cleaner shrimp question...

EB847 · 08/31/2006, 02:52 PM

My cleaner shrimp went from somewhat shy to Osama Bin Laden hiding in the caves of my live rock... I saw a glimpse of his antennae once in the last month. Could it be the result of the addition of a Vermiculated Angel? (only change). It used to come out and swim around at feeding time. Not no mo... weird huh??? Is this normal behavior?

boilermaker1 · 08/31/2006, 02:55 PM

When shrimp molt, they hide to let their shell harden, but a month sounds like a while. Depends on what kind of shrimp it is. Some are more active than others, and some are pretty nocturnal. Check if he's out when the lights aren't on.

EB847 · 08/31/2006, 03:03 PM

it still hides at night too....

EB847 · 09/02/2006, 12:47 AM

bizump

Ryanqk · 09/02/2006, 05:39 AM

Mine is ALWAYS out, post a pic, is it a skunk cleaner shrimp? Usually this happens becuase something is scaring them.

druce · 09/02/2006, 08:39 AM

Mine hide all the time, it's rather annoying as well

Fountainhead · 09/02/2006, 03:30 PM

I can't speak to what's normal or what might be up with yours, but I had a pair of cleaner shrimp for about a year who were very social and active. After a year one started hiding more and more in the rocks with only his antennae showing, and after about a month of that he simply disappeared. Never saw him again.

A couple of months later the 2nd one did the exact same thing. He too vanished. Maybe it was molts gone bad, or maybe they were just old. (How long do shrimp live anyway?)

How long have you had it?

IndyReefMan · 09/02/2006, 03:39 PM

The first cleaner shrimp that I had was always out in the open. When feeding time came he was all over the place and stealing food away from the corals. After two years, he died. The one that I bought to replace him always stays hidden in the rocks-- even at feeding time. It must be a personality thing.

dc · 09/02/2006, 04:19 PM

I've never had a cleaner hide. Generally mine are out trying to clean my fish. The fish aren't very cooperative, but they keep trying.

thor32766 · 09/02/2006, 05:50 PM

in one tank my shrimp hide all the time until feeding time. The other tank they are always out in the open.

CompNrdCR · 09/02/2006, 05:58 PM

Arn't the personality differences amazing... One that was raised in a tank with lots of fish to clean comes out a lot, but my other one that was not raised that way never comes out.

dc · 09/02/2006, 06:08 PM

Yeah, they definately don't read the books on how they're supposed to behave!

druce · 09/02/2006, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dc
Yeah, they definately don't read the books on how they're supposed to behave!

yea, ain't that the truth!

08/31/2006, 02:52 PM	#1
EB847 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 146	cleaner shrimp question... My cleaner shrimp went from somewhat shy to Osama Bin Laden hiding in the caves of my live rock... I saw a glimpse of his antennae once in the last month. Could it be the result of the addition of a Vermiculated Angel? (only change). It used to come out and swim around at feeding time. Not no mo... weird huh??? Is this normal behavior?

09/02/2006, 05:39 AM	#5
Ryanqk Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Ft. Lauderdale Posts: 1,381	Mine is ALWAYS out, post a pic, is it a skunk cleaner shrimp? Usually this happens becuase something is scaring them. __________________ MOM! I'm God Of The Sea People! Behold my tiny minions gloveling at my likeness! Current Tank Info: 75gl display, 20gl long fuge, CPR overflow, Octopuss NW150 skimmer, 4 x 110w VHO T12's and supplemental actinic, ongoing projects...

09/02/2006, 08:39 AM	#6
druce Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: North Liberty, IA Posts: 1,349	Mine hide all the time, it's rather annoying as well __________________ Click the red house to see tank pics and my blog and to get the link for my RC tank thread! Current Tank Info: 90 gal AGA RR, 55 gal long for sump, 17g Aquafuge pro as refugium - 2x 150w MH, 2x 96w Actinic

09/02/2006, 04:19 PM	#9
dc Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Wyoming Posts: 44,684	I've never had a cleaner hide. Generally mine are out trying to clean my fish. The fish aren't very cooperative, but they keep trying. __________________ Debi ~60 Cube~ Why? Because I said so of course. -Sent via Tapatalk Smoke Signals-

09/02/2006, 05:50 PM	#10
thor32766 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Chuluota, FL Posts: 6,072	in one tank my shrimp hide all the time until feeding time. The other tank they are always out in the open. __________________ "Live your life so no one has to lie about who you were at your funeral" click on my red house to see my tang compound! Current Tank Info: 29 gallon in Wall!

08/31/2006, 02:55 PM	#2
boilermaker1 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Chantilly, VA Posts: 784	When shrimp molt, they hide to let their shell harden, but a month sounds like a while. Depends on what kind of shrimp it is. Some are more active than others, and some are pretty nocturnal. Check if he's out when the lights aren't on.

08/31/2006, 03:03 PM	#3
EB847 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 146	it still hides at night too....

09/02/2006, 12:47 AM	#4
EB847 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 146	bizump

09/02/2006, 03:30 PM	#7
Fountainhead Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 566	I can't speak to what's normal or what might be up with yours, but I had a pair of cleaner shrimp for about a year who were very social and active. After a year one started hiding more and more in the rocks with only his antennae showing, and after about a month of that he simply disappeared. Never saw him again. A couple of months later the 2nd one did the exact same thing. He too vanished. Maybe it was molts gone bad, or maybe they were just old. (How long do shrimp live anyway?) How long have you had it?

09/02/2006, 03:39 PM	#8
IndyReefMan Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Indianapolis, IN Posts: 477	The first cleaner shrimp that I had was always out in the open. When feeding time came he was all over the place and stealing food away from the corals. After two years, he died. The one that I bought to replace him always stays hidden in the rocks-- even at feeding time. It must be a personality thing.

09/02/2006, 05:58 PM	#11
CompNrdCR Premium Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 193	Arn't the personality differences amazing... One that was raised in a tank with lots of fish to clean comes out a lot, but my other one that was not raised that way never comes out. __________________ 8 years salt so far... 65 Gal Reef Tank Feels So Small But The GF Won't Let Me Go Bigger! Current Tank Info: 65 Gal Reef Tank

09/02/2006, 06:08 PM	#12
dc Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Wyoming Posts: 44,684	Yeah, they definately don't read the books on how they're supposed to behave! __________________ Debi ~60 Cube~ Why? Because I said so of course. -Sent via Tapatalk Smoke Signals-