Hawaiian Cleaner Wrasse

KingTideCorals

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Hello Reefers!

Reaching out because I myself just picked up a Hawaiian Cleaner Wrasse at my LFS for 60bucks?!? Saw it swimming in a tank with with a single other cleaner wrasse and I just felt that I needed to take it home. I have done some research about them previously, but here is what we got....


Just arrived in their store today, and I took it home same day. Understandably so the wrasse has had a long day of travel so not expecting it to eat right away. After the afternoon feeding of the tank the wrasse seemed to look at the food but never went for anything (darting after pieces but not inhaling). No fish are bugging the wrasse at this time and the wrasse has yet to begin "cleaning" his new roommates

I have decided to get a plentiful amount of different foods for the little guy because this is the only wrasse in the tank, and I would really enjoy seeing it thrive. Incoming in the mail are the following: Zoo Med Can O Cyclops, Ocean Nutrition Prime Reef Flakes, and possibility of brine hatchery. In my freezer I have SF BAY mysis and Rods Food the regular blend. Current fish in the tank are on a pretty consistent diet of Probiotix New Life Spectrum pellets and Thera New Life Spectrum Pellets

As for the tank itself it has been seeded with pods from Algae Barn several months back and been up running and creating a steady population. Five other fish reside in the tank so the slime coat intake may be okay for this particular wrasse.

Hoping I can get opinions on the wrasse, success stories, and other possible foods to grab for the bugger! Thanks all and have a great weekend reefing. Stay safe.

Screen Shot 2020-06-13 at 3.58.50 PM.png
 

t5Nitro

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Echo the above posts. I've heard there isn't a food supply big enough in our tanks with healthy fish for these guys to survive. Hopefully yours takes to eating! Keep us updated.
 

315wall

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Saw plenty of them in Hawaii you can see them for a distance because of the color pattern and you would be surprised how big they can get. I would expect you should try pods, mysis and make sure they have many opportunities through the day to eat as they are not going to be as aggressive as other tank mates.
 

BighohoReef

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Hi Blaine, It's David from PNWRK, I was doing some research on cleaner wrasses and came across your post! You might have to become the resident expert. Doesn't seem like there is a lot on these little guys outside of how hard they are to keep... I flagged your post and hopefully a bump will get some more responses :) Sent you a message this morning, I might have found one. Keep you posted.
 

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The first one I purchased was 4" maybe and ate very well. But then the LFS got another one in half its size so I traded. It perished because it never ate. None of my LFS bring them in today because of low survival. Good luck with yours and keep us updated.
 
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KingTideCorals

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Evening all! It has been two weeks now that I have had this wrasse in my reef and it seems to be thriving! The fish is eating well during meal times and picking away at his reefmates (not to the point they are mad though). Things seem good!


As for food the wrasse is taking best to Probiotix mini pellets (peak hunger moments), ZOO MED Cyclopods, and Reef Nutrition ROE... picking the brains of you all on this forum site and my local hobbyists help me get a massive amounts of foods together and luckily he/she is taking to some of them!

The wrasse is eating and was purchased on my birthday, my local reef guru and I decided on the name Lucky! Heres to Lucky and hopefully will continue with updates in the future!
 
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This Saturday will mark a month in the tank! The wrasse (Lucky) is doing amazing! Seems very happy with its diet and loves to pick away at his tank mates.

Hope you all had a great Fourth of July weekend.
 

locito277

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Hello Reefers!

Reaching out because I myself just picked up a Hawaiian Cleaner Wrasse at my LFS for 60bucks?!? Saw it swimming in a tank with with a single other cleaner wrasse and I just felt that I needed to take it home. I have done some research about them previously, but here is what we got....


