Cleaner Wrasse

[danfishman]

I want to know what the problem is with cleaner wrasse. I have heard through this Message Board and others that they shouldn't be bought because of the impact on the enviro or whatever. Just wondering what people thought and if they keep them, do they have any trouble with them eg hardy, keep ich away. Want some thoughts because they seem a worth while invest because they are $15 and cleaner shrimp are $80.

 

[kris]

Cleaners are not very hardy at all as far as I know. They feed primarily on parasites and mucous of others, so unless introduced to a tank full of infested fish they won't survive, and usually don't in the aquarium, because of feeding issues.
As far as the enviroment issue, people say taking them is depriving the oceans wildlife of one of it's best parasite control factors.
I personally would stay away from them.
That's my take, although I have not owned one .
Good Luck

 

[galina]

I have owned one. I did not buy it.. it was a gift. I highly suggest you don't purchase one of these fish. They are best left in the ocean. My cleaner died within the first week of it's life in my tank. Taking them out of nature to throw into tanks where they will shortly die is inconsiderate.
Galina

 

[stupid_naso]

Wow, that's a very expensive price for a cleaner shrimp. I got mine for $13.95. The most expensive one was $20.00. Even ***** does not sell it for $80. Get cleaner shrimp, they're easier to keep. I hand-feed mine, so yeah.
Cleaner wrasse is hard to keep, most of the time when kept in captivity, they die of starvation. Once they eat all the parasites you have in your tank, what will they eat? So yeah, get the cleaner, though try to get a cheaper one. Look for other lfs. You can even get it from SWF.com, I don't think they charge your $80 for it.
stupid_naso

 

[kris walker]

I too would suggest getting a cheaper shrimp. Around here, they are $20-30 each. Peppermints can also act as cleaners, and are usually much cheaper, $5-10 around here.
Unfortunaly, when I had fish, some of them were too scared of my cleaner shrimp to get serviced from it. However, all my fish allowed to be serviced by my cleaner wrasse. I had the cleaner wrasse for about 3 weeks until a freak accident that killed everything in the tank overnight. I never saw the cleaner eat anything except that which he picked off the glass and the fish.
I think keeping a cleaner wrasse is not evil, but it should be treated as a difficult fish (like dragonettes) that requires a good number of host fish to feed off of and a good number of critters in your tank (like little worms that cling to tank walls, LR, or LS).
kris

 

[nacl-h2o]

You guys didn't check his local he is in Australia. The prices will be different there. Whether you will be able to keep a cleaner successfully depends on whether you can get him to convert to eating brine shrimp. If you can and you get him young he will last for years. But meny people can't get them to convert and they die. I converted mine by hatching brine eggs in a little salt water and put the new hatchlings in the tank after feeding the others full size brine the cleaner soon started eating the regular brine with the others. But for most people cleaners are not a good idea. HTH

 

[kris walker]

That's a great idea NaCl! Glad it worked out for you.
kris

 

[danfishman]

yeah thanks for the advice, even though they are expensive in Aus. I will get the cleaner shrimp.