Cleaner Wrasse and Large Fish.

[Cu455]

Has anyone put a cleaner wrasse in with larger fish? How did it turn out?

I have a cleaner wrasse ready to be released into my tank. The tank has a ~7in panther grouper, ~5 in minius grouper, ~7 in New Gunea puffer and a 12 in coral catshark. I don't want to add him if he will become food.

 

[marrone]

It should be fine but you can never tell with Groupers, as they may try and swallow it as soon as you place it into the tank. You to need to accumulated the cleaner wrasse before you place it into the tank, possible even use a box to float it in the tank, or place it in after the lights are off, that way it can settle in and it takes away the change that a Grouper may look at it as food. Once it settles in your shouldn't have a problem.

 

[Cu455]

Thanks that's what I was thinking of doing and what I will do. I tried cleaner shrimp twice. Both times they didn't make the night.

I was thinking placing him in during the day would be better. All my big boys come out at night. In addition to what I listed I also have a couple of eels and sharks. I am not worried about them. During the day my looks empty. People will come over and ask if I only have 1 fish in the whole tank. At night everything is out and moving. Then again at night he will have his mucus coat.

You are right about my grouper attacking thinks right away thinking its food. I added a snake blenny that was about 14 in. In with 3 seconds my grouper had half of it in this mouth.

 

[homegrowncichlid]

I added a hungry new wrasse into a tank with an established neon cleaner goby, He ate it within seconds. Just make sure your fish are well fed and lazy, before releasing from the box.