Questions on Cleaner Wrasse

Hello all. I was talking with my friend the other day about Cleaner Wrasse and he said that its really difficult if not impossible to keep a cleaner wrasse in your tank without it dieing. I think they are cool looking fish and are a very beneficial fish. I totally understand that they really only are eating what they find per sae and that its impossible to get them to eat anything other than bugs, hitchhikers and parasites.

Thoughts or success stories would be great.

Thanks in advance.

 

Leave them in the ocean where they belong.

See the link in my signature for more info.

 

agree with above. They dont belong in our tanks. The hawaiian cleaner wrasse that has the amazing color in particular do not ever survive very long. I am sure there is going to be somebody on here that has kept one.........but for that 1 person probably 10 more that hadnt

 

why go through all that effort keeping one alive when you can get a neon goby for way cheaper, and they are way easier to maintain.

 

More like hundreds of failures for every one success, I'm afraid.

 

+1 I remember when I first got into the Hobby I purchased a Cleaner Wrasse and it was thriving.Unfortunately it was a mimic called a Sabretoothed Blenny(Aspiodontus taeniatus) and instead of cleaning the fish it used its disguise to get fish to allow it to clean them and then it would take a bite.OUCH!Took a week for me to figure out what was going on as we didn't have an internet or very much info on them at the time.My other fish quickly figured out that this little jerk was NOT a cleaner wrasse.

 

Thank you for the response Vinny! Yeah it seems as though they are beneficial to the tank but its beneficial to them to leave them in the Ocean as everybody else has described. What I'm curious about more than anything is a good wrasse that's not a total a$$. My tank is my business. Its nice to have a quality tank and all the inhabitants are in the tank for a reason. I'm looking for a good wrasse to help eat little eggs, or eat little parasites with out being a huge a$$. I ran across a similar looking wrasse called a "Fourline Wrasse."

Any info on these little guys?

 

The only Four lined wrasse I am familiar with is a cleaner from the Red Sea.As has been stated they do not fair well in the aquarium unfortunately.Heres a link to what they look like.
Cleaner Four Line Red Sea Wrasse
If you are looking for a docile wrasse that will consume pests then here are a few.Melanurus Wrasse are fairly peaceful as I have one myself (Hoevens Wrasse) who doesn't bother anythingin my tank.Great looking fish and an excellent predator but may consume small ornamental shrimp. I have a Cleaner shrimp and it hasn't bothered it but peppermints or the like could be targets.You will also need at least a 2 inch SB as they bury themselves at night or when threatened.Also Pink Streaked Wrasses while uncommon are very peacful and will not harm any invertabrates.Probably the best reef safe wrasse IMO.I was actually trying to purchase one but my LFS got it wrong and got me the Hoevens.:
Saltwater Aquarium Fish for Marine Aquariums: Pink-Streaked Wrasse
The great thing about them is while they are small fish they can be added with other small wrasses like the many Possum Wrasses which are also small but peaceful.Also unless you are taking things directly from the ocean parasites should not really be an issue in your aquarium.Check out Evolved's link as he has a great write up on Wrasses that will help you a great deal.

 

Thanks for another wonderful response Vinny. I am curious about something when it comes to the Melanurus Wrasse. Its listed as Reef with Caution. Is this because they are known for taking out shrimp or coral?

 

Small Shrimp.Not sure if they would bother hermits but this is usually why things are listed that way.I don't keep hermits in my system just snails.