miniflea May 8, 2009 Share May 8, 2009 Been wondering about this, and thought I'd ask you more experienced and wiser than I people this. In Fenner's "Conscientious Marine Aquarist" he vehemently opposes keeping cleaner wrasses in aquariums. I've read numerous other books that say, at the most, that they can be difficult feeders sometimes. There's even a photo in Micheal Paletta's excellent (and very helpful to me personally setting up my tank) "The New Marine Aquarium" which shows a cleaner wrasse in one of his personal tanks. And I've read on online forums that people get them to accept prepared foods. Whats the general consensus? Are they difficult but doable fish, or are they a tiny blue striped moorish idol as Fenner seems to say? /Whew, first post. Love to death my yellow watchman goby and two clowns! //Saltwater newbie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lhcorals May 8, 2009 Share May 8, 2009 They are very hard fish to keep. Very seldom do they make it. Best left in the ocean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coral Hind May 8, 2009 Share May 8, 2009 I would only buy one that has been at the LFS for a very long time and it is eating prepared foods. Or better yet, buy it from a local reefer who has had it for awhile. I have tried real hard twice to keep one in the last year and both starve to death in about two months. I will not be trying again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overklok May 8, 2009 Share May 8, 2009 I can never keep one alive, but I have a friend who keeps a trigger tank, one has been living in there for about 7 months. He has had his tail bit off a few times, but seems to be thriving. I am surprised he has lasted this long he eats prepared food and cleans the triggers. The triggers seems to have a love/hate relationship with the wrasse, resulting in behavior that alternates between lining up for cleanings and attempts to kill him!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geofloors May 8, 2009 Share May 8, 2009 I have a pair, 1 is 4 years old the other is 3 years old. You need a big tank and alot of fish for them but they eat everything. Don't try putting them in a tank less then 100g with a few fish. IME they are a very easy fish to keep. George Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHUBAKAH May 8, 2009 Share May 8, 2009 I have a pair, 1 is 4 years old the other is 3 years old. You need a big tank and alot of fish for them but they eat everything. Don't try putting them in a tank less then 100g with a few fish. IME they are a very easy fish to keep. George Couldn't agree more. I have had great luck with mine, and they do a great job cleaning other fish. Mine will eat flake but prefers nori to anything else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treesprite May 8, 2009 Share May 8, 2009 Interesting contrast in opinions. Aren't there some cleaner gobies that will do what the cleaner wrasse would do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJBoy98 May 8, 2009 Share May 8, 2009 Supposedly the Neon Gobies do cleaning and have a better chance of survival. I had a cleaner but he starved to death. Would not take any food and kept trying to clean the other fishes. He spooked every fish he tried but eventually the foxfax gave in for the most part. I would get one again but I would make sure he's eating food before I do so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mling May 8, 2009 Share May 8, 2009 If it is cleaning of fish you are interested in. I have a good experience in a cleaner shrimp. Just ask my Hippo who had ich before the cleaner shrimp was introduced Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treesprite May 8, 2009 Share May 8, 2009 That hippo looks almost like he's smiling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miniflea May 9, 2009 Author Share May 9, 2009 Thanks for all the replies. Interesting to see the same kind of polar opposite opinions here that I've seen elsewhere. I know there are a few (three?) separate species of cleaner wrasse, and also some very similar looking goby species, I wonder if this has anything to do with reports of success? Perhaps not, though, as I have read accounts of moorish idols who will eat anything and have lived for years. Could be normal variation. I've seen those cleaner shrimp in stores before, but didn't know they could clean off ich parasites, very interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geofloors May 9, 2009 Share May 9, 2009 Mine are definitely cleaner wrasses. Here is a pic of the pair. George Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefhunter May 9, 2009 Share May 9, 2009 I have had one in my tank for 4-6 months now. I have a 220 gallon tank with 20+ fish. I dont notice him eating flake but he is constantly in the hunt looking for something to eat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amuze May 11, 2009 Share May 11, 2009 (edited) You can only go by personal experience. Unfortunately until that happens you must rely on others opinions. Some here do tend to offer theirs quite often without any personal experience what so ever. Definitely get one that is eating prepared foods and you should be fine. I have kept one alive for three years in a 55g. It ate pellets, nori and anything else that was fed. It did not die from lack of nutrition. However it did become nutrition for a new addition, sadly. They do tend to irritate fish after after awhile and can cause problems as they dig into and consume scales. Bluestreaks tend to do better than others. A good rule to go by is don't believe everything you read. Edited May 11, 2009 by audible Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sikryd May 11, 2009 Share May 11, 2009 Mine eats like a pig - pretty much anything I feed it - haven't watched when I have fed flake though, I'll have to see next time.... He is always trying to chill with my Purple tang too..