fire shrimp or skunk cleaner shrimp?

[mike werner]

i'm a fan of both lasmata but was wondering what our member prefer?i have kept many skunk but only a few bloods over the years.i stopped buying the fire shrimp because the price verses visual time didn't add up.i have tons of rock and they seem to hide behind them only to appear at feeding time.the cleaners are almost always out.
I would love to see some pics of your shrimp in your tanks.hey we all love shrimp don't we?

 

[Crabs McJones]

i'm a fan of both lasmata but was wondering what our member prefer?i have kept many skunk but only a few bloods over the years.i stopped buying the fire shrimp because the price verses visual time didn't add up.i have tons of rock and they seem to hide behind them only to appear at feeding time.the cleaners are almost always out.
I would love to see some pics of your shrimp in your tanks.hey we all love shrimp don't we?

How big is the tank? I have one of each in my 40 breeder and they get along just fine. Mine hides most of the time as well, but if you look at the tank from the side you can usually see her hanging out behind the rockwork.

 

[davocean]

While fire shrimp are prettier, cleaners are more entertaining and maybe even more useful, so they get my vote

 

[jayala12]

[emoji1361] neither. One hides too much (blood) one is a jerk(cleaner) stealing food and walking all over corals [emoji19]

 

[mike werner]

[emoji1361] neither. One hides too much (blood) one is a jerk(cleaner) stealing food and walking all over corals [emoji19]

oh didn't expect that answer.just like in the real world lot's of jerks on the reef

 

[mike werner]

How big is the tank? I have one of each in my 40 breeder and they get along just fine. Mine hides most of the time as well, but if you look at the tank from the side you can usually see her hanging out behind the rockwork.

200 gal.maybe if I get 2 or 3 dozen i'll see on every so often.nice pic

 

[jayala12]

oh didn't expect that answer.just like in the real world lot's of jerks on the reef[/read that wrong sorry about that. Don’t mean to sound like a jerk.

 

[jda]

Those jerks that walk all over corals can/will also eat pests off of them.

 

[ronl]

For a tank that size, definitely get some of each. Cleaner shrimp is certainly out in the open more, but the fire shrimp is so pretty.

 

[saltyhog]

I have a 72x24 tank and I keep a pair of both. Fire shrimp have always gotten more out going the longer they've been in my tank.

 

[mike werner]

thanks saltyhog,ronl,jda,crabs mcjones,jayala12 davocean for your replies and pics.

 

[Eddie7144]

I say get both, true rhe blood will hide most of the time. I have a blood and a coral banded in my 150, almost never see the blood except at feeding time, but they sure are pretty.

 

[Reefaddict1979]

Yes the blood hides a lot more and I used to have both In my 265 but my cleaners disappeared. Maybe died of old age they where 4 years old or Maybe my blue throat got them

 

[Brian1f1]

Yes the blood hides a lot more and I used to have both In my 265 but my cleaners disappeared. Maybe died of old age they where 4 years old or Maybe my blue throat got them

I think four or five is near their typical lifespan.

 

[Holy_makerel]

Tried multiple species. Decided they all are jerks. I'd love to have one but they mess with LPS too much. Almost impossible to feed them without the shrimp stealing. Even if the shrimp are fed prior to the coral

 

[Reefaddict1979]

I think four or five is near their typical lifespan.

Didn’t know that. Maybe it wasn’t my trigger. They did coexist for 2 years

 

[vetteguy53081]

Blood Red gorgeous but also chemistry sensitive and not as active and sociable as the skunk cleaner

 

[BiggestE222]

oh didn't expect that answer.just like in the real world lot's of jerks on the reef

Have both. The cleaner very active especially when feeding tank. The blood shrimp rarely moves and loves to steal food from my clownfish when he ventures near.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Skunk more active and sociable

 

[HeyJay]

Skunk cleaner for me, since it's a much cheaper snack for my melanurus wrasse