The Mighty Cleaner Wrasse!

[VAHeatt]

Thought I share this experience! Last month when I Was setting up my 180gal tank, I was moving over some of the rock from my 55gal at night time. I had two cleaner wrasse's in my 55gal which in their they got along fine,not 1 problem, so while im moving my rock at night, I though I had counted for all of my fish so that I didnt make a mistake and move one that might have been in a rock that I was moving.After constantly checking,
I moved 1 rock to the next tank and as I was about to place the rock in the new tank,out jump the cleaner wrasse into the new tank before I could even get the rock in,like it smelled the water lol.I panicked,knowing how sensitive these wrasse's are and figure it was only time before he was a gonner. I stayed up and played my ps3(NBA 2010 by the way) and watch him breathe heavy for hours as he hid under a rock,where I could see him,hopinghe came through,but he just kept looking worst.So I went to bed and the next morning I got up ready to see his deadbody in the tank,and their he was swimming all happy,and my tank even wasnt cycled! He's still alive,active as ever after a month later, whats weird is when I attempted to add my other wrasse from the 55gal the did not get along in the 180gal, So I had to move one of back to 55gal. Ive had both of them living together for months.Both heathly active and growing bigger. Hopefully my luck with these two continue.I heard some kept some for years but I know with expierence how easy these fish perrish!

[sanchoy]

cleaner wrasses are hit or miss for some. The ones i kept were very hardy. One is thriving now and fat. My old one died due to carpet surfing. However, my cousins Cleaner wrasses died within a week due to starvation. I had good luck so far with them.

They are very colorful, and does a great job at cleaning parasites off of fish.

[VAHeatt]

I totally agree they are hit or miss, but when you have them going healthy,Its feels like a reward to have a busy fish that keep everybody clean,and everybody that visit's notice them and llove them.''What's that lil Black In Blue Fish'' they quote. Ive never had one jump out the tank yet. Even my fire fish hasn't attempted that either, he just darts toward rock. I have had a jumper since 05 when I had a lunar wrasse,who became a pest,So he had to go back to the store. Back to the cleaners,I notice mine just swim all day,and pick at lil things in the tank, like the class,rock,never touched coral, either of the cleaners I own. And the do eat the lil pod's and love every food I feed. Nutrion Flakes,Brine,Phyto,And Brown marine Algae. I had fish for years and anytime Ive had these guys in my tank,all my fish do really well, like at the moment. Ill notice my Hippo Tang or Salfin Tang Wit Lil wit dots some days,then by the next day their gone.Ive never had anything die of ich or had to treat any of my fish! Lucky so far.this is my 5th year in the hobby. I would of had three but months back,One decided to sleep under a rock and must have got stuck! when I woke up and noticed he was under a rick it was too late. He was still alive but being stuck under the rock all night, my hermit crabs picked him so bad,that even after I saved him,they did too much damage.

[Western_reefer]

I've had my cleaner wrasse for 5 months so far. He is fat and as happy as can be. lol Hes in a 180 gallon BTW. :)

[VAHeatt]

yea mine is in a 180 gallon as well,and i have 1 in 55gal only because they decided to fight in the bigger tank. in the 55 they were fine. never even bothered each other.