Cleaner Wrasse - piece of advice

[bkstang]

I was looking for a nice addition to my tank and by accident I found Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse at one of LFS?s. Without any homework I decided this is it! The store owner was not very familiar with this fish but I didn?t expect any huge surprises. After I got home I started to read about it and I found out this is one of the most difficult fish to keep in home marine aquariums. Some even do not recommend this fish for home aquarium as they usually do not survive more than a week and in best case scenario a month.
My wrasse was eating perfectly, cyclopeeze, spirulina brine shrimps, flakes. After 6 days, appeared only once during the day for about 1 hour. The next day it was gone and I?ve never seen this fish again. Probably died somewhere in the sand.
I?ve seen this fish in 2 LFS since then. Fish looks great and it is very active but as some website says to keep this fish in home aquarium is almost impossible.

Read some more here:
http://animal-world.com/encyclo/marine/wrasses/CleanerWrasse.php

 

[SuRFeR BoY]

Some cleaner wrasses last forever and some don't. I have a buddy that has one for 2 years now. It is inportant to purhase one that eats frozen foods and flakes

 

[marrone]

Regardless if they're eating most don't last long, and then eventually just disappear. You may get some that will last a year or two but even then that is rare. For the most part they're just not long term fish.

 

[Rookie2reef]

I have mines for a year so far doing great and active

 

[Kworker]

I read origin plays a huge factor. Supposedly Red Sea ones do better off than ones from say Indo.

 

[Jim]

Wow I must be really lucky with mine. I have him for over 3 years now.

 

[duke62]

I've had mine for 4 years. Never had a issue with him

 

[salpet]

mine is 84 years old and has 5 kids 15 grandkids and 42 great great grandkids

 

[Mattl22]

Had a cheap 15$ one for about a yr