Cleaner wrasse question
- Thread starter some'n'smellsfishy
- Start date
You shouldn't have either in your tank.
1. They have a very poor survival rate in aquaria, mainly because they are obligate cleaners, meaning they get the majority of their sustanence from consuming parasites. They usually waste away over a period of a few months slowly starving to death. It is a rare occasion that the wrasses actually take to other foods and even rarer for them to be able to get enough nutrition to survive. Unless it is a VERY large aquarium with a significant fish load i.e. hundreds of fish it is unlikely you will be able to keep them alive on parasites alone.
2. Most importantly, the removal of Labroides wrasses from the reef can create significant health issues. "Experimental removal of some of these cleaners in the wild has demonstrated their immense importance as parasite controls. Local and even large pelagic fish populations are quickly and negatively impacted by their removal. Fish populations drop or migrate, and remaining fishes lose fitness as measured by increased external parasite loads, sores and torn fins." Robert Fenner, "Conscientious Marine Aquarist".
Thus their chances of survival is poor, and there are serious impacts upon the reef when they are removed. Since they currently are not being bred in captivity they should be left in the ocean.
1. They have a very poor survival rate in aquaria, mainly because they are obligate cleaners, meaning they get the majority of their sustanence from consuming parasites. They usually waste away over a period of a few months slowly starving to death. It is a rare occasion that the wrasses actually take to other foods and even rarer for them to be able to get enough nutrition to survive. Unless it is a VERY large aquarium with a significant fish load i.e. hundreds of fish it is unlikely you will be able to keep them alive on parasites alone.
2. Most importantly, the removal of Labroides wrasses from the reef can create significant health issues. "Experimental removal of some of these cleaners in the wild has demonstrated their immense importance as parasite controls. Local and even large pelagic fish populations are quickly and negatively impacted by their removal. Fish populations drop or migrate, and remaining fishes lose fitness as measured by increased external parasite loads, sores and torn fins." Robert Fenner, "Conscientious Marine Aquarist".
Thus their chances of survival is poor, and there are serious impacts upon the reef when they are removed. Since they currently are not being bred in captivity they should be left in the ocean.
I agree w/ MickAv8r, they're going to starve unless they miraculously begin to eat prepared foods. I'm not sure where i picked this up but isn't there only like 1 or 2 cleaner wrasses for a ridiculously large area of reef like a square mile? It's probably not as large as a mile but i thought they're pretty spread out...
I have a common cleaner wrasse for about 3 months. Yesterday while at the LFS, my children went 'gaga' over a Hawaiian cleaner wrasse - the one with the pink tail.
We bought it and the moment it was place into the tank, both the wrasses started slamming each other.
Will they eventually stop the hostility and get on with life soon?
We bought it and the moment it was place into the tank, both the wrasses started slamming each other.
Will they eventually stop the hostility and get on with life soon?
Thank you all for the valuable insight.
It saddens me to know this beautiful fish will eventually waste away.
From where I'm residing, returning it to the wild will not be possible now. I will be sharing this info with my fellow reefers here and remind the LFS of their bad import choice.
About the fish per area thing, I don't know about the Hawaiian cleaner wrasse but the common cleaner wrasse certainly do not seem to have this distribution pattern.
I've done quite a fair bit of diving and it's a common sight to see several cleaners in the same area. On a number of occasion, an adult fish can be seen attended by 2 cleaners.
Cheers
It saddens me to know this beautiful fish will eventually waste away.
From where I'm residing, returning it to the wild will not be possible now. I will be sharing this info with my fellow reefers here and remind the LFS of their bad import choice.
About the fish per area thing, I don't know about the Hawaiian cleaner wrasse but the common cleaner wrasse certainly do not seem to have this distribution pattern.
I've done quite a fair bit of diving and it's a common sight to see several cleaners in the same area. On a number of occasion, an adult fish can be seen attended by 2 cleaners.
Cheers
i also have a cleaner wrasse and was told about the same thing after i bought him, was looking for a 6-line and the LFS said this will do the same thing. well he eats the flake along with the clowns and he also cruises the rock and glass picking here and there. does this mean he will likley starve in a few more months? or is it a good sign thats he's eating the flake food? i hate that stores will sell stuff to people under false pretense especially since this fish was only 4.99 i think they would try something a little more expensive to pass on to buyers. but in any event i bought him because i had a pod out break that was getting quitet unsightlly but i still don't want it to die even if it is a cheap fish!
The consensus is that the endemic Hawaiian cleaner wrasse do not survive in captivity as they are obligate parasite feeding specialists.
The common (blue/black striped), Labriodes diamades, sometimes accept substitute foods and can adjust to them. The chances of success are greater in those cases where the fish is acquired as a juvenile, i.e before their feeding habits are firmly set. Adults are not good candidates in the typical set up as they will most often have insufficient fish to supply their food needs (parasites) and will refuse to try the substitutes.
The common (blue/black striped), Labriodes diamades, sometimes accept substitute foods and can adjust to them. The chances of success are greater in those cases where the fish is acquired as a juvenile, i.e before their feeding habits are firmly set. Adults are not good candidates in the typical set up as they will most often have insufficient fish to supply their food needs (parasites) and will refuse to try the substitutes.
Yes, they will quit fighting, as one person said, when one of them is dead.
I had a cleaner wrasse that lasted almost a year in my aquarium but it kept losing its brilliant color as time went on. It ate prepared food and used to clean dead skin off my hand. It was a neat little fish that my ex got on the advice of the LFS owner. I kinda miss him but will NEVER have another, it just isn't responsible!
Finally, the 4 color Hawaiian cleaner wrasse IS a beautiful fish. However, I know of NONE that have lasted in captivity.
I had a cleaner wrasse that lasted almost a year in my aquarium but it kept losing its brilliant color as time went on. It ate prepared food and used to clean dead skin off my hand. It was a neat little fish that my ex got on the advice of the LFS owner. I kinda miss him but will NEVER have another, it just isn't responsible!
Finally, the 4 color Hawaiian cleaner wrasse IS a beautiful fish. However, I know of NONE that have lasted in captivity.
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