Cleaner shrimp not eating

BIGTEXT · 01/31/2010, 03:09 PM

I've had a cleaner shrimp for about a month. He has been very active and has a ravenous appetite.

Yesterday I added 2 peppermint shrimp to the tank. The cleaner was fine at first. However he has been backed into a corner all day today. He would not eat today and he barley moves, he just stays backed into the corner. I stuck my hand in to see if he would climb on me but he just felt me with his whiskers and backed away.

Are the peppermint shrimp harassing him? I was thinking maybe he is about to molt, but wouldn't he be hiding in the rock work? He molted once at the beginning of the month and he hid in the rock the entire time.

Yaqngie · 01/31/2010, 03:28 PM

What size tank is it? I dont think they would be an issue mixxing the 2. Are you sure they are peppermint and not camel shrimp? Maybe it is a molt and with the 2 new peppermints he doesnt know what to call home anymore.

BIGTEXT · 01/31/2010, 03:59 PM

Hi, thanks for the response.

Its a 55 gallon tank with about 50 lbs of Fiji live rock.

I don't know how to tell the difference. I bought them from premium aquatics where they advertise "These guys are true peppermint shrimp. Lysmata wurdemanni, not camel shrimp that look similar but bother corals."

Premium has always given me good advice and service so I assume they're telling the truth.

shorty53538 · 01/31/2010, 04:04 PM

I have one cleaner and one peppermint shrimp...
Mine get along well and when the cleaner shrimp molted he was like your describing as well...give it a day or so and go from there
it could be that there are new items in the tank and hes just relaxing...observing?

BIGTEXT · 01/31/2010, 11:00 PM

The cleaner seems to be turning more yellow. Is this consistent with a molt?

sohal1025 · 02/01/2010, 12:40 AM

Its time to molt.

01/31/2010, 03:09 PM	#1
BIGTEXT Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 59	Cleaner shrimp not eating I've had a cleaner shrimp for about a month. He has been very active and has a ravenous appetite. Yesterday I added 2 peppermint shrimp to the tank. The cleaner was fine at first. However he has been backed into a corner all day today. He would not eat today and he barley moves, he just stays backed into the corner. I stuck my hand in to see if he would climb on me but he just felt me with his whiskers and backed away. Are the peppermint shrimp harassing him? I was thinking maybe he is about to molt, but wouldn't he be hiding in the rock work? He molted once at the beginning of the month and he hid in the rock the entire time.

02/01/2010, 12:40 AM	#6
sohal1025 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Elyria Ohio Posts: 1,737	Its time to molt. __________________ THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID!!! ><((((º>`•.¸¸.•><((((º>´¯`•><((((º> Current Tank Info: 180 gal reef tank, Reef Radiance led lighting,20gal long sump,SuperReefOctopus,phosban reactor

01/31/2010, 03:28 PM	#2
Yaqngie Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: ILM, NC Posts: 85	What size tank is it? I dont think they would be an issue mixxing the 2. Are you sure they are peppermint and not camel shrimp? Maybe it is a molt and with the 2 new peppermints he doesnt know what to call home anymore.

01/31/2010, 03:59 PM	#3
BIGTEXT Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 59	Hi, thanks for the response. Its a 55 gallon tank with about 50 lbs of Fiji live rock. I don't know how to tell the difference. I bought them from premium aquatics where they advertise "These guys are true peppermint shrimp. Lysmata wurdemanni, not camel shrimp that look similar but bother corals." Premium has always given me good advice and service so I assume they're telling the truth.

01/31/2010, 04:04 PM	#4
shorty53538 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 56	I have one cleaner and one peppermint shrimp... Mine get along well and when the cleaner shrimp molted he was like your describing as well...give it a day or so and go from there it could be that there are new items in the tank and hes just relaxing...observing?

01/31/2010, 11:00 PM	#5
BIGTEXT Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 59	The cleaner seems to be turning more yellow. Is this consistent with a molt?