Help! Cleaner wrasse picking at clams!

[hefner413]

I just got a cleaner wrasse, and I noticed that my 2 derasa clams weren't opening much. THEN I saw the wrasse go over and pick at the clam! I thought they were suppose to be reef safe, according to SWF.com. Have any of you had the same problem? Is there anything I can do other than take it out???

 

[hefner413]

Ok, couldn't stand it. I snagged him out and he's in my QT. I know he won't last long in there without fish to clean... I guess my only option is to take him back... oh well

. I did like the fish very well though. He seemed to just roam the whole tank looking for a fish needing cleaning. He also seemed to take to the tank quite well - always out in the open, ate mysis shrimp readily and even wouldn't stop trying to clean my hand while I was moving a rock in the tank.
Anyway, Is this common? If I trade it in for a different cleaner wrasse - will it be probable that the next will also pick at the clams?

 

[hefner413]

bumper cars

 

[buckster71]

Hmmm. Wonder if he was actually picking parasites or algae off of the clam?
Mine gorges himself along with my yellow tang when I add peice of algae to the tank.
Maybe you can add the wrasse with the lights out and the clams shut and try to get him disinterested in the clam.

 

[halamaya]

I have a 6 line wrasse and a red headed blue sided fairy wrasse, and a derasa clam. When I first put in my clam my snails, crabs and everyone else cleaned him rigth up. Give them some time to acclimate with eachother. See if he is doing any real damage. He might clean em up and leave them alone most of the time after that. No expert for sure hope it helps.

 

[jam marine]

Hi i had the same problem,cleaner from the get go just started picking on the clams had to remove him,get cleaner shrimp instead.

 

[nietzsche]

yeah i have heard the cleaner wrasse isnt safe with clams

 

[ledzep fan]

I say ditch the clam and keep the cleaner wrasse, They are more rare to keep

 

[miaheatlvr]

Originally Posted by LedZep fan
I say ditch the clam and keep the cleaner wrasse, They are more rare to keep

Bring the CW back to the pet store, get a Neon Goby and tell your LFS not to stock CW anymore..

 

[hefner413]

Wow, so diverse answers! As of now, the CW is doing well in my 10 gal QT tank.
My biggest Q now is: is it more common for them to pic or to not pick? I would like to get another if this is more of a rare situation. But if I can could on most CW's picking at the clams... then I probably won't get another. Thanks peeps!

 

[fishissues]

Originally Posted by LedZep fan
I say ditch the clam and keep the cleaner wrasse, They are more rare to keep

mine always die for some reason i think you should just let the wrasse swim around in you aquarium if he looks like hes doing real damage then trade him in but i doubt hed be doing any bad damage.

 

[miaheatlvr]

Originally Posted by fishissues
mine always die for some reason i think you should just let the wrasse swim around in you aquarium if he looks like hes doing real damage then trade him in but i doubt hed be doing any bad damage.
MOST C.W, do not live long in the home aquarium, due to their specifc diet of parasites and die withing a short period of time. SOME hobbyists here have claimed to keep them alive by getting them to eat some brine or cyclopeeze, but this is far and from between.. You are much better off getting a neon goby,, serves the same purpose but very very hardy.

 

[1journeyman]

Originally Posted by fishissues
mine always die for some reason....
Your's and most others. They often starve in aquariums. Which makes sense, as most aquariums don't have the number of parasites present to feed these type of fish. Some will take to prepared foods, but not all, and no guarantee they are getting the proper diet if they are eating prepared foods.
Michael's mentions that the occasional Blue Striped CW will pick at clams.

 

[petjunkie]

It's quite normal for them to try and clean clams to the point of death, another one will just do the same and die within a few months, the parasites they live off is their entire diet they are obligate cleaners and isopods aren't very common in the home aquarium. They do not and could not eat ich as it is under the skin and they pick off the outer layer. Even the ones who do eat frozen like mine simply die, mine did great for seven months in my tank plus a month of starving in a pet stores tank before the owner pawned it off on me and one day it just stopped eating and disappeared. These aren't fish that anyone should buy, they should stay on the reef doing their job.

 

[hefner413]

Originally Posted by petjunkie
It's quite normal for them to try and clean clams to the point of death, another one will just do the same and die within a few months, the parasites they live off is their entire diet they are obligate cleaners and isopods aren't very common in the home aquarium. They do not and could not eat ich as it is under the skin and they pick off the outer layer. Even the ones who do eat frozen like mine simply die, mine did great for seven months in my tank plus a month of starving in a pet stores tank before the owner pawned it off on me and one day it just stopped eating and disappeared. These aren't fish that anyone should buy, they should stay on the reef doing their job.
great info. thanks! I kinda wondered if mine would live longer since it's eating mysis, but yours did also and still died... not cool. And I never realized that CW didn't help with ich. I've heard people recommend a CW many times when someone was having an ich problem. thanks for the info

 

[candycane]

I would watch WHAT they are picking at. If it is directly at the mantle, then that is bad thing. However, most wrasses that I have had with their super micro vision, tend to be helpful by removing pyramid snails. If you can look at the clam without harming it, look just under the mantle at the top of the shell and around the foot opeing. If you see some things that look like rice, chances are the wrasse is just eating them.

 

[hefner413]

yeah, it was picking directly in the middle of the mantle - thus the clams weren't staying open at all - they were half closed the whole day prior to me taking the CW out. Now that it's out - they are fully open again. I haven't noticed any of the pyramid snails. I hope I never get those..