Cleaner wrass or cleaner shrimp??

fishykid9212 · 03/09/2006, 04:28 PM

I want to get something that can help control ich if it breaks out, since I have had problems off and on. What would be more effective a cleaner wrass or maybe gobe the black and blue striped fish? Or cleaner shrimp? Thanks alot

TWallace · 03/09/2006, 04:47 PM

Cleaner shrimp definetely. Cleaner wrasses are best left in the ocean as they almost always starve in captivity. Plus I've read that they don't actually eat the ich parasite off fish anyway, while cleaner shrimp do.

Lpsfanatic338 · 03/09/2006, 04:56 PM

Cleaner shrimp, it is very hard to get cleaner wrasses to eat in captivity, as TWallece said they alsmost always strave in captivity

Cutiewitbooty · 03/09/2006, 05:21 PM

yeah just do a cleaner shrimp, a wrasse isn't a good idea.

fishykid9212 · 03/09/2006, 05:44 PM

Ok my fish are a hippo tang, yellowtailed blue damsel, ocellaris clown, and clarki clown, will any of these bother the shrimp, The clarki gets very aggresive at times so I don't know what to say

skylsdale · 03/09/2006, 05:49 PM

None of these things will help with or cure ich, if an outbreak should occur.

Reef'in Colorado · 03/09/2006, 06:03 PM

Get a pair of cleaner shrimp. They will help with ich etc., but they will also breed regularly and produce live food for the tank.

whiteshark · 03/09/2006, 06:45 PM

Well, I don't know about you guys, but my cleaner wrasse is one of the fatest fish in my tank. It wolfs down mysis, brine, prime reef and nori. I must say tho, my hippo tang gets very frustrated with the wrasse contantly trying to clean him when he is free of parasites. I have a cleaner shrimp too. Being as I seem to have a wierd wrasse, I guess I would suggest a cleaner shrimp for you.

YoungReefer06 · 03/09/2006, 07:05 PM

Cleaner wrasse also have a good bit of fishes mucous coat in their diet, and some studies sho scales also.

I would go with the cleaner shrimp. I have five in my tank as you can see below in my "Current Tanks".

They clean my Anthias, Majestic Angel, and Hippo tangs all the time.

They will also clean your hands! Mine give my fingers a tidy-up after I cut my fingernails LOL.

They also produce baby larvae all the time. I am thinking about trying to raise the larvae actually, because I have captured some of the larvae as a parent shrimp was releasing them one night, and they were so cool looking. Also the larvae are able to eat newly hatched brine shrimp from the day they hatch so it would be easy to feed them.

Never mine my ADHD though, breeding those guys is a hole other thing, I would go with the shrimp though.

-Kyle

ficklefins · 03/09/2006, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by whiteshark
Well, I don't know about you guys, but my cleaner wrasse is one of the fatest fish in my tank. It wolfs down mysis, brine, prime reef and nori. I must say tho, my hippo tang gets very frustrated with the wrasse contantly trying to clean him when he is free of parasites. I have a cleaner shrimp too. Being as I seem to have a wierd wrasse, I guess I would suggest a cleaner shrimp for you.

My wrasse did the same thing! Learned how to do it from the tang. In fact the tang taught the LMB, the cleaner Wrasse, the leopard Wrasse, and my Pink Skunk clowns how to eat nori!. That nori never lasted long and I had to feed it twice a day.

dattong · 03/09/2006, 07:22 PM

I have both cleaner shrimps and wrasse. they atually clean the fish once in awhile and most most of the time they will feed on anything i throw in the tank. Too many cleaner shrimps in a tank will not be very good for zoos and brains because they always steal food from these corals

YoungReefer06 · 03/09/2006, 07:26 PM

Yes, I agree with dattong, because I have a problem with the shrimp molesting the hell out of my bubble tip anemones when I try to feed them.

-Kyle

agilis · 03/09/2006, 07:50 PM

What about cleaner gobies, like Neon Gobies? They are not obligate cleaners, and are completely non-aggressive. They are very active cleaners, though. I've seen these little guys on the reef, swimming into grouper's gill flaps and picking the teeth of motionless barracuda. I also think they are captive bred these days.

skylsdale · 03/10/2006, 10:05 AM

Sure...but they won't 'clean' ich.

jimbo045 · 03/10/2006, 11:07 AM

Yeah, the Cleaner Shrimp will survive. The Wrasse will die slowly if not given the ICH type foods. JD

locito277 · 03/10/2006, 11:44 AM

Go with the Shrimps. I got 4 scarlets and two regular cleaners and they get along fine... The Wrasses starve and sometimes will drive your fish nuts lookin to pick at them..

