Do cleaner wrasses eat Ich?

[zman676]

Well...

 

[derek_s]

And if it does last in your tank, it is because it is eating corals. At cap bay we had several (the blue and black striped kind) that loved brains and other meaty corals. Given that, they lived a long time until we finally caught them and put them in a FO system.

 

[glxtrix]

I've seen my neon goby pick ich off of my fish before....but now I have a UV and haven't had any issues since then.

 

[zman676]

I asked because my roommate picked one up today. It seems happy and eats the crap out of frozen brine shrimp as well as flake food. Hasn't picked at any corals (not that I have very many) and he's been trying to pick the Ich off my sailfin tang, but the tang is hesitant to let him.

I'll keep you guys posted on my little cleaner wrasse "case-study" as it were. In accordance with my role in medical school, I hope you all will learn from my mistakes

~Z

 

[glxtrix]

I know Alan had one back in the day and it picked ich off of his Achilles...but one day it magically died. They are best left in the ocean for sure.

 

[zman676]

I will surely remember that next time i see one.

 

[zman676]

Day 2:

Still alive, energetic, and eating. Sailfin tang's spots are getting lighter (I don't know if its due to its immune system or to the wrasse). Softies and LPS are alive and intact. Calm before the storm? I surely hope not.

 

[zman676]

I kinda figured that, I was just giving updates. Tanks still looking fine.

 

[ralph atl]

here you go:

 

[zman676]

that little ******* was nipping at my new monti caps (thanks charlie), so I spotlit caught him in 5 minutes (sooo easy) and now he's in my 29 eating happily.

Moral of the story: ARC members, you are correct. Do NOT buy Red Sea Cleaner Wrasses because the ones that don't starve to death do so by eating corals and DO NOT eat the ciliated protozoans that cause "Ich". I hope you all learned from my situation.

~Zach