Cleaner wrasse or false cleaner wrasse?

[Raphael Dalmeida]

Hi guys,

Got this cleaner wrasse yesterday from lfs, and I'm not sure if it's a false or true cleaner wrasse.

So far it cleans some of my tangs and blenny. My mimic tang however does not like him and does not let him clean him.

I tried to get a few photos or cropped screenshots from video. Not sure if quality will enable an ID or if I should keep trying.

And if it's a false cleaner wrasse, what should I do? So far I've seen him clean my bristtletooth tang and lavender tang with no issues. Once in a while he tries to get a pick at my Valentini puffer, while it bothers the puffer it does not seem to "hurt" him, as I've read the false cleaner wrasse has comb tooth.

Photos below:

If anyone has video showing how both true and false open their mouths? - I've tried to Id by observing but it's tricky.

Regarding keeping the cleaner Wrasses I have done my research and aware it can be challenging. My tank is 180 gallon, with decent amount of live copepods and amphipods and stocked with 3 tangs, 1 swallowtail angelfish male, 2 blennies, 2 clownfish, 1 Valentini puffer.

Cheers,

 

[Steve and his Animals]

That's a true cleaner wrasse, I don't think the false ones are collected typically. You can usually see the difference without them opening their mouths as the false cleaners have a mouth under the point of their face, while the real wrasse's mouth is at the very tip of their face.

Your tang might not want to be cleaned because it has nothing to be cleaned of, and sometimes even true cleaner wrasses will sneak an extra meal of mucus or scales that hurt the other fish. Cleaner wrasses also often mistake the spots on puffers for disease, and will peck at them nonstop, so they don't always work as tankmates.

 

[Raphael Dalmeida]

That's a true cleaner wrasse, I don't think the false ones are collected typically. You can usually see the difference without them opening their mouths as the false cleaners have a mouth under the point of their face, while the real wrasse's mouth is at the very tip of their face.

Your tang might not want to be cleaned because it has nothing to be cleaned of, and sometimes even true cleaner wrasses will sneak an extra meal of mucus or scales that hurt the other fish. Cleaner wrasses also often mistake the spots on puffers for disease, and will peck at them nonstop, so they don't always work as tankmates.

Awesome, i will keep observing. So far he's not pestering my puffer as he's busy with the other fish most of the time.

If he really do pester him too much then I would sell him, though i love seeing him "cleaning" the other fish.

With the puffer i just saw it 2 times he having a little quick nible which doesn't give much of a fright to the puff but I see it bothers him. I hope my tank being quite big and other fish keeping him busy he won't pester the puff too much.

Yeah I've seen photos of the mouth, when I see him open his mouth it seems like both ends opening are from his snout. But I'm not 100% sure.

I'd still appreciate if more people also could weigh in whether it's indeed a true cleaner.

The lfs i bought it from the person selling me seemed a bit "dodgy" so that's why I want to make sure it's a true cleaner.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi guys,

Got this cleaner wrasse yesterday from lfs, and I'm not sure if it's a false or true cleaner wrasse.

So far it cleans some of my tangs and blenny. My mimic tang however does not like him and does not let him clean him.

I tried to get a few photos or cropped screenshots from video. Not sure if quality will enable an ID or if I should keep trying.

And if it's a false cleaner wrasse, what should I do? So far I've seen him clean my bristtletooth tang and lavender tang with no issues. Once in a while he tries to get a pick at my Valentini puffer, while it bothers the puffer it does not seem to "hurt" him, as I've read the false cleaner wrasse has comb tooth.

Photos below:

If anyone has video showing how both true and false open their mouths? - I've tried to Id by observing but it's tricky.

Regarding keeping the cleaner Wrasses I have done my research and aware it can be challenging. My tank is 180 gallon, with decent amount of live copepods and amphipods and stocked with 3 tangs, 1 swallowtail angelfish male, 2 blennies, 2 clownfish, 1 Valentini puffer.

Cheers,

Blue streak cleaner- Mine is 8 years old.
Mouth shape is a distinction as is the absence of bright yellow on the head

Mine- upper right corner

 

[Raphael Dalmeida]

Blue streak cleaner- Mine is 8 years old.
Mouth shape is a distinction as is the absence of bright yellow on the head

Mine- upper right corner

Awesome, thank you.

How do you tell an old fish from a younger one? (If possible at all). As I've got it from lfs as a wild caught. Fish coming in from the wild could very much be super old but not sure if we can tell.

Also any tips considering you've had one for such long time?

Cheers,

 

[vetteguy53081]

Awesome, thank you.

How do you tell an old fish from a younger one? (If possible at all). As I've got it from lfs as a wild caught. Fish coming in from the wild could very much be super old but not sure if we can tell.

Also any tips considering you've had one for such long time?

Cheers,

i dont have an answer to that but mine was wild caught when purchased early 2015 and still around