Feeding a shy shrimp

[spamvicious]

I’ve had two clowns and a blood red shrimp for a week in my tank. I’m having difficulties making sure the shrimp gets any food. He won’t come out of the cave he’s chose at all. The most is an inch or two before he goes back in. So when I feed the fish they get all the food, I’ve tried to put some sinking food near the shrimp but the wave maker sends it everywhere.

I ordered a long pipette to try use that and when it turned up it was more like a turkey baster so just sucked up water rather than giving him any food. Help.

 

[Derrick0580]

Mine is the same way, try feeding him with power heads off. Mine is especially more apt to come out for food as the lights are ramping down if you have that option.

 

[spamvicious]

Mine is the same way, try feeding him with power heads off. Mine is especially more apt to come out for food as the lights are ramping down if you have that option.

Yeah the lights are on a 24 hour programme so I’ll try that later thanks. I didn’t realise shrimps could be so shy, would getting another one help?.

 

[Derrick0580]

Not necessarily, my fire shrimp is the only shrimp in that tank because I hate how they are always robbing food from my corals when I spot feed.

 

[spamvicious]

Not necessarily, my fire shrimp is the only shrimp in that tank because I hate how they are always robbing food from my corals when I spot feeder

Ah ok. I haven’t got any corals yet so haven’t encountered that.

 

[Brucealmighty]

I have a cleaner shrimp that's basically a hermit hanging upside down on the inside of his cave, he does come out for food now but took a while before he was confident enough to know he wasn't food himself, the biggest fish I have are tangs and a coral beauty and eventually he even started doing cleaning duties, over the years these have definitely gotten more shy my first cleaner shrimps (skunk shrimp) used to walk along my hand and arm making sure I was clean enough to be in their home, now they hide a lot more.

 

[spamvicious]

I have a cleaner shrimp that's basically a hermit hanging upside down on the inside of his cave, he does come out for food now but took a while before he was confident enough to know he wasn't food himself, the biggest fish I have are tangs and a coral beauty and eventually he even started doing cleaning duties, over the years these have definitely gotten more shy my first cleaner shrimps (skunk shrimp) used to walk along my hand and arm making sure I was clean enough to be in their home, now they hide a lot more.

Yeah I’d seen videos of cleaner shrimp walking around the tank so I assumed that’s what this guy would be like.

 

[kevgib67]

I have both a blood red and a skunk cleaner shrimp and the blood red is definitely shy compared to the skunk. But after a few months it came out more and more. The skunk is always the star of the show but the blood red is the alpha and chases the other away if it gets to close. I think the different types just have different personalities. Yours will come out more over time but probably won’t be the attention seeker like the skunk cleaner shrimp.

 

[Rick's Reviews]

I’ve had two clowns and a blood red shrimp for a week in my tank. I’m having difficulties making sure the shrimp gets any food. He won’t come out of the cave he’s chose at all. The most is an inch or two before he goes back in. So when I feed the fish they get all the food, I’ve tried to put some sinking food near the shrimp but the wave maker sends it everywhere.

I ordered a long pipette to try use that and when it turned up it was more like a turkey baster so just sucked up water rather than giving him any food. Help.

Target feed is best options for blood/ fire shrimp, they just scavengers anyway, you can read instructions from pipette/turkey baster if it's not working correctly,
My fire shrimp lived in cave with my pistol shrimp, just blasted food into cave mouth to ensure they get fed, various foods for various critters helps, also turn off wavemakers/ filters/ turbulance during feeding , this will give time for food to settle or float, they say 10 mins is adequate but I leave mine for 20 to give snails time to eat

 

[monoglypha]

I have a cleaner and fire shrimp, cleaner comes up to the turkey baster and takes food from the tube. My fire shrimp has been in for about 4 weeks and hasn’t colme out once. I switch off the power heads and distract the fish with food before squirting some in where he is. I only do this every 2nd day as I eventually want him to come out and feel the need to compete for his food, not sure if it will make a difference though, but at least he is getting food.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I’ve had two clowns and a blood red shrimp for a week in my tank. I’m having difficulties making sure the shrimp gets any food. He won’t come out of the cave he’s chose at all. The most is an inch or two before he goes back in. So when I feed the fish they get all the food, I’ve tried to put some sinking food near the shrimp but the wave maker sends it everywhere.

I ordered a long pipette to try use that and when it turned up it was more like a turkey baster so just sucked up water rather than giving him any food. Help.

Your shrimp is getting food. As long as you feed fish , there are scraps available. Ive had mine 3 years and It hides in the very same spot. Everytime I feed, I see the antennas moving around like sopaghetti and it molts monthly assuring me it feeds

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

I wouldn’t worry too much. They are scavengers. It's funny at the LFS they are always out. In nature and in your tanks always hiding. Mine come out at night, unless they get really hungry then they will grab a pellet when I feed and then scurry back away with it.

 

[G Santana]

Give it time, it will take food from tongs, long thin baster and your hand.
My blood red looks for a 'hand out' daily.

 

[AydenLincoln]

Your shrimp is getting food. As long as you feed fish , there are scraps available. Ive had mine 3 years and It hides in the very same spot. Everytime I feed, I see the antennas moving around like sopaghetti and it molts monthly assuring me it feeds

What he said! ^