peppermint vs. skunk cleaner shrimp

ultra spikey · 01/15/2007, 04:55 PM

Im thinking about picking up a shrimp, but i'm trying to figure out which one would be best for fish cleaning. I would like to get the peppermint shrimp seeing how it's about 1/4 of the cost of a skunk cleaner shrimp. But, ive read that some peppermint shrimp eat zoos and other corals? Would I be ok with a peppermint shrimp? or should I just fork out the money for the skunk shrimp? Or maybe i'll just get the shrimp and goby pair.

TitansFan · 01/15/2007, 05:03 PM

I have both. I rarely ever see the peppermint and it runs from fish more than anything. For what it is worth he has never touched aptasia either. My skunk cleaner is awesome though. He is always out and likes to hop on to my copperband to try and clean him. I think he abuses my lawnmower blenny who always takes the abuse. When I feed my tank the skunk always runs to the blenny and steals food right out of his mouth.

dippin61 · 01/15/2007, 05:06 PM

peps arent generally cleaner shrimp.

Misled · 01/15/2007, 07:09 PM

I have a skunk and pepermint and neither clean my fish. They both hang out under the bowels of my live rock. They are always together and keep things very clean. My fish go to the big blood shrimp if they want cleaned.

r00onmac · 01/15/2007, 07:41 PM

my peppermint eats everything... hes killed a few corals (blasto, carnation...) and damaged many more (various zoas, and my rics any time i feed them) The upside is that he takes care of any aptasia that i happen introduce very quickly...

they are hit or miss though, mine is generally the worst behaved ive ever heard of if that makes you feel any better...

rlm2005 · 01/15/2007, 07:50 PM

I have peppermints (who are well behaved and do eat aiptasia) with a skunk cleaner (who cleans the fish) and a blood red shrimp (who just hangs out on the rocks all day and never cleans) If you are just looking to get one, I would go with the skunk. They tend to be the most active and out and about where you can see them.

frederickk · 01/15/2007, 08:29 PM

Yeah cleanner shrimp would be more efficient of all three altought the peppermint one are really usefull for aptaisia.

01/15/2007, 04:55 PM	#1
ultra spikey Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 252	peppermint vs. skunk cleaner shrimp Im thinking about picking up a shrimp, but i'm trying to figure out which one would be best for fish cleaning. I would like to get the peppermint shrimp seeing how it's about 1/4 of the cost of a skunk cleaner shrimp. But, ive read that some peppermint shrimp eat zoos and other corals? Would I be ok with a peppermint shrimp? or should I just fork out the money for the skunk shrimp? Or maybe i'll just get the shrimp and goby pair.

01/15/2007, 05:06 PM	#3
dippin61 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Oregon Posts: 1,897	peps arent generally cleaner shrimp. __________________ Reefers Law: It can take about 48 hours to brown, and 48 weeks to color back up! Current Tank Info: 55 Gallon BB Low Iron Glass, Dual 110w VHO Actinics, 250w PFO MH 20k XM

01/15/2007, 07:09 PM	#4
Misled RC Mod Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Pittsburgh, Pa Posts: 11,440 Blog Entries: 11	I have a skunk and pepermint and neither clean my fish. They both hang out under the bowels of my live rock. They are always together and keep things very clean. My fish go to the big blood shrimp if they want cleaned. __________________ Jesse I'm not saying I'm Batman. I'm just saying nobody has ever seen me and Batman in a room together.

01/15/2007, 07:41 PM	#5
r00onmac DVM in training Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Gainesville, FL Posts: 1,161	my peppermint eats everything... hes killed a few corals (blasto, carnation...) and damaged many more (various zoas, and my rics any time i feed them) The upside is that he takes care of any aptasia that i happen introduce very quickly... they are hit or miss though, mine is generally the worst behaved ive ever heard of if that makes you feel any better... __________________ Matthew Current Tank Info: 55 display with 20L sump

01/15/2007, 05:03 PM	#2
TitansFan Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Spring Hill, TN Posts: 1,364	I have both. I rarely ever see the peppermint and it runs from fish more than anything. For what it is worth he has never touched aptasia either. My skunk cleaner is awesome though. He is always out and likes to hop on to my copperband to try and clean him. I think he abuses my lawnmower blenny who always takes the abuse. When I feed my tank the skunk always runs to the blenny and steals food right out of his mouth.

01/15/2007, 07:50 PM	#6
rlm2005 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: San Diego Area Posts: 432	I have peppermints (who are well behaved and do eat aiptasia) with a skunk cleaner (who cleans the fish) and a blood red shrimp (who just hangs out on the rocks all day and never cleans) If you are just looking to get one, I would go with the skunk. They tend to be the most active and out and about where you can see them.

01/15/2007, 08:29 PM	#7
frederickk Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 2,712	Yeah cleanner shrimp would be more efficient of all three altought the peppermint one are really usefull for aptaisia.