cleaner wrasse
- Thread starter johnmiami
- Start date
lcstorc
Well-Known Member
They frequently starve in captivity. Occasionally you will find one that will eat prepared foods but most starve and die within a few weeks. These are one of the fish on the list of better left in the ocean. Not only do they tend to die in captivity but they are needed in the ocean for their natural task.
As stated above few make it more than a month or so and fewer make it a year. These animals not only die all too quickly in our home tanks but they provide an ESSENTIAL service in the wild. Since they are ALL Wild Caught this means we are taking an ESSENTIAL service out of the ocean and (at least for the most part) condemning them for our quest for entertainment. Granted there are a few (our very own Heinz aka hma being the most noted) are experienced enough to keep them long term. He is by far (in almost EVERY way) the exception and not the rule. Do yourself, the Cleaner Wrasse, the Ocean and PLANET Earth a favor and don't buy them. The sooner we quit buying them the sooner they quit being collected in the wild.
jonathan10
Member
I agree with everyone on here.....I have never personally owned one but know people who have and they just don't last....with very FEW exceptions!
Keep in mind that they are not very "populated" in the wild and appear to be somewhat territorial in that they set up individual "Cleaning Stations" in the wild. I've read that when one is removed the fish that are accustomed to being clean at that location (in effect it's Customers) continue to come back over and over looking for the cleaning they never get. It's hard to say if they ever "Give Up" and Move On to another location but it's noted they did return back for a long period of time with no luck. That's not just sad it's dang near "Tragic".
*climbs down from my soap-box*
*climbs down from my soap-box*
No one said anything like that. No need in attempting to put words in anyone's mouth here. what I was saying is that JUST because you SEE it done doesn't mean it's easy.
Back peddle? Please do explain......
lcstorc
Well-Known Member
Well since the POTM is the Picture of the Month one really has nothing to do with the other. I can appreciate a beautiful picture of many things that I would not or could not own for many many reasons.
I do agree that Heinz was not born with his knowledge and I am sure he has lost animals over the years just as we all have though at this point he is such an expert I doubt it happens very often.
If you look at my experience we bought one when we first set up our tank. It was hubby's favorite fish and of course we knew nothing about them at the time. The fish lived happily in our tank for 10 months. Menawhile I found out how important and difficult these fish are but since mine was still thriving I was still happy. Then one day it jumped out of the tank and of course died. Hubby being a hard head wouldn't listen to me about getting another since we had such good luck with the first. It took 3 more of these precious lives before I was able to convince him to stop bringing them home.
Moral to the story, Yes sometimes they can be kept but most of them die quickly as well as the fact that they are needed in their natural environment. We look to experts such has Heinz and many others to try to learn how to make keeping these fish possible. Somebody has to be first but it should be the people who are most prepared for the challenges and give the animal the best chance of survival before they become widely accepted.
I do agree that Heinz was not born with his knowledge and I am sure he has lost animals over the years just as we all have though at this point he is such an expert I doubt it happens very often.
If you look at my experience we bought one when we first set up our tank. It was hubby's favorite fish and of course we knew nothing about them at the time. The fish lived happily in our tank for 10 months. Menawhile I found out how important and difficult these fish are but since mine was still thriving I was still happy. Then one day it jumped out of the tank and of course died. Hubby being a hard head wouldn't listen to me about getting another since we had such good luck with the first. It took 3 more of these precious lives before I was able to convince him to stop bringing them home.
Moral to the story, Yes sometimes they can be kept but most of them die quickly as well as the fact that they are needed in their natural environment. We look to experts such has Heinz and many others to try to learn how to make keeping these fish possible. Somebody has to be first but it should be the people who are most prepared for the challenges and give the animal the best chance of survival before they become widely accepted.
slakker
Member
I'm lucking out so far, but like others, I bought before I knew the issues... So will not replace if this one goes...
