# bluestreak cleaner wrasse (*Labroides dimidiatus*) The bluestreak cleaner wrasse is a colorful fish that helps keep other fish clean by eating their parasites. They are friendly and often found in coral reefs, making them important helpers in the ocean. - **Category:** [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fish) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Coral reefs ![bluestreak cleaner wrasse](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/L%C3%A1brido_limpiador_com%C3%BAn_%28Labroides_dimidiatus%29%252C_mar_Rojo%252C_Egipto%252C_2023-04-17%252C_DD_90.jpg&width=800) Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:L%C3%A1brido_limpiador_com%C3%BAn_%28Labroides_dimidiatus%29%252C_mar_Rojo%252C_Egipto%252C_2023-04-17%252C_DD_90.jpg) ## Appearance The bluestreak cleaner wrasse has a slender body with a brilliant electric blue stripe running from its snout to its tail. Below this striking line, its body is dark black, fading to a white or yellowish belly, making it easily recognizable on coral reefs. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Actinopterygii - **Order:** Perciformes - **Family:** Labridae - **Genus:** Labroides ## Interesting facts - Even big, scary predators wait patiently for the wrasse to clean them! - Some sneaky fish pretend to be them, then take a bite out of unsuspecting clients! - These tiny fish bravely clean inside the mouths and gills of giant clients! - They run 'cleaning stations' where other reef fish line up for service! ## Special abilities - **Parasite Picker:** Bluestreak cleaner wrasse can safely remove tiny parasites and dead skin from larger fish because it has specialized mouthparts and a trusting relationship with clients. - **Reef Doctor:** Bluestreak cleaner wrasse performs a special 'waving dance' that helps them signal to other fish that their cleaning station is open for business! - **Gender Bender:** Bluestreak cleaner wrasse can change its sex from female to male, which helps maintain social structure when the dominant male is gone. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 10-14 cm - **Weight:** 0.005-0.015 kg - **Lifespan:** 2-4 years - **Swim Speed:** 8 km/h - **Maximum Depth:** 40 m - **Water Type:** Saltwater ## Diet & Feeding These helpful fish eat tiny parasites and dead skin that they carefully pick off other reef fish. - **Primary Foods:** ectoparasites, dead skin, mucus - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Symbiotic with:** Convict tang (*Acanthurus triostegus*) — Removes parasites from its skin. - **Symbiotic with:** Grey reef shark (*Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos*) — Brave wrasse cleans this large predator. - **Parasitizes:** False cleanerfish (*Aspidontus taeniatus*) — Mimics the wrasse to bite unsuspecting fish. - **Symbiotic with:** [Lionfish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/lionfish) (*Pterois volitans*) — Even venomous fish get cleaned. ## Traits - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Symbiotic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/symbiotic): Describes a relationship between two different species where they live in close association, often benefiting one or both. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Marine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/marine): Marine habitats encompass all saltwater environments of the Earth's oceans, supporting an immense diversity of aquatic life. ## Collections - [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fish) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch fish from a distance and don't try to touch them in the water. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify bluestreak cleaner wrasse? Look at body shape, where the fins sit and their outline, mouth position, stripes and spots. Young fish and breeding adults can wear different patterns, and aquarium color varieties can look nothing like wild fish. Fish Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is bluestreak cleaner wrasse? 10-14 cm ### How much does bluestreak cleaner wrasse weigh? 0.005-0.015 kg ### How long does bluestreak cleaner wrasse live? 2-4 years ### What does bluestreak cleaner wrasse eat? These helpful fish eat tiny parasites and dead skin that they carefully pick off other reef fish. ### How fast can bluestreak cleaner wrasse swim? 8 km/h ### Where is bluestreak cleaner wrasse usually found? Coral reefs ### How does bluestreak cleaner wrasse hunt? Foraging ## More Fish - [Rainbow Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/rainbow-trout) (*Oncorhynchus mykiss*) - [Brown Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-trout) (*Salmo trutta*) - [Brook Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brook-trout) (*Salvelinus fontinalis*) - [Lake Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/lake-trout) (*Salvelinus namaycush*) --- Source: [Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bluestreak-cleaner-wrasse)