Making its way into today’s article, it’s the cleaner wrasse, aka bluestreak cleaner wrasse (featured left in the picture and cleaning the host’s gills). These wrasses can be found in the warmer tropical waters of the Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean, around southeast Asia, Australia, Australasia, Africa, and Hawaiian Islands. They face the threats of habitat destruction and over collection for the fish hobby. However, they are still abundant enough to earn the listing of Least Concern by the IUCN. Their population trend is unknown.
First the Stats…
Scientific name: Labroides dimidiatus
Weight: Up to .5 ounce
Length: Up to 5.5 inches
Lifespan: Up to 6+ years
Now on to the Facts!
1.) These unique fish feast on parasites and the dead tissue of other larger fish, providing a valuable service for the fish as well as protection for themselves.
2.) This service is called a mutualism, where both animals benefit.
3.) These critters are typically found swimming around cleaning stations. The cleaning stations are locations where the wrasses advertise their services.
4.) As soon as visitors come near the cleaning station, the cleaner wrasses meet the visitors with a performance of dance-like motions in which they move their rear up and down; thus advertising their services.
5.) The larger fish being cleaned are coined “clients”.
But wait, there’s more on the cleaner wrasse!
6.) Some fish, such as certain blennies, mimic these wrasses in order to gain access to larger fish in the hopes of tearing off bits of flesh from the larger critters.
7.) There is also a fish known as a false cleaner wrasse that mimics the coloration of the cleaner wrasses in order to provide protection from being a larger fish’s meal.
Did you know…?
These fish are known as sequential hermaphrodites. This is where they can change sex from female to male, if no males exist in the area.
8.) Cleaner wrasses clean the body, gills, and even the inside of their client’s mouth.
9.) Females lay up to 25,000 eggs!
10.) The eggs have only a 22.6% hatching rate.
Now a Short Cleaner Wrasse Video!
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Some source material acquired from: Wikipedia & IUCN
Photo credit: Australian Museum
