Cleaner Wrasse Alternatives

[MuralReef]

I have read that most cleaner wrasses starve in captive systems since the feed only off of the other fish in the tank. So I am looking for some alternatives and read that shark nosed gobies and neon gobies are good alternatives that will breed if kept in groups. Is one preferred/recommended over the other or are there others that are even better?

 

[kio707]

I have a neon... He's been in my tank since I got it, no issues, still alive, eats off fish and when I feed tank.


David

 

[Smiley]

The sharknose are a hybrid from the blue and the yellow neons... All three are captive bred by numerous people. All three are just as good as each other.

Sent from my C811 4G using Tapatalk 2

 

[Catfish Charlie]

Neon Gobies are great if looking for an alternative to cleaner wrasses. After all they are the "cleaner wrasses" of the Atlantic Ocean. Keep in mind though that African Cleaner Wrasses, Bicolor Cleaner Wrasses and Yellowtail Cleaner Wrasses do eat other foods and do great in captivity, but the Yellowtail Cleaner Wrasse is NOT reef safe!

 

[Bajamike]

I have the African cleaner wrasse (blue & black) he will eat everything, even nori

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2

 

[ReefCheif]

I have 2 Red Sea cleaner wrasses in my tank, both eat like pigs whens its feeding time. Ive kept cleaners in every tank Ive ever had and never had any troubles with any of them.

 

[sethsolomon]

hmmm neon gobies.... new possible breeding opportunity and I did get a bunch of barnacle shells

 

[kmellon]

I have the basic blue cleaner wrasse and he both eats what i put into the tank and i see him picking at the tangs from time to time. he doens't seem to try that with the smaller fish.

 

[MuralReef]

So is the cleaner wrasse mortality just a myth? It sounds like from your experiences that they can thrive in captivity.

 

[kio707]

IMO... I'd say 30% make it. But with any fish... It's 50/50


David

 

[MuralReef]

I was looking up the Red Sea cleaner and those look really cool are they more likely to survive than the standard blue?

 

[bush8984]

I have read that most cleaner wrasses starve in captive systems since the feed only off of the other fish in the tank. So I am looking for some alternatives and read that shark nosed gobies and neon gobies are good alternatives that will breed if kept in groups. Is one preferred/recommended over the other or are there others that are even better?

I bring in common cleaner wrasses all the time. The only ones that really die do so by jumping out of the tank or riding the overflow. I've kept multiples in 20g tanks and have only had issues with one every bullying the other. I've always seen them eating frozen after about a day or two.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+1378+309&pcatid=309