Cleaner Wrasse

[Gallagher]

i love cleaner wrasse, and really want to keep one, but 50% of people say they are impossible to keep and need at least a 6ft tank, so you can keep angels and butterfly fish, just for the wrasse to feed off. on teh other hand, the other 50% of people say they are fine, accept flake, and can prevent disease like marine ich. ive seen one accepting flake in my LFS but im still not sure if that was just the individual.

What do you guys think, any experinece??

 

[AK77]

Funnily enough I was looking at cleaner wrasse the other night and reading about the very same thing. I forget which forum it was on, but a guy who's been keeping marine fish for over 30 years and also held positions at large public aquariums warns heavily against keeping them.

From what I've read, most do die from transportation and also starvation after a few months. Some do survive and live for a few years, but usually on large aquariums with an abundance of fish to feed off of. People often get them if their tangs get ich and the fish do ok initially. Then when there are no parasites left to feed upon, their health can diminish. I suppose its pretty much like the green mandarin, which feeds on pods. its very hit and miss as to whether they will accept flake or frozen food sources.

If you do have angels and butterfly fish, its probably a much better idea to keep neon goby's that also feed on parasites and they are captive bred too, something that cleaner wrasse aren't and their collection by the fish trade is having a negative impact on the reefs as a result.

Personally I'd rather have them swimming in the ocean, providing the services that they do in the ecology of the reefs, than a potentially short existence in my tank, especially knowing the impact on the reefs that collecting them is having.

 

[TigerIssey]

I agree with AK on this one.

A very select few do thrive, I think the proportions are way worse than Mandarins though.

IMHO they should be left in the ocean where they perform a very valuable service for the many fish living on a reef.

This is one that cannot be catered for, Mandarins food can be cultured, you don't want to culture parasites.

 

[Gallagher]

Kk kl I think I will leave then on the reef. Tbh one of my favourit things to see when snorkelling was a parrot fish swiming up to the wrasses station, lying on their side with there mouth open, then letting the wrasse get to work. I'd hate to see that go, and will try to not be part of it. Thanks for the replys.

 

[AK77]

Kk kl I think I will leave then on the reef. Tbh one of my favourit things to see when snorkelling was a parrot fish swiming up to the wrasses station, lying on their side with there mouth open, then letting the wrasse get to work. I'd hate to see that go, and will try to not be part of it. Thanks for the replys.

Good man

Must of been great, snorkelling and seeing all that happen! Have you checked out the neon gobies? I think they have a very cute little face and I imagine that those blue stripes are the most electric blue under actinics

[URL="http/frontpage.simnet.is/dna/neon_goby.htm"]http/frontpage.simnet.is/dna/neon_goby.htm[/URL]

 

[seffieuk]

Seconded - good man/women

Seffie x