Cleaner Wrasse

[Altohombre]

Ok so without really researching I bought a cleaner wrasse for 14 bucks. I acclimated and dropped it in and haven't seen it for hours. It was very active in its original tank although there were little hiding spots. Now I am researching it and seeing all this controversy about this fish. Such things include that it shouldn't be taken from the ocean to that it won't live very long because in most smaller tanks there aren't enough fish for it to eat the parasites and it will slowly starve unless you can get it to eat frozen food. Now I am guessing that since this fish was found in every fish tank in the store (prob to clean parasites) that it has been there a little bit and most likely eats some frozen foods (I hope). What do you guys know about this fish?

 

[Bifferwine]

I know that I would never buy one.

 

[Altohombre]

I feel really bad about this issue now. It is such a cool looking little fish. I doubt I could catch him, let alone be able to return it to the FS I got it at. I am not very familiar with this FS.

 

[reeffreak]

Did you research before or after you bought the fish?

I would never buy one either just because what you said.They have thousands if not millions of fish they can pick off parasites in the wild.Those fish really shouldn't be pulled from the wild...op out for one of the tank bred cleaner gobies instead.

 

[Altohombre]

I researched after. I had seen them in a lot of shops and wanted one. I was actually looking for a Midas Blenny, but they didn't have one and my gf pointed it out. The rest is history. I guess there is not much I can do now. I'd say my aquarium is a nicer home than the tank it was in with barely any LR.

 

[Bifferwine]

I think that with so many fish coming and going at the LFS, their survival rate is higher... Lots of new fish all the time means lots of yummy parasites. I think that's probably why they have such an abysmal survival rate in home tanks. They just run out of food with the same old boring fish hanging around all the time.

 

[yote]

I think that with so many fish coming and going at the LFS, their survival rate is higher... Lots of new fish all the time means lots of yummy parasites. I think that's probably why they have such an abysmal survival rate in home tanks. They just run out of food with the same old boring fish hanging around all the time.

Biffs pretty much on the money here.
If a store has a lot of fish with parasites coming in,then the cleaner wrasse does pretty good.
They seem to go down hill pretty quick without their natural diet,even when they take frozen foods.
My LFS has ONE cleaner wrasse that we switch from tank to tank.90% of the time he's in with the hippo tangs.

 

[Altohombre]

well I still haven't even seen the cleaner since I put him in the tank. Either he is hiding somewhere impossible to find or he jumped out where I can't see him. Maybe I can trade him to the guy who helps me out and is gonna try to run a store from his house/online. He prob has more tanks for it it enjoy.

 

[Doc]

I have bought them in the past. I got one to kill off Ich in my tank. it died in 2 weeks. They are best avoided. You will have better luck with a Moorish Idol

-Doc

 

[Altohombre]

I still haven't seen the fish. It has been 24 hrs.

 

[jhnrb]

GIVE IT 3 TO 5 DAYS. TRY FEEDING CYCLOPS AND CYCLOPS EEZE. JUST A LITTLE THOUGH UNTIL YOUSEE IF THE FISH IS EATING. i WENT WITH THE CLEANER GOBIE AND AFTER 5 GOT ONE TO STAY IN THE TANK AND NOT GET SUCKED INTO THE OVERFLOWS. ANYWAYS, KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR THE FISH. I WOULD ALSO FEED A CUBE OF ANGLE FOOD WHICH HAS WHAT THE OTHER CUBES DO NOT. GOOD LUCK AND DO NOT FOWL YOUR TANK BY FEEDING TOO MUCH.

 

[Altohombre]

ok well I found the new cleaner wrasse in my Fire Shrimp's claws. I guess it pretty much didn't make it upon entry into the tank. It was looking a little half dead in the bag on the way home. It may have just been too stressed by the situation.

 

[Doc]

Sorry for your loss. I hate losing fish

-Doc

 

[Altohombre]

This is my first loss in the saltwater category. Lost about 4 freshwater as my first learning experience with ich. I think I would be more upset if there wasn't so much controversy with this fish and the fact that I didn't have much time to become attached.

 

[Bifferwine]

Sorry to hear about your wrasse. It sucks when fish die.

NoobDeBiff adds that "You'd better watch your wrasse next time. Hahahahaha."

L-A-M-E.

 

[Doc]

but kinda funny

-Doc

 

[RAYRAY]

Yes Kinda Funny. Lol
AND ALTO SOORY FOR YOUR LOSE !