Cleaner Wrasse?

[Jonathan G.]

Just curious as to if anyone here has or has tried to keep a cleaner wrasse. I here they are pretty hard to keep in captivity but i really like the little fish.

[CBRGuy]

They do well in a FO tank that is stock with a lot of fish. I have not seen any one have luck with a Reef tank and a cleaner wrasse. I would love to have one though.

[PumaKrieg]

I had one that i bought after a year of keeping my aquarium but he died. Another year later i bought another one and he has been doing great for a few months now. They need very very very well established aquariums from my experience and do not do well with sudden changes. 1+ year aquariums should be good.

[xxmoorishmanxx]

In addition to whats been said it is true they are tough, an i believe their natrual life span isnt to long, maybe a few years, anyway many people would argue that they best be left in the ocean

[PumaKrieg]

Yea i would say 3-5 years

[rayjay]

I have seven, one in each of my systems.
These ones are from Sri Lanka and they do quite well, even eating flake food as well as any meaty food I put in the tank.
Their favorite food is beef heart, ground up fine about the size of parasites.

[redBernadino]

I have had mine now for about 5 months, living great in my reef tank. I have a blue tang, a yellow tang, and a clown. He even eats the pellets and blood worms I feed the rest of the fish. In my opinion, a cleaner wrasse would be a great compliment to your tank. They not only look cool, but they help keep parasites from being passed around your tank. HTH

[PiscesLou]

They need very very very well established aquariums

I had one when my tank was about 5 months it died in a week, a year later I bought another one and its been in my reef tank for about a month and doing well...just today when moving my rocks around, it started cleaning my hand! 8O like some cleaner shrimps tend to do. I thinking of getting another

I have seven, one in each of my systems.
These ones are from Sri Lanka and they do quite well, even eating flake food as well as any meaty food I put in the tank.
Their favorite food is beef heart, ground up fine about the size of parasites

I saw that on your website and got inspired to get another, thanks for the info!

[midiman]

Why are they on the "do not buy" list? There must be MANY more bad endings than happy ones for this fish to be on the "not recommended list". I guess the research in this hobby never ends........