Hawaiian Cleaner Wrasse

Labroides phthirophagus

Also known as Golden Cleaner Wrasse

SaltwaterFish

Hawaiian Cleaner Wrasse (Labroides phthirophagus) — Brocken Inaglory · CC BY-SA 3.0

Care at a glance

Temperature: 75–81°F (24–27°C)
pH: 8.1–8.4
Adult size: 3.9 in (10 cm)
Minimum tank: 70 gal (265 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Solitary
Tankmates: Tankmates with caution
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Difficult
Breeding: Hard
Rarity: Rare
Reef safe: Reef safe
Origin: Hawaiian Islands and Johnston Atoll
Family: Labridae

Overview

Captive breeding has produced fish that accept pellets and frozen foods, a real improvement over wild ones that often starve, but the fast metabolism still demands several feedings a day and the species remains a project for experienced keepers. It is peaceful toward everything, though it may pester fish of similar shape and color. Keep only one per tank.

In the wild

This cleaner wrasse is found only around the Hawaiian Islands and nearby Johnston Atoll, where it holds small cleaning stations on the reef from the shallows to well over 100 meters. Client fish queue at the station to have parasites picked off. In the aquarium it needs a large, well-established community of at least 265 liters to supply steady cleaning traffic, plus a tight lid.

Good to know

Labroides phthirophagus is a wrasse in the family Labridae, reaching about 10 cm, and its species name roughly means louse eater. It is an obligate cleaner that feeds on parasitic crustaceans, mucus and dead tissue from other fish. At night it sleeps inside a balloon of its own mucus wedged into the reef.

Did you know

Its client list in the wild includes whitetip reef sharks, which hold still at the station while a fish smaller than a finger works over their skin and gills.