Cleaner shrimp

oysterxfast5 · 04/15/2008, 07:58 PM

I got a cleaner shrimp this weekend and he seems to be doing fine. First one I have had (kinda). He looks like he is trying to clean my coral beauty but it is just going for its mouth and it doesn't seem like the coral beauty likes it. The coral beauty acts like he wants the cleaner to do its body but the cleaner just keeps going at his mouth.
Is this what they do, or will it work its way down if the coral beauty would let it? Also will the cleaner try to clean my clowns or is it up to the fish to come to it?

oysterxfast5 · 04/16/2008, 06:16 PM

Anybody?

scrmbld33 · 04/16/2008, 06:20 PM

some clean some dont, usually they will clean what ever the fish will let them. all of which is normal. some fish just dont like to be cleaned, i only have a yellow tang that does

oysterxfast5 · 04/16/2008, 06:39 PM

The coral beauty seems to really like it but the clowns stay away. The YWG probably wont ever get cleaned either.

chaseracing · 04/16/2008, 06:48 PM

Sounds normal to me.

Packersfan21 · 04/16/2008, 07:03 PM

My cleaner shrimp just cleans my hand... none of my fish will let him clean.

NeptuneofSC · 04/16/2008, 07:04 PM

Cleaners are great. Just give the fish time to get acclimated with the shrimp. I have two. I added the 2nd cleaner about six months after i added my the 1st. i would suggest adding another. They should pair and when they do they will spawn a lot. Your fish love the riches of the spawn.

NeptuneofSC · 04/16/2008, 07:04 PM

Cleaners are great. Just give the fish time to get acclimated with the shrimp. I have two. I added the 2nd cleaner about six months after i added my the 1st. i would suggest adding another. They should pair and when they do they will spawn a lot. Your fish will love the riches of the spawn.

oysterxfast5 · 04/16/2008, 07:41 PM

I am glad it is cleaning something. When I first saw him doing it I thought he was being eaten. Do they change sexes or is it a 50/50 thing? I take it the larvae wont make it? Is it ok to have more than one in a 46? I am new to the cleaner shrimp thing.
I tried two different times but they died right when I put them in. I acclimated for around 45 min for the first two, I did an hour and a half this time just to be safe.

Packersfan21 · 04/16/2008, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by oysterxfast5
I am glad it is cleaning something. When I first saw him doing it I thought he was being eaten. Do they change sexes or is it a 50/50 thing? I take it the larvae wont make it? Is it ok to have more than one in a 46? I am new to the cleaner shrimp thing.
I tried two different times but they died right when I put them in. I acclimated for around 45 min for the first two, I did an hour and a half this time just to be safe.

Do you drip acclimate?

oysterxfast5 · 04/16/2008, 08:12 PM

Yeah. I think the main problem before was that my salt level was high.(1.030) and the LFS said theres whats at 1.022. Just didn't do it long enough.

NeptuneofSC · 04/17/2008, 06:35 PM

Two should be fine in a 46. They'll clean more than just the fish. They'll clean the live rock, sand bed etc. I don't know about changing sexes, but everything i've read and been told is that they will not fight. That they'll determine who's who. Goodluck!

oysterxfast5 · 04/17/2008, 06:40 PM

Yeah, he is a cool little thing. He goes from one end to another of the tank.
Thanks.

04/15/2008, 07:58 PM	#1
oysterxfast5 Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Coldwater, MI Posts: 583	Cleaner shrimp I got a cleaner shrimp this weekend and he seems to be doing fine. First one I have had (kinda). He looks like he is trying to clean my coral beauty but it is just going for its mouth and it doesn't seem like the coral beauty likes it. The coral beauty acts like he wants the cleaner to do its body but the cleaner just keeps going at his mouth. Is this what they do, or will it work its way down if the coral beauty would let it? Also will the cleaner try to clean my clowns or is it up to the fish to come to it?

04/16/2008, 06:20 PM	#3
scrmbld33 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: south jersey 08050 Posts: 2,394	some clean some dont, usually they will clean what ever the fish will let them. all of which is normal. some fish just dont like to be cleaned, i only have a yellow tang that does __________________ a left over shrimp shedding is not "a sicilian message meaning luca brasi sleeps with the fishes" fish are friends, not food Current Tank Info: 90gal salt, 2 250mh 14k hamiltons 2 110 actinic, 127lbs LR,50lbs tonga 70lbs indonesia 7lbs tonga branch asm g3

04/16/2008, 06:48 PM	#5
chaseracing Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Bartlett, IL Posts: 1,208	Sounds normal to me. __________________ I want my dog's life. Current Tank Info: 150gal RR Oceanic - (3) 250w. ReefLux 12K, (2) 96w PC 50/50, (3) Tunze 6025 modded, (3) Tunze 6045's, ASM G3, MRC-1, Melev F sump/fuge, all run off of an Aquacontroller Jr. Mixed Reef w/ lots of Fish and not enough rock.

04/16/2008, 07:03 PM	#6
Packersfan21 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Wabash, IN Posts: 920	My cleaner shrimp just cleans my hand... none of my fish will let him clean. __________________ 90 gallon reef: 1 black ocellaris clown, 1 kole tang, 1 hippo tang, 1 mimic tang,1 leopard wrasse, 1 chromis, 75 gallon FOWLR: 1 blue-spotted puffer, 1 flame angel, 1 snowflake eel Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef and 75 gallon FOWLR

04/16/2008, 06:16 PM	#2
oysterxfast5 Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Coldwater, MI Posts: 583	Anybody?

04/16/2008, 06:39 PM	#4
oysterxfast5 Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Coldwater, MI Posts: 583	The coral beauty seems to really like it but the clowns stay away. The YWG probably wont ever get cleaned either.

04/16/2008, 07:04 PM	#7
NeptuneofSC Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Columbia, SC Posts: 40	Cleaners are great. Just give the fish time to get acclimated with the shrimp. I have two. I added the 2nd cleaner about six months after i added my the 1st. i would suggest adding another. They should pair and when they do they will spawn a lot. Your fish love the riches of the spawn.

04/16/2008, 07:41 PM	#9
oysterxfast5 Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Coldwater, MI Posts: 583	I am glad it is cleaning something. When I first saw him doing it I thought he was being eaten. Do they change sexes or is it a 50/50 thing? I take it the larvae wont make it? Is it ok to have more than one in a 46? I am new to the cleaner shrimp thing. I tried two different times but they died right when I put them in. I acclimated for around 45 min for the first two, I did an hour and a half this time just to be safe.

04/16/2008, 08:12 PM	#11
oysterxfast5 Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Coldwater, MI Posts: 583	Yeah. I think the main problem before was that my salt level was high.(1.030) and the LFS said theres whats at 1.022. Just didn't do it long enough.

04/17/2008, 06:35 PM	#12
NeptuneofSC Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Columbia, SC Posts: 40	Two should be fine in a 46. They'll clean more than just the fish. They'll clean the live rock, sand bed etc. I don't know about changing sexes, but everything i've read and been told is that they will not fight. That they'll determine who's who. Goodluck!

04/17/2008, 06:40 PM	#13
oysterxfast5 Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Coldwater, MI Posts: 583	Yeah, he is a cool little thing. He goes from one end to another of the tank. Thanks.