Cleaner Wrasse

[Duke]

does anyone currently have one in their tanks, or have any experience on these fish, im looking to get one but after reading online it seems they aren't the easiest fish to keep alive. should I pick one up or not?

 

[Poseidon]

i picked one up as one of my first fish, was eating pellets in store, still have him today almost a year and a half later.
the key is to find one eating prepared foods

 

[Salty Cracker]

I've had a few... seems to be totally pot luck if you get one that eats food or not.  I had one that would -only- eat frozen brine, another that would only eat the "blue" flakes and one that just dropped dead.

 

[dale]

ive had 3 diff ones, the first 2 jumped out and the third didnt eat much,, was more of a picker, didnt really eat food i put in there, he got really skinny... then jumped.. im guessin you need alot of fish for him to pick at to get the parasites and what not he needs,, they are a great fish and i loved having one, very active zipping around all the time... i would like to try one in the fowler..

 

[iantower]

I've had mine going on 4 years, first fish I bought, with a couple clowns, eats everything, will clean your hand for you when playing in the tank, and mine has been nothing but a model citizen since day one. It's nice too watching them age as they get their yellow forming on their head (like our gray hair).

 

[Pistol]

mine for over a year, eats everything and loves the veggie clip, good little doctor to.

 

[AdInfinitum]

I have one currently (the Sohal Tang's personal servant) about 1 1/2 years now.  I have had blue streak cleaners a couple of times in the past never lost one due to not eating/acclimation...age...tank crashes...predation...(don't trust a tank dwelling moray not to eat them).

The gorgeous Hawaiian cleaners are a different story.  I have only gotten one to eat prepared foods in several attempts over the years and it was in a fairly aggressive tank where there were lots of loose scales and scabs to eat and large teeth to pick scraps from between.  That's mostly what a lot of them eat not so much parasites.  So it was able to very gradually learn to augment its diet with frozen foods.

The Blue Streak cleaners are easy to keep and entertaining to watch as they stick their heads into their client's gills.

 

[curiousphil]

Got a blue streak with my regal tang, eats flake and picks at stuff I put into the veggie clip (seaweed and algae wafers) but doesn't touch pellets.  Fun little fish to watch, zips around as others say.  Have had mine for 8 months with no issues - I can see his ribs which concerns me, but he always seems happy and eats.

 

[Duke]

thanks everyone for your input, i bit the bullet and picked one up today, here you can see him trying to clean my orange back fairy wrasse (Cirrhilabrus Aurantidorsalis)

 

[harleymike]

Cool. Hope it works out.

 

[Big_Als_London]

The orange back is looking great. I'm glad it went to a good home.

 

[dale]

nice!..

 

[reeffreak]

Both those fish are awesome. Duke I need to stop in and check out your tank in person looks great