Interesting Cleaner Shrimp Behavior

[JohnNYC8]

I got a cleaner shrimp a week ago and I fed Reef Nutrition pellets yesterday and the shrimp climbed up the side of the glass, went up to the top of the water and knocked all the pellets off the surface. It was like a meteor shower of food. The shrimp proceeded to head back to the sand to claim its prizes. Has anyone seen this before or is this a trick this shrimp learned at some point?

Here's a pic of the creative eater

 

[exnisstech]

They can be creative to get food. Mine loved to rip food out of LPS. They would dig down inside the coral trying to pull food out. I have one left that hides all the time. Once it's gone I'm done with them. I used to have to cover my lps to get food to them. Just not worth the trouble IMO

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

Normal. They are cool animals and mostly they live without fear of predation. You can get them to climb on your hands. If they get to cleaning your fingers. The part where they try and clean under your fingernails is a bit sensitive.

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

Once it's gone I'm done with them. I used to have to cover my lps to get food to them. Just worth the trouble IMO

I agree, ditching the LPS for a good shimp is a good move.

 

[Joe31415]

I used to have to cover my lps to get food to them. Just worth the trouble IMO

Feed the fish, *spot feed* the shrimp so it's distracted and then you have time to spot feed corals. Even if you need to go back and give the shrimp some more food.

 

[exnisstech]

I agree, ditching the LPS for a good shimp is a good move.

I meant the shrimp is gone once it dies not the LPS
The shrimp hasn't cleaned a fish in over 2 years and just hides all the time even tho it's the same fish that have been there for the entire time. Mostly tangs and and few smaller fish. Originally the shrimp were cool and would actually ride around on the Naso cleaning her. It was entertaining. After I moved to a slightly larger tank the shrimp just hid and never come out except at night.

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

I meant the shrimp is gone once it dies not the LPS
The shrimp hasn't cleaned a fish in over 2 years and just hides all the time even tho it's the same fish that have been there for the entire time. Mostly tangs and and few smaller fish. Originally the shrimp were cool and would actually ride around on the Naso cleaning her. It was entertaining. After I moved to a slightly larger tank the shrimp just hid and never come out except at night.

I know, I was teasing.

 

[exnisstech]

I know, I was teasing.

I thought but wasn't 100 % sure hence the