Cleaner shrimp

[Jason Collins]

Do cleaner shrimp need to be QT? Can they carry Ich or anything or can I put it in my display tank?

 

[fishguy242]

hi waiting to hear some opinions on this one

 

[hankacrank]

They have an exoskeleton and therefore don't carry ich in their flesh. However, never ever add the water they came in to your tank. That can have ich or other parasites in it. Acclimate inverts to temp and salinity. But I usually never QT inverts (shrimp and snails).

 

[Redfoxtang]

Any inverts can “potentially” carry ich that have incrusted on its skeleton. You could QT until it molts then you will good to put into display.

 

[fishguy242]

i do a quick freshwater handful swish w snails

 

[Greg P]

For shrimps the 'cautious' method is to wait until it molts then add it to your other tank as soon as possible.
Although Ich most likely can't survive on an exoskeleton, there are thoughts they can hitchhike on it.

 

[hankacrank]

Any inverts can “potentially” carry ich that have incrusted on its skeleton. You could QT until it molts then you will good to put into display.

I don't want to act like I am more knowledgeable on the subject because I am naive in many ways to ich and I just am being inquisitive. I only find it hard to believe that trophonts/ich can attach to chitin exoskeleton. Ich trophonts unless I am mistaken should be attaching to actual mucosal flesh that is easily penetrated. For example, they burrow into flesh of the gills most easily. I can't find any literature showing that ich burrows into exoskeleton or inverts.

 

[Onajoyride]

The only thing ich trophonts dint attach to is a starfish. Crabs, snails, corals, shrimp can be a potential carrier. I highly reccomend NOT doing a fresh water dip on an invert. They are far more sensitive to SG changes than fish.

 

[Redfoxtang]

I don't want to act like I am more knowledgeable on the subject because I am naive in many ways to ich and I just am being inquisitive. I only find it hard to believe that trophonts/ich can attach to chitin exoskeleton. Ich trophonts unless I am mistaken should be attaching to actual mucosal flesh that is easily penetrated. For example, they burrow into flesh of the gills most easily. I can't find any literature showing that ich burrows into exoskeleton or inverts.

They do not burrow into exoskeletons. When they release from fish they go into a dormant stage “Tomonts”. Where they could “potentially” land on exoskeletons of shrimp or snails and then be released in the DT.

 

[Greg P]

I can't find any literature showing that ich burrows into exoskeleton or inverts.

We are not stating Ich will burrow into an exoskeleton.
We're only erring on the side of caution with the thoughts that;
- Trophonts are very capable of attaching to exoskeletons to start their Encystment stage, just as they will do on rock or sand
- What is stopping a Theront from attaching to an exoskeleton ? I've seen no scientific studies stating they only swim freely while looking for a host.

My biggest concern would be having Trophonts/Tomonts on a molt in my DT, so it's best to let a shrimp molt in a holding tank.

 

[Paulie069]

Do cleaner shrimp need to be QT? Can they carry Ich or anything or can I put it in my display tank?

Just put him in and let Mother Nature do her thing

 

[Greg P]

Just put him in and let Mother Nature do her thing

I gather you're one of the lucky crowd who's never had an outbreak wipe out a tank full of fish

 

[35ppt]

Redacted

 

[35ppt]

Redacted

 

[Redfoxtang]

Just put him in and let Mother Nature do her thing

While this will work in the ocean. With 50-100g of water it will not. With a controlled environment I believe we have to be strict on our QT processes to not let parasites enter our tanks.

 

[Greg P]

Most of my local reefy friends have had an issue since I started back in 2012.

Fill your tank with fish resistant to Ich and it's all good, until you add Velvet/Brook/Uronema, or any other combination of the aforementioned.

Then watch to see who survives which infection ...

I rushed a QT batch of fish as one was not doing well in the small space, so I put them all into my DT.
3 days later 8 of my 15 then current inhabitants were dead from Brook.
Into a Hospital tank and only 4 survived Chloroquine. 11 dead resident fish due to a rushed QT process.

Thankfully I've never had Velvet yet but have Copper Power and a Hanna tester on hand.
I've also dodged Ich as I used to perform Hypo before the more virulent strains showed up.

I was thinking about adding more fish to my QT, then the pandemic hit and 'poof' go the fish imports.
But I'm saving money due to an empty QT !!

 

[Uncle99]

The risk of getting ick from adding a shrimp is real, real low............but anything is possible I guess.

 

[35ppt]

Redacted

 

[Redfoxtang]

The risk of getting ick from adding a shrimp is real, real low............but anything is possible I guess.

Anything is possible. Unfortunately I received ich on a torch coral I added and it sucked big time.

 

[Paulie069]

I gather you're one of the lucky crowd who's never had an outbreak wipe out a tank full of fish

If that’s how Mother Nature wants to roll then who am I to stop her,, I do what’s required of me to keep water fresh n as stable as possible,, rest is up to MN