Just arrived in their store today, and I took it home same day. Understandably so the wrasse has had a long day of travel so not expecting it to eat right away. After the afternoon feeding of the tank the wrasse seemed to look at the food but never went for anything (darting after pieces but not inhaling). No fish are bugging the wrasse at this time and the wrasse has yet to begin "cleaning" his new roommates

I have decided to get a plentiful amount of different foods for the little guy because this is the only wrasse in the tank, and I would really enjoy seeing it thrive. Incoming in the mail are the following: Zoo Med Can O Cyclops, Ocean Nutrition Prime Reef Flakes, and possibility of brine hatchery. In my freezer I have SF BAY mysis and Rods Food the regular blend. Current fish in the tank are on a pretty consistent diet of Probiotix New Life Spectrum pellets and Thera New Life Spectrum Pellets

As for the tank itself it has been seeded with pods from Algae Barn several months back and been up running and creating a steady population. Five other fish reside in the tank so the slime coat intake may be okay for this particular wrasse.

Hoping I can get opinions on the wrasse, success stories, and other possible foods to grab for the bugger! Thanks all and have a great weekend reefing. Stay safe.

Screen Shot 2020-06-13 at 3.58.50 PM.png
Hit or miss unfortunately. main thing with them is to have plenty of fish. I have 2 one in my 720 and one in my 350 that is bullet proof. The ones that make it are the ones that are quick to clean fish. Mines eats nori, fish eggs, shrimp and pretty much anything. Love your type though. Mines are the regular cleaners and I have one wandering cleaner. Yours rocks
 

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Hit or miss unfortunately. main thing with them is to have plenty of fish. I have 2 one in my 720 and one in my 350 that is bullet proof. The ones that make it are the ones that are quick to clean fish. Mines eats nori, fish eggs, shrimp and pretty much anything. Love your type though. Mines are the regular cleaners and I have one wandering cleaner. Yours rocks

hawaiian? Or standard blue streak?
 

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hawaiian? Or standard blue streak?
Both are standard cleaners. Wish I had luck with the Hawaiian. I also have a wandering cleaner wrasse which is actually a SPS eater when it grows.
 

locito277

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they are in this video. Got back from Tampa and the regular cleaner wrasse in the 720 is gone. Wandering cleaner is in there. Be careful,though. Wandering cleaners are not really cleaners. Although mines is now running the cleaning station they become coralivores.
 

BighohoReef

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@ReeferBlaine found me a Hawaiian Cleaner gonna go pick her up on Saturday. She’s been sitting in a LFS QT. Fingers crossed that I’ll be able to keep it.. I plan on doing a QT using prazipro/hypo-salinity for for 30-45 days with no other fish so we’ll see how that goes. Purchased all the same food... I might put a Pyrex bowl in there with sand or so folks think PVC and lots of hiding spots will do?
 
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KingTideCorals

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Afternoon/Evening to everyone, wanted to touch base and give a little update...

Lucky is doing well, continues to zoom about the tank on a daily basis, he/she has come to the realization that Ocean Nutrition Reef Flakes (crushed to a small size...will continue this thought) are the choice meal.

As stated above though size is going to be key within this species I feel because of the small size of the mouth and pharynx that it has. With that in mind, I realized this afternoon that while dosing some Reef Nutrition Oyster Feast.. Lucky went bonkers for it and I saw him/her really getting in some good particles of the oyster product. Looking at the bottle the sizes of the oyster microns came from 1-200 microns. I feel as though trying to focus on a sized based diet for these fish is key to allow them to have success in captivity. In conclusion, I'm going to shoot for a 100-500 micron sized variety diet for Lucky.


A thought that popped in my head, and thought I would share with the group.
 

BighohoReef

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Bummed out man went out to The Shark Reef and our cleaner didn't make it. Talked with Eric though and he hopefully will have one this weekend. I'm glad to have a resident expert close by if I need to message ya about emergencies ;).
 
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KingTideCorals

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Happy Saturday everyone from Lucky and the rest of the Lagoon! Some of the gang stopping in to Lucky’s cleaning station.

Any other cleaner wrasse success stories? Doesn’t have to be Christmas Cleaner either! Cheers and happy reefing.
 

A worm with high fashion and practical utility: Have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium?

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