cleaner shrimp question

jjakes24 · 10/10/2006, 06:59 PM

do these guys always hide? Mine has stayed under the same rock since I got him like a week ago. he molted right away but hasn't molted since. Only time he comes out is if I put my hand in the tank (He loves to crawl on me for some reason) or when it is feeding time. Other than that, back where he was. Will the eventually come out into the open more often?

bertoni · 10/10/2006, 07:10 PM

Is this a skunk cleaner? If so, they often hide, especially when molting. Over time, it'll likely become less shy, though.

doox00 · 10/10/2006, 07:54 PM

my cleaner shrimp is very social, I put a few corals in my tank last night and he came up and was touching my hand, was kinda neat.

jpitts101 · 10/10/2006, 08:38 PM

i have 3 very active cleaner shrimp, i just put in 2 more tangs and 2 anthias and they have been hideing. if you have added something new to your tank they may be hideing due to that, other than that they may just be shy! give it a little time, i think they will be ok and cleaning in no time!

Apostle · 10/11/2006, 06:37 AM

Buy a couple more and you'll soon notice a lot more activety.

fifish · 10/11/2006, 08:17 AM

is it just me that shivers at the thought of a cleaner shrimp touching your hand?! lol

kiknchikn · 10/11/2006, 08:23 AM

Does anyone know if fire shrimp come up and try to clean your hand, too?

dc · 10/11/2006, 08:44 AM

Hey, they'll clean your fingernails for ya. After the first time it's not so bad, tickles a little.

I never seen my fire shrimp except at feeding time, and never when I had my hands in the tank.

a4twenty · 10/11/2006, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by fifish
is it just me that shivers at the thought of a cleaner shrimp touching your hand?! lol

lol, i think it's just you. it doesn't hurt and they're just trying to do their job. i have three and every time my hand goes in the tank they're all over it ( i guess because none of the fish other than the blenny let them clean )

i've seen fire shrimp clean before but never jump on a person, maybe someone else has. ( they don't seem to interact with humans the way cleaners do. )

seattlerob · 10/11/2006, 08:53 AM

Yep, my 2 cleaner shrimp do the same thing....will eat directly from my hand, and like to clean my hands when I'm cleaning the tank. They seem to be just a bit more in tune with feeding time than my fish. And boy can they move fast when food is involved!

Other than feeding or cleaning time, they are generally hanging upside down under a ledge, or back in the shadows a bit. If my CB angel comes by, they'll jump on for a cleaning. Generally always visible, but usually not right out in the open either.

Likely yours is just being shy as it gets acclimated to your tank and your livestock.

hth,
rob

jjakes24 · 10/11/2006, 01:48 PM

I think you guys are right. He seems to be coming around a bit more every day. When my tang and clown come around, he pops out just dying to give them a scrub but they won't have anything to do with it yet. Maybe over time they will let him do his job.

jeffltodd · 10/11/2006, 04:04 PM

I once saw my yellow tang chasing my cleaner across the tank and thru the rocks. It stopped when the tang took a big bite off of one of the cleaners feelers. Next day all the cleaners feelers were quite short.

I thought he would die for sure. Then he molted and his feelers were at full length again.

10/10/2006, 06:59 PM	#1
jjakes24 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Philly, PA Posts: 347	cleaner shrimp question do these guys always hide? Mine has stayed under the same rock since I got him like a week ago. he molted right away but hasn't molted since. Only time he comes out is if I put my hand in the tank (He loves to crawl on me for some reason) or when it is feeding time. Other than that, back where he was. Will the eventually come out into the open more often?

10/10/2006, 07:10 PM	#2
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Is this a skunk cleaner? If so, they often hide, especially when molting. Over time, it'll likely become less shy, though. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

10/10/2006, 08:38 PM	#4
jpitts101 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Ardmore Posts: 1,176	i have 3 very active cleaner shrimp, i just put in 2 more tangs and 2 anthias and they have been hideing. if you have added something new to your tank they may be hideing due to that, other than that they may just be shy! give it a little time, i think they will be ok and cleaning in no time! __________________ J.D. Pitts when in doubt pull it out!!!! Current Tank Info: 180 sps dominant

10/11/2006, 08:23 AM	#7
kiknchikn Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Bel Air, MD Posts: 1,556	Does anyone know if fire shrimp come up and try to clean your hand, too? __________________ I am a proud member of the Chesapeake Marine Aquaria Society (CMAS). If you're in the Maryland area check us out! Current Tank Info: 30g nano reef

10/11/2006, 08:44 AM	#8
dc Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Wyoming Posts: 44,684	Hey, they'll clean your fingernails for ya. After the first time it's not so bad, tickles a little. I never seen my fire shrimp except at feeding time, and never when I had my hands in the tank. __________________ Debi ~60 Cube~ Why? Because I said so of course. -Sent via Tapatalk Smoke Signals-

10/10/2006, 07:54 PM	#3
doox00 Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: West Michigan Posts: 928	my cleaner shrimp is very social, I put a few corals in my tank last night and he came up and was touching my hand, was kinda neat.

10/11/2006, 06:37 AM	#5
Apostle Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Blackpool, England Posts: 56	Buy a couple more and you'll soon notice a lot more activety.

10/11/2006, 08:17 AM	#6
fifish Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: uk Posts: 40	is it just me that shivers at the thought of a cleaner shrimp touching your hand?! lol

10/11/2006, 08:53 AM	#10
seattlerob Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Seattle Posts: 464	Yep, my 2 cleaner shrimp do the same thing....will eat directly from my hand, and like to clean my hands when I'm cleaning the tank. They seem to be just a bit more in tune with feeding time than my fish. And boy can they move fast when food is involved! Other than feeding or cleaning time, they are generally hanging upside down under a ledge, or back in the shadows a bit. If my CB angel comes by, they'll jump on for a cleaning. Generally always visible, but usually not right out in the open either. Likely yours is just being shy as it gets acclimated to your tank and your livestock. hth, rob

10/11/2006, 01:48 PM	#11
jjakes24 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Philly, PA Posts: 347	I think you guys are right. He seems to be coming around a bit more every day. When my tang and clown come around, he pops out just dying to give them a scrub but they won't have anything to do with it yet. Maybe over time they will let him do his job.

10/11/2006, 04:04 PM	#12
jeffltodd Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 290	I once saw my yellow tang chasing my cleaner across the tank and thru the rocks. It stopped when the tang took a big bite off of one of the cleaners feelers. Next day all the cleaners feelers were quite short. I thought he would die for sure. Then he molted and his feelers were at full length again. __________________ Four perfect killers. One perfect crime. Now all they have to fear is each other. Current Tank Info: All-Glass 72g bow-front, Rio 2500 return; SeaClone 100 in sump; Jebao WP25 wave maker; Reef Breeders Photon48