Cleaner Wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus) – Squeaky’s Aquatics

In-store pickup only.Your order is reserved, we hold off on bagging until you arrive so it stays healthy in its display tank.

The Cleaner Wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus), also called the Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse, is a slim, peaceful reef fish famous for setting up “cleaning stations” and picking parasites, dead skin, and mucus off larger tankmates. Its jet-black body and electric-blue lateral stripe make it instantly recognizable, and its natural cleaning behavior brings a one-of-a-kind dynamic to a busy reef. This is an advanced fish that relies on a very specialized natural diet, so it does best with experienced keepers who can offer a mature, well-stocked system. Build out its cleaning clientele from the rest of our saltwater fish.

Offered in four sizes:Tiny, Small, Medium, and Large. Choose your preferred size from the options above.

Care Guide

• Tank size:50 gallons or larger, well established and stocked with other fish. Cleaner Wrasses need a steady supply of “clients” to stay active and fed, so they tend to struggle in new or lightly stocked tanks.
• Diet:Carnivore. In the wild it eats parasites and mucus off other fish. In the aquarium it should be weaned onto prepared foods, especially frozen mysis and enriched brine shrimp, fed in several small portions a day. Training it onto these foods early is the key to keeping it long-term.
• Temperament:Peaceful and reef safe. It will not bother corals or inverts and mixes well with most community reef fish. Keep one per tank unless you have an established bonded pair.
• Water quality:Stable, mature reef conditions. Hold temperature at 72 to 78°F, pH 8.1 to 8.4, salinity 1.020 to 1.025, and alkalinity 8 to 12 dKH.
• Behavior:Sets up cleaning stations and actively services tankmates, a natural way to help keep your other fish parasite free.

Specifications

Common name	Cleaner Wrasse, Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse
Scientific name	Labroides dimidiatus
Care level	Advanced
Max size	About 5.5 in (14 cm)
Minimum tank	50 gallons, mature and fish stocked
Temperament	Peaceful
Diet	Carnivore (frozen mysis and brine shrimp)
Reef safe	Yes
Water temp	72 to 78°F
pH	8.1 to 8.4
Salinity	1.020 to 1.025
Origin	Indo-Pacific

Compatibility

Cleaner Wrasses do best surrounded by plenty of fish to service. Tangs, anthias, and other active swimmers make ideal “clients” and give the wrasse a steady job, which keeps it eating and active.

• Mimic Eibli Tang and other tangs
• Lyretail Anthias
• Blue Green Chromis
• Ocellaris Clownfish

Avoid housing it with aggressive fish that may harass it, and do not keep multiple Cleaner Wrasses together unless they are an established pair.

Recommended Foods & Supplies

• SFBB Freeze Dried Mysis Shrimp
• Ocean Nutrition Brine Shrimp Plus Flake
• More marine foods
• More saltwater fish

FAQ

Are Cleaner Wrasses hard to keep?
Yes, they are an advanced fish. Their natural diet is parasites and fish mucus, so they need a mature, fish stocked reef and should be trained onto frozen mysis and brine shrimp. We recommend them for experienced keepers with established systems.

Will it really clean my other fish?
Yes. Cleaner Wrasses set up cleaning stations and pick parasites and dead skin off tankmates, which can help keep your other fish healthy.

Is it reef safe?
Yes. It will not nip corals or bother your inverts.

Can I keep more than one?
Keep just one per tank unless you have an established bonded pair, since they can be territorial toward each other.