Interesting cleaner shrimp experience...

Juruense · 01/25/2009, 02:50 PM

Thought I would share the events of yesterday with y'all...

I was scraping down the glass with a razor blade as I always do when suddenly the cleaner shrimp was on the back of my hand. I realized that he was cleaning me! He was working my hand all over and then he even started probing underneath my fingernails!!! It felt really weird when he would probe and grasp under my fingernails but whenever it got anywhere close to painful he would move on to somewhere else. A really amazing experience I never expected.

mutateddogbone · 01/25/2009, 02:51 PM

peppermint shrimp will also do this

BradsOcean · 01/25/2009, 03:05 PM

when i'm bored, i just stick my hand in my tank and let my cleaner go to work on me!

jbird69 · 01/25/2009, 04:52 PM

when I had them, when ever my sons buddies would come over, theyde all take turns. I would make them wash their arm first. Still, never know what teenagers (or anyone) has under their fingernails. Probably wasnt the best idea. Fun listening to the kids giggle tho.

amandasaurus · 01/25/2009, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BradsOcean
when i'm bored, i just stick my hand in my tank and let my cleaner go to work on me!

Is it safe to stick your hand in the tank?

redvicki · 01/25/2009, 05:01 PM

i have my hands in the tank several times a day. my husband says it's my therapy. i always wash them good before and after. i understand some people can have reactions to different things in their tanks so far i haven't. my husband said my RBTA grabbed me the other night when i was feeding it and i didn't even feel it.

NirvanaFan · 01/25/2009, 05:16 PM

My cleaner shrimp does the same thing to me. Normally the clownfish start to attack my hand so I have to pull it out, but the shrimp will jump on and clean my hand almost every time.

Whys · 01/25/2009, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Juruense
A really amazing experience I never expected.

This hobby is definitely for you.

amandasaurus · 01/25/2009, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by redvicki
i have my hands in the tank several times a day. my husband says it's my therapy. i always wash them good before and after. i understand some people can have reactions to different things in their tanks so far i haven't. my husband said my RBTA grabbed me the other night when i was feeding it and i didn't even feel it.

I was worried about the fish more than myself

Jason Donohoe · 01/25/2009, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by NirvanaFan
My cleaner shrimp does the same thing to me. Normally the clownfish start to attack my hand so I have to pull it out, but the shrimp will jump on and clean my hand almost every time.

I have the exact experience whenever I have a hand in the tank. I'm either being cleaned or bitten. The clownfish really hates my wife though, bites her EVERY time.

The best cleaner shrimp experience I had though was watching him ride the yellow tang. He was under an overhang when the tang swam through, jumped on him and rode him rodeo style to the other side of the tank.

reefworm · 01/25/2009, 09:53 PM

I remember the first time that happened- had the same reaction! really cool. I love it when the fish seek them out for a cleaning, no matter how much it pinches and they jerk around they keep coming back. A little National Geographic in the living room

mustang_stroked · 01/25/2009, 09:54 PM

I've had my skunk shrimp ride my yellow and blue tang around the tank 8seconds..lol

reefworm · 01/25/2009, 09:55 PM

Hey Mustang -

WELCOME ON BOARD RC!

Jason Donohoe · 01/25/2009, 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mustang_stroked
I've had my skunk shrimp ride my yellow and blue tang around the tank 8seconds..lol

First post and a rodeo record in one!

singold · 01/25/2009, 11:25 PM

Cleaner shrimps are awesome. I personally credit it for saving many of the fish I have introduced, keeping them parasite free, thus increasing their chance for survival in the home aquaria.

Flipper62 · 01/26/2009, 12:48 AM

Funny..Funny...story. In every tank that I have had & do have, Everytime I put my hand in the tank the cleaner shrimps dive at my hand & arm...

At first it was really wierd.......But now its really cool.

SO......One day I come home & my wife says.....GET IN HERE......Look at this....is the cleaner shrimp trying to have sex with the clown fish ???

The cleaner shrimp was setting on a rock & Nemo the clown had backed in up to the shrimp & the shrimp was cleaning him off.

