Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse

Description

Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse
Labroides dimidiatus

Origin: Indo-Pacific – Red Sea, East Africa, Indonesia, Philippines, Great Barrier Reef
Size: Up to 10 cm

Reef Compatibility:

• Small Fish Safe: ✅ Yes
• Invert Safe: ✅ Yes
• Coral Safe: ✅ Yes

Diet: Carnivore – feeds on ectoparasites and dead tissue from other fish. In captivity, very difficult to sustain on prepared foods; often must be fed live foods or maintained in fish-only quarantine setups.
Care Level: Difficult – challenging to keep long-term in reef aquariums; highly specialised diet.
Aggression: Peaceful – non-aggressive; performs cleaning behaviour on other fish.
Captive-Bred Available: ❌ Very rare

Notes:
The Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse is a legendary reef species known for its symbiotic cleaning behaviour. Juveniles and adults establish cleaning stations where they remove parasites from other fish. Due to its highly specialised diet, it is rarely recommended for long-term captive reef systems.

Why We Like It:
Iconic, fascinating, and ecologically important, the Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse is a marvel of reef biology. While difficult to keep, it offers unique natural behaviour that captivates observers.