are larger preditory fish such as groupers, Morays and triggers etc, or larger Butterflies, Angels, and sweetlips, etc (not exactly the most common tankmates).
The main thing i found led to success, was getting hold of a decent one to start with, and then getting it feeding on alternate foods, usually cyclopeze, baby brine etc, then brine, mysis and very finely chopped mussel etc. if you can do this in a seperate tank to start with, even better as it minimises agressive competition. Then when in the tank i think they are ideal candidates to be with fish such as anthias etc that you need to feed a couple of times a day. ime, they are highly active fish that burn off alot of energy constantly, so need smaller regular feedings rather than a single bulk feed each day. (between feeds, mine even used to graze on the Nori clip)
But, overal, Id have to say that despite my own ease with this species, untill the perception changes with regards thier care and requirements, then they should be avoided by the majority.
The other thing that people commonly forget is that some fish actually get stressed by having a cleaner around them all the time. in some cases the cleaner can do more damage than good, especially to fish with a very delicate epidermal layer like boxfish etc.
Regards
Si.
Hi
As far as the standard Blue Streak cleaner wrasse goes I think their poor record on survivability is down to a number of things. Some of which has been over come in recent years such as improved shipping and handling and improved nutrition.
The one thing that has not changed is that most cleaner wrasses are bought by newcomers to the hobby and put into recently cycled or newish aquariums. More than anything in my mind those to aspects contribute to there higher than normal levels of mortality.
YMMV
Jez
about 4years now and going well but now you mention it sps dont do well guess i know why now:laugh:
Have had mine for just over 1 year now & still going strong. He eats everything including nori. He's really grown in the last year.
Kobb
vBulletin® v3.8.7, Copyright ©2000-2012, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.