01/25/2009, 02:50 PM	#1
Juruense Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Fort Wayne, IN Posts: 1,138	Interesting cleaner shrimp experience... Thought I would share the events of yesterday with y'all... I was scraping down the glass with a razor blade as I always do when suddenly the cleaner shrimp was on the back of my hand. I realized that he was cleaning me! He was working my hand all over and then he even started probing underneath my fingernails!!! It felt really weird when he would probe and grasp under my fingernails but whenever it got anywhere close to painful he would move on to somewhere else. A really amazing experience I never expected.

01/25/2009, 02:51 PM	#2
mutateddogbone Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Broken Arrow, OK Posts: 1,016	peppermint shrimp will also do this __________________ 2013 Oklahoma Marine Aquarium Society - President An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure Current Tank Info: 75g braceless SPS dominated w/ 50g Frag Tank

01/25/2009, 03:05 PM	#3
BradsOcean Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: The Island Posts: 1,173	when i'm bored, i just stick my hand in my tank and let my cleaner go to work on me! __________________ the low cost of 3 Ramen meals a day is feeding my zoa addiction Current Tank Info: had a few small reefs in the past, researching for my future 125 :)

01/25/2009, 04:52 PM	#4
jbird69 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: The beautiful State of Jefferson Posts: 2,751	when I had them, when ever my sons buddies would come over, theyde all take turns. I would make them wash their arm first. Still, never know what teenagers (or anyone) has under their fingernails. Probably wasnt the best idea. Fun listening to the kids giggle tho. __________________ Broke Back Mountain is not a movie, its the pile of dead ninjas in Chuck Norris' back yard

01/25/2009, 09:53 PM	#11
reefworm Registered Member Join Date: May 2000 Location: Waxhaw, NC USA Posts: 2,139	I remember the first time that happened- had the same reaction! really cool. I love it when the fish seek them out for a cleaning, no matter how much it pinches and they jerk around they keep coming back. A little National Geographic in the living room __________________ "The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter." - Thomas Jefferson Current Tank Info: 29 gal. reef/assist with 75 gal. at the school

01/25/2009, 05:01 PM	#6
redvicki Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Missouri Posts: 499	i have my hands in the tank several times a day. my husband says it's my therapy. i always wash them good before and after. i understand some people can have reactions to different things in their tanks so far i haven't. my husband said my RBTA grabbed me the other night when i was feeding it and i didn't even feel it.

01/25/2009, 05:16 PM	#7
NirvanaFan Reef Ninja Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 4,280	My cleaner shrimp does the same thing to me. Normally the clownfish start to attack my hand so I have to pull it out, but the shrimp will jump on and clean my hand almost every time.

01/25/2009, 09:54 PM	#12
mustang_stroked Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 1	I've had my skunk shrimp ride my yellow and blue tang around the tank 8seconds..lol

01/25/2009, 09:55 PM	#13
reefworm Registered Member Join Date: May 2000 Location: Waxhaw, NC USA Posts: 2,139	Hey Mustang - WELCOME ON BOARD RC! __________________ "The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter." - Thomas Jefferson Current Tank Info: 29 gal. reef/assist with 75 gal. at the school

01/25/2009, 11:25 PM	#15
singold Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Lake Saint Louis, Missouri Posts: 1,827	Cleaner shrimps are awesome. I personally credit it for saving many of the fish I have introduced, keeping them parasite free, thus increasing their chance for survival in the home aquaria. __________________ "If there is no wind.....row." Current Tank Info: 75gal Reef w/29gal Refugium

01/26/2009, 12:48 AM	#16
Flipper62 Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Naperville, Il. Business Owner, President & CEO Posts: 3,045	Funny..Funny...story. In every tank that I have had & do have, Everytime I put my hand in the tank the cleaner shrimps dive at my hand & arm... At first it was really wierd.......But now its really cool. SO......One day I come home & my wife says.....GET IN HERE......Look at this....is the cleaner shrimp trying to have sex with the clown fish ??? The cleaner shrimp was setting on a rock & Nemo the clown had backed in up to the shrimp & the shrimp was cleaning him off. __________________ If todays automobile had followed the same development as the computer, A Rolls Royce would cost $100.00. It would get a million miles per gallon, but it would explode once a year killing everyone inside." Current Tanks... 90 gal Reef... My awesome Office BioCube....( 180 was on hold ..no time ) ... The 180 gal has been sold...Yay..yay..yay. Hobby Experience: 19 years Reef...22 years FW