cleaner wrasses.....yes or no

[Ninong]

Unfortunately the Robert Fenner piece just shows that he too is unaware that there are cleaner wrasses that survive quite well in hobbyists tanks. No one, even a "name" person can know it all, and this is just an example of that.
It's unfortunate that in the hobby, so many statements are made as being a point blank fact instead of stating the exceptions to them, this being one of them.

Here is what OFI has to say on this subject:

A recent study which analysed the causal link between cleaner fish presence/absence and reef fish diversity at Ras Mohammed, Egypt, demonstrated that Labroides dimidiatus have a significant effect on local reef fish diversity with a more rapid increase in diversity being recorded when cleaner fish are added to individual reef patches [46]. Indeed, the removal of Labroides dimidiatus had no effects on fish abundance within the first few weeks, but a significant decline in fish diversity was recorded after a 4-20 month time period. On the other hand, the immigration or addition of Labroides dimidiatus individuals to reef patches led to an immediate, i.e. within 2-4 weeks, significant increase in fish diversity.

In addition to playing a key role in reef health - and thus the removal of Labroides dimidiatus in large quantities for the aquarium trade potentially having negative impacts on reef diversity - aquarists are advised to avoid this species as it tends to fare poorly in aquarium conditions unless kept with a large community of fishes, and is not likely to accept substitute foods [47].

http://www.ornamental-fish-int.org/m...=9580&gid=4790

[Minh Nguyen]

rayjay,
The fact that you are able to keep cleaner wrasses alive great. However, this is not c/w my observations of these fish, or from what I read about them. I find that in well run tanks, even large tanks, the fish are disease free enough that these cleaner wrasses do not have enough to eat. I know a reefer in Corpus who boast how he have several cleaner wrasses that eat well in captivity, they later starved and died a few months later.
Keeping a cleaner wrasse is like keeping Banggai Cardinals (BC) in a tank and only feed the tank dry food. There are tanks that have enough rock and "live" in it and can keep a BC alive. If the tank is too small or to barren, the BC will starve to death because they only eat frozen or live food.
Good luck with your cleaner wrasses.
Minh

[Ninong]

An interesting point that I read somewhere (not the "hobby" press) was that fish mucus was an essential component of the diet of Labroides spp. wrasses, which is possibly why specimens kept in very large aquaria with a large number of other fish would be expected to fair better than those kept in smaller tanks. Most people think of cleaner wrasses as consuming ectoparasites but they also consume fish mucus, scales and necrotic tissue as well.

[rayjay]

Hey guys, I don't and won't argue the ethics of keeping these fish. That is not what I'm concerned about. It's the fact that statements are made that they will not live in captivity that concerns me.
It is a fact that the species I keep, coming from Sri Lanka, does survive many many years, but they are included in the blanket statements that cleaner wrasses don't survive in captivity.
When statements like this are made, it makes suspect other writings by the same people. Maybe there are viable exceptions to other statements they make as well. Maybe every one is just repeating what they hear from someone else. How does one know?
It's like so many people tell me sebae anemonies have to be fed, and many say they need a lot of light, but in ten years, I kept mine under NO lighting and didn't feed them other than by feeding the fish.
I was also told that I couldn't keep my clams under NO lighting (crocea's)
So many things mentioned as not being possible or probable but they are happening. Why? Again, maybe once it was not possible and people keep repeating the same facts over and over, but times have changed.
It's unbelieveable the changes I have seen in just the ten years I've been doing this.
By the way, I have cleaner wrasses in my 90's, my 75's, 65, 55, 40's, and in my 20g tank. (the cleaner in this 20g tank has a perc clown tankmate, xenia, plate coral, some mushrooms and thats it. It has been there for several years now)

[Powder Blue]

I am not an experinced marine keeper as well but must agree with rayjay. I have had nothing but enjoyment from my Cleaner who is always first in line for feeding as well as a fish which I can watch and enjoy for hours while he constantly pecks my Tangs others.

It is fun to watch how the fish "stand" and extend all their fins to be groomed. It is fun to see how my Cleaner seeks out his sleeping hole in the evening and slips in there when no one is looking. It is fun to watch how he bullets out of his bed of slime in the morning and eats out of my fingers when I feed my gang breakfast. I think his pale blue colours and slim body is lovely and not ugly. I need to work out to post photos and I will gladly post pics of him and his fat gut, while he does his natural thing.

I have been told my fish is an exception and not the rule, so be it. I have had him for 6 months and hope to enjoy him for many more.

Regards
Sam

[smidoid]

Originally posted by organicreefer:

also have ANOTHER book in front of me ,the marine fish survival guide,that says that l dimidiatus is an ecxellent aquarium choice,and goes as far as to say that it should be on everyones stocking list

OK, inquiring minds want to know: who wrote that book? Don't tell me it was Gordon Kay and Nick Dakin??? The same Nick Dakin who claims that clownfish should not be kept in aquariums without the appropriate host anemone.

Ninong

And the Amazon search box says: "NICK DAKIN".

Come up and take a bow Nick, so we can cut your ignorant head from your dumb-ass shoulders.