TO REPLACE OR NOT, THAT IS THE QUESTION

[angelspot]

I've had my cleaner wrass in my reef tank for a year, I just saw my cleaner shrimp carrying him around I think he's dead.
Do I get another one?

 

[cosmosbasement]

In my opinion-Cleaner Wrasses are tough fish to keep alive inthe home aquaria. As far as they say about cleaning parasited off of fish, yeah they do it ritually in the wild, but in home aquaria is very seldom. They're tough to keep around. I'd ex the idea and get another fish the same size. There's much nicer fish out there that size then those guys.
peace
doug

 

[saltwater marauder]

Im with Cosmo on this one, Havent had much luck with these fish myself, as far as longevity.

 

[jimi]

I have one and always will but I have had very good luck with them. Its up to you.

 

[pufferlover]

I think they are very good additions to FO and/or Reef tanks but as jimi said I have had excellent luck with mine over the years. Most would say no.

 

[smileyman]

In my experience, cleaners don't do very well. Since they get most of their nutrition from parasites, they will eventually starve to death. Even if they take brine shrimp or flakes. Mine ate to his heart's content and died after 6 months (water parameters all excellent). It's like humans eating only popcorn and candy to survive. This is only my opinion, but my lfs has stopped ordering cleaners because of this.

 

[smileyman]

Oh, forgot to add something. Neon gobies also are cleaners. While they don't do as much as the cleaner wrasses, paired with cleaner shrimp, they can do as much as a cleaner. Plus they are tiny so you can add more and more fish, like I know we all like to do