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flowerseller May 11, 2009 Share May 11, 2009 You can only go by personal experience. Unfortunately until that happens you must rely on others opinions. Some here do tend to offer theirs quite often without any personal experience what so ever. Definitely get one that is eating prepared foods and you should be fine. I have kept one alive for three years in a 55g. It ate pellets, nori and anything else that was fed. It did not die from lack of nutrition. However it did become nutrition for a new addition, sadly. They do tend to irritate fish after after awhile and can cause problems as they dig into and consume scales. Bluestreaks tend to do better than others. A good rule to go by is don't believe everything you read. So how do you make that distinction? I have a red sea cleaner and it's done very well. Eats anything I feed everyone else, including nori off a slick. Some say they feed on coral polyps as adults but I do not know how old mine was when I got it or at what age they are cinsidered adults. I have not seen it eat any but I'm not able to watch my tank constantly so it might sneak a polyp or two in when I'm not looking. I believe they would not be eating polyps but more like picking say red bugs, flat worms or simply mucus from the coral. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amuze May 11, 2009 Share May 11, 2009 So how do you make that distinction? I have a red sea cleaner and it's done very well. Eats anything I feed everyone else, including nori off a slick. Some say they feed on coral polyps as adults but I do not know how old mine was when I got it or at what age they are cinsidered adults. I have not seen it eat any but I'm not able to watch my tank constantly so it might sneak a polyp or two in when I'm not looking. I believe they would not be eating polyps but more like picking say red bugs, flat worms or simply mucus from the coral. Through personal experience of course. That's cool yours is doing well. I wouldn't be happy about any fish picking at my corals as it stresses the corals out. You should try to get it on pellets. They will take to the smaller pellets. Mine would annoy me because he always chewed through the nori right at the clip causing it to float away. Lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reefhunter May 11, 2009 Share May 11, 2009 I noticed mine eating flake food with everyone else this morning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flowerseller May 11, 2009 Share May 11, 2009 Through personal experience of course. That's cool yours is doing well. I wouldn't be happy about any fish picking at my corals as it stresses the corals out. You should try to get it on pellets. They will take to the smaller pellets. Mine would annoy me because he always chewed through the nori right at the clip causing it to float away. Lol. I have not seen it picking at the coraols, YET, but I have not turned my back on the tank and then turned back around really fast yet so it might be happening. I now wrap the nori around a 1" pvc pipe fitting with a rubber band and hang it via fish line in the tank. (Saw the idea at Leishmans house if it lends it any credibility with you, ) All fish, including the RSCW, pick at it and it does not float away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flowerseller May 11, 2009 Share May 11, 2009 I noticed mine eating flake food with everyone else this morning. Anyone in the Leesburg area able to go confirm this? sounds fishy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbartco May 11, 2009 Share May 11, 2009 Anyone in the Leesburg area able to go confirm this?sounds fishy Don't know about the flake food, but had my arm in hunter's tank on Sat, and it was eagerly picking the hairs off my arm. I think healthy captive cleaner's are the exception to the rule, but with the large tank hunter has, it works out it seems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctenophore May 11, 2009 Share May 11, 2009 I'm sad to say that my cleaner jumped the other night after a year and a half in my care. Found it maybe 15-20 minutes after it jumped, it almost seemed "fresh" enough to revive. Not sure what got into it but it is now anemone chow. It ate everything, flake, pellets, pods, arm hair. I won't buy another though, I got this one from a WAMAS member getting out of the hobby in Dec 07. I do not think they are suitable in anything less than ~250 gal, and obviously with a lid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khalid May 11, 2009 Share May 11, 2009 I had good luck with mine cleaner until last week when he decided he wanted to see what life was like outside the tank. I had him for 7+ months in my 33 and last week I took the canopy off for some cleaning but didn't put it back one when I was done. I came back later that night and found him on the carpet. :( He was real cool and lucky for me would eat anything he could fit in his mouth. He would eat live brine, frozen foods, flakes, even some of the coral phyto mixtures I put in the tank. He was always the first one to go after the food and even has tried to clean my arm a couple of time when I had it in the tank. I would definitely get another one again when I get my larger tank set up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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