03/09/2006, 04:28 PM	#1
fishykid9212 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Southern NH Posts: 1,460	Cleaner wrass or cleaner shrimp?? I want to get something that can help control ich if it breaks out, since I have had problems off and on. What would be more effective a cleaner wrass or maybe gobe the black and blue striped fish? Or cleaner shrimp? Thanks alot

03/09/2006, 05:21 PM	#4
Cutiewitbooty Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Alaska For 18 Years, Now Cape Coral, Florida Posts: 2,785	yeah just do a cleaner shrimp, a wrasse isn't a good idea. __________________ WARNING: Taking my advice may result in personal injury and/or jail time. ~Amber~ Click on My Gallery for pics of my tank Click the little red house for my tank diary!!! Current Tank Info: 65 GAL

03/09/2006, 06:45 PM	#8
whiteshark Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bethlehem, PA Posts: 1,842	Well, I don't know about you guys, but my cleaner wrasse is one of the fatest fish in my tank. It wolfs down mysis, brine, prime reef and nori. I must say tho, my hippo tang gets very frustrated with the wrasse contantly trying to clean him when he is free of parasites. I have a cleaner shrimp too. Being as I seem to have a wierd wrasse, I guess I would suggest a cleaner shrimp for you. __________________ Current tank: 27g cube, 15g sump, 7g fuge. ASM G2. JBJ ATO. JBJ wave maker 2x500gph. 2 x phosban 150; BRS carbon and GFO. Mag5. 25 lbs base rock. 25 lbs aragonite. 150W HQI.

03/09/2006, 07:50 PM	#13
agilis Moved On Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: New Jersey Posts: 107	Third choice What about cleaner gobies, like Neon Gobies? They are not obligate cleaners, and are completely non-aggressive. They are very active cleaners, though. I've seen these little guys on the reef, swimming into grouper's gill flaps and picking the teeth of motionless barracuda. I also think they are captive bred these days.

03/09/2006, 04:47 PM	#2
TWallace Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Seattle Posts: 1,467	Cleaner shrimp definetely. Cleaner wrasses are best left in the ocean as they almost always starve in captivity. Plus I've read that they don't actually eat the ich parasite off fish anyway, while cleaner shrimp do.

03/09/2006, 04:56 PM	#3
Lpsfanatic338 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Oceanside, New York Posts: 364	Cleaner shrimp, it is very hard to get cleaner wrasses to eat in captivity, as TWallece said they alsmost always strave in captivity

03/09/2006, 05:44 PM	#5
fishykid9212 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Southern NH Posts: 1,460	Ok my fish are a hippo tang, yellowtailed blue damsel, ocellaris clown, and clarki clown, will any of these bother the shrimp, The clarki gets very aggresive at times so I don't know what to say

03/09/2006, 05:49 PM	#6
skylsdale Reefer Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Central WA Posts: 2,220	None of these things will help with or cure ich, if an outbreak should occur.

03/09/2006, 06:03 PM	#7
Reef'in Colorado Reefer Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Frederick, Co. Posts: 937	Get a pair of cleaner shrimp. They will help with ich etc., but they will also breed regularly and produce live food for the tank.

03/09/2006, 07:05 PM	#9
YoungReefer06 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Eastern Shore Posts: 281	Cleaner wrasse also have a good bit of fishes mucous coat in their diet, and some studies sho scales also. I would go with the cleaner shrimp. I have five in my tank as you can see below in my "Current Tanks". They clean my Anthias, Majestic Angel, and Hippo tangs all the time. They will also clean your hands! Mine give my fingers a tidy-up after I cut my fingernails LOL. They also produce baby larvae all the time. I am thinking about trying to raise the larvae actually, because I have captured some of the larvae as a parent shrimp was releasing them one night, and they were so cool looking. Also the larvae are able to eat newly hatched brine shrimp from the day they hatch so it would be easy to feed them. Never mine my ADHD though, breeding those guys is a hole other thing, I would go with the shrimp though. -Kyle

03/09/2006, 07:22 PM	#11
dattong Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 510	I have both cleaner shrimps and wrasse. they atually clean the fish once in awhile and most most of the time they will feed on anything i throw in the tank. Too many cleaner shrimps in a tank will not be very good for zoos and brains because they always steal food from these corals

03/09/2006, 07:26 PM	#12
YoungReefer06 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Eastern Shore Posts: 281	Yes, I agree with dattong, because I have a problem with the shrimp molesting the hell out of my bubble tip anemones when I try to feed them. -Kyle

03/10/2006, 10:05 AM	#14
skylsdale Reefer Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Central WA Posts: 2,220	Sure...but they won't 'clean' ich.

03/10/2006, 11:07 AM	#15
jimbo045 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Aiea, HI. Posts: 1,788	Yeah, the Cleaner Shrimp will survive. The Wrasse will die slowly if not given the ICH type foods. JD

03/10/2006, 11:44 AM	#16
locito277 Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: miami Posts: 231	Go with the Shrimps. I got 4 scarlets and two regular cleaners and they get along fine... The Wrasses starve and sometimes will drive your fish nuts lookin to pick at them..