Predatory Cleaner Wrasse

[akabryanhall]

Hey Guys,
I have a friend that recently bought a cleaner wrasse from a lfs. It was "cleaning" his tang last night when he saw the tang start and turn around and chase the wrasse. he looked closer and his tang had a small bite mark on his belly. He said this has happened with his hawkfish as well.
I believe I remember a documentary about cleaner wrasses that said that there were fish that mimic cleaner wrasses or are a different variation that are actually predatory. I can't find info on it now, but I'm pretty sure this is what has happened, he has a pretender in his tank.
Anyone heard of this before?

 

[akabryanhall]

Found it, saber toothed blenny
Sabre-toothed blenny - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[akabryanhall]

This is one to watch out for.

 

[RogerWilco357]

wow that is crazy they even fool the fish ..so the tang is like hey buddy want to clean my fins and he is like sure thing then bamm ouch you bit me as he swims off laughing saying something like dumb tangs fall for it everytime lol..

 

[akabryanhall]

Haha something like that, he's using the 2 liter fish trap as I type this.

 

[Jcr's Reef]

An easier way to tell between the to is the mouth I think. The predatory one has a shark like shaped mouth

 

[Tabasco1]

+1 on the mouth being the best indicator. Also from what I have read the true cleaner wrasse might not fare terribly well in aquarium life and is probably a fish best left in the ocean.

A great option is a neon blue goby. Very hardy and cleans as well. Mine would clean my yellow tang daily and my arm whenever I worked on the tank.

That said I do think either will really take care of an icy outbreak in an aquarium. I think if that happens you will still need to treat with medication.

 

[Tabasco1]

Not icy but ich. Dang autocorrect.

 

[Paul_N]

+1 on the mouth being the best indicator. Also from what I have read the true cleaner wrasse might not fare terribly well in aquarium life and is probably a fish best left in the ocean.

A great option is a neon blue goby. Very hardy and cleans as well. Mine would clean my yellow tang daily and my arm whenever I worked on the tank.

That said I do think either will really take care of an icy outbreak in an aquarium. I think if that happens you will still need to treat with medication.

FWIW, cleaner wrasse do not really eat ich. They feed on the dead skin, mucus and some parasitic crustaceans. Also the ich parasite is located below the skin so the cleaner wrasse cannot get to it. They can possibly eat some while they are burrowing into the skin of the fish but that window of opportunity is so small that they would not even make a dent in the ich population. The cleaner wrasse would actually have to harm the fish to get to the ich since it is under the skin. Sometimes it will appear that they are eating the ich because some of the white spots are "going away" but in fact all that is happening is the cleaner wrasse is eating the dead skin.

 

[spscrazy]

good thread i had no idea there was a mimic cleaner wrasse. didn't know the real cleaners didn't eat ich thanks for sharing

 

[akabryanhall]

An easier way to tell between the to is the mouth I think. The predatory one has a shark like shaped mouth

That is a good tip man, I will remember that! Thanks,

 

[akabryanhall]

FWIW, cleaner wrasse do not really eat ich. They feed on the dead skin, mucus and some parasitic crustaceans. Also the ich parasite is located below the skin so the cleaner wrasse cannot get to it. They can possibly eat some while they are burrowing into the skin of the fish but that window of opportunity is so small that they would not even make a dent in the ich population. The cleaner wrasse would actually have to harm the fish to get to the ich since it is under the skin. Sometimes it will appear that they are eating the ich because some of the white spots are "going away" but in fact all that is happening is the cleaner wrasse is eating the dead skin.

Huh, another thing I didn't know. I had a false idea that is was a disease on the surface.

 

[btkrausen]

Hmm...bringing up this thread again as I think this is what I have going on. Ever since I've had him, fish would let him clean them. More often, I would see the fish chasing away the cleaner, like he bit too hard. I remember my yellow eye kole tang chasing mine around a lot.

I think this is what is hurting my flame wrasse, as I see the flame spread out for the cleaner quite often, and I wonder if he finally took a chunk out of him, as he isn't fairing too well tonight, and is missing a chuck on his side.

I'm taking the cleaner out tomorrow for sure just in case.

 

[akabryanhall]

My friend used the 2 liter fish trap with meaty foods and it worked like a charm. Irony is if it was a cleaner wrasse, you probably wouldn't be able to catch him like this!