The other fish I'm completely given up on is the yellow headed jawfish. I've had 2 and the first one jumped and the second one stopped eating after 3 months!!! So maybe they're not good to keep either, at least not by me.
The other fish I'm completely given up on is the yellow headed jawfish. I've had 2 and the first one jumped and the second one stopped eating after 3 months!!! So maybe they're not good to keep either, at least not by me.
plecosword
Active Member
Like everyone said, don't buy them if you cant care for him.
Yes they SHOULD be! They have a VERY dismal "tank" existence at BEST and when they are taken FROM the ocean it affects a lot more than just that one fish (which most times has now been sentenced to premature death). It leaves fish who are dependant upon that "Service" lacking and potentially affecting their long term health. Leave it IN the Ocean!
By stating that does not even remotely indicate
:LOL:
Do you even understand that phrase?
that literally cracks me up! :happywalk
John let's get this clear... where did I ever say it's "OK" for anyone to do it? I didn't.. I merely pointed out that FEW have some degree of success in keeping one long term. If you'll take a moment to read my words you can see just a few posts up where I said (in response to should they be left IN the OCEAN)
In my statement where I was talking about Heinz I was merely stating that "Just because one VERY talented and experienced person has had success does NOT mean anyone else will!"
Feel free to try and "interject" your own twist to what I say but it's futile and a waste of your time. I said it before and I'll say it again.. LEAVE them in the OCEAN! Could it be any clearer?
And in response to your last comment
John thanks for my morning laugh.
Allen
... I left it very clear to "Most" people how I feel. I didn't say "Only the Elite" should try this fish. I think they should ALL be left in the ocean PERIOD! Also back up another couple of posts to the "One" where you tend to "read between the lines and insert your words into mine" and see
Did I make any mention that the Elite should continue buying and trying to keep them? No... I said WE quit buying them.... pretty cut and dried no?
In my statement where I was talking about Heinz I was merely stating that "Just because one VERY talented and experienced person has had success does NOT mean anyone else will!"
Feel free to try and "interject" your own twist to what I say but it's futile and a waste of your time. I said it before and I'll say it again.. LEAVE them in the OCEAN! Could it be any clearer?
And in response to your last comment
I am VERY blissful and thankful for such. My heart goes out to "anyone" who isn't
John thanks for my morning laugh.
Allen
Wow, I hate to add any comments in here! All I can say is that it's my opinion that even if you're successful at keeping a cleaner alive, the numerous reef fish that depended on that cleaner for it's services still had their health jeopardized by removing it from its territory.
jonathan10
Member
I have met AL and he is very "blissful" and a great person! I know he was in no way making any exception for HMA or anyone else and that he was just pointing out the very small portion of reef hobbiest that could keep these delicate creatures alvive!
BigJay
Well-Known Member
I almost hate to post this here .. I had a cleaner wrasse for several years. He started in my predator tank then was carried over into my reef. He ate frozen like every other fish in the tank and provided cleaning service to all inhabitants including my hands whenever they went in the tank.
Don't want to give people false hope though. I never knew they were a difficult keeper up until reading this thread.
Don't want to give people false hope though. I never knew they were a difficult keeper up until reading this thread.
I haven't had the pleasure of meeting "blissful Al", but I totally agree with the rest. I learned a lot about cleaner wrasse from this thread. I guess we can say that unless we know the total extent of the implications of taking any creature from the ocean, it's tough for an aquarist to know what effect has been caused by purchasing something like a cleaner at the lfs. Even doing some pre-purchase research on things like the cleaner wrasse might not readily reveal those implications without really digging into the subject. I've read more than once that taking wild anemones disadvantages the clownfish that depended on that anemone for protection. So many things to consider when making a purchase! I'll admit that if I was wanting a cleaner for my tank I wouldn't have considered all of the implications beyond those stated on the online lfs sites. That's why we have forums like Reef Sanctuary - to give us that added information on things like this!