Blue streak cleaner wrasse?

[Lavey29]

My LFS had one for $18 and I just couldn't pass him up. He blends in perfectly with my other wrasses in my tank. I know these fish are typically very difficult to care for and don't do well in tanks.

Anyone had success with one in your tank? Any suggestions on how to best care for him? He did not seem interested in pellets or flakes but was pecking pods all day from the rocks and glass. Hopefully he will eat some frozen tomorrow. He did try and clean some fish in the tank also.

 

[amoore311]

I’ve had mine about 4 months in a 220.

you need very small size food for them. Frozen calanus, and tiny pieces of flake are readily accepted. He also loves nori, he’ll take it right from the clip.

 

[Lavey29]

I’ve had mine about 4 months in a 220.

you need very small size food for them. Frozen calanus, and tiny pieces of flake are readily accepted. He also loves nori, he’ll take it right from the clip.

I tried small flake today but no success. Can try some small seaweed nori flake also. Will get some calanus tomorrow to try...thanks...I really like this fish

 

[VanDalsenReef]

I tried small flake today but no success. Can try some small seaweed nori flake also. Will get some calanus tomorrow to try...thanks...I really like this fish

Hikari mysis sometimes works. Mine is almost 5 years old now

 

[VanDalsenReef]

Eats everything from frozen to pellets. He also has a ton of fish and large tangs to graze on throughout the day

 

[Lavey29]

Eats everything from frozen to pellets. He also has a ton of fish and large tangs to graze on throughout the day

This is key with the large fish. I don't have large tangs but there are like 4 fish that are larger then him that he has tried to graze on but little success with them yet.

 

[VanDalsenReef]

This is key with the large fish. I don't have large tangs but there are like 4 fish that are larger then him that he has tried to graze on but little success with them yet.

He needs large fish. It's part of their diet. He won't make it long without any fish to graze on

 

[VanDalsenReef]

Or lots of fish he can go to.

 

[VanDalsenReef]

If he pesters a few fish too much they'll never let him clean them

 

[Lavey29]

He needs large fish. It's part of their diet. He won't make it long without any fish to graze on

Yes you are correct. My thinking is that as long as there are fish in the tank that are almost 3x his current size it might be OK. I just dont have the large flat sided fish like a tang.

 

[VanDalsenReef]

Yes you are correct. My thinking is that as long as there are fish in the tank that are almost 3x his current size it might be OK. I just dont have the large flat sided fish like a tang.

Just have a bunch of fish then and try anything you can to get him to eat

 

[Lavey29]

If he pesters a few fish too much they'll never let him clean them

There are like 3 fish that use the cleaner shrimp regularly. I'm hoping he can replace the cleaner shrimp.

 

[VanDalsenReef]

Hell need more than 3 fish.

 

[Lavey29]

Hell need more than 3 fish.

I have 9 fish total but only like 4 or 5 that are well above his size. The others are in the 3 to 4 inch range.

 

[Lavey29]

Hell need more than 3 fish.

What about the rock pecking? H was really digging into crevices yesterday. Is he getting pods?

 

[VanDalsenReef]

He will Try to clean any that allow him. And yes they will pick pods. Atleast mine does. Every fish is different though

 

[Largeangels]

If I knew nothing about cleaner wrasses except my own personal experience and observations I would say they are plankton, mid water feeders that also clean fish. All of mine will eat just about anything and spend little time cleaning fish. Key is to provide many small feedings throughout the day of small meaty foods. Mine really like the small Hikari mysis. They also go nuts over the 300-500 micron size golden pearls. They also do eat flake foods and some larger pellets. One aquarium has a pair with lots of fish and the other has only a pair of mcullochi clowns and a pair of orange spotted file fish. I don't see any difference in feeding. All are well fed and healthy. All were treated with copper and Prazipro in QT tanks w/out many fish them and all were feeding well.

 

[Lavey29]

He will Try to clean any that allow him. And yes they will pick pods. Atleast mine does. Every fish is different though

Thanks for your advice. Maybe I will seed the tank with an abundance of pods to supplement his usual fish scale diet and try to get him acclimated to various fish food types. I hope I can care for him well enough.

 

[ying yang]

I was weary of getting a blue streaked cleaner wrasse and started a thread also about 5- 6 months ago,but got one and doing well,cleans a few fish ( coral beauty,copperband,silver belly wrasse ywg,and 1 blenny,other fish won't let him " clean" he also eats the small bits of clams I cut slivers/ diced which floats in the water and he gets lots the little bits what other fish seem to leave but started feeding clams/ oysters/ scallops because got copperband but it's one of main feed that feed 2- 3 times daily and all fish and cuc love it

 

[Lavey29]

If I knew nothing about cleaner wrasses except my own personal experience and observations I would say they are plankton, mid water feeders that also clean fish. All of mine will eat just about anything and spend little time cleaning fish. Key is to provide many small feedings throughout the day of small meaty foods. Mine really like the small Hikari mysis. They also go nuts over the 300-500 micron size golden pearls. They also do eat flake foods and some larger pellets. One aquarium has a pair with lots of fish and the other has only a pair of mcullochi clowns and a pair of orange spotted file fish. I don't see any difference in feeding. All are well fed and healthy. All were treated with copper and Prazipro in QT tanks w/out many fish them and all were feeding well.

Well this is promising. My LFS uses copper and prazi and I have had no issues with fish from the shop unlike a very high priced QT vendor here that I got fish from that didn't survive 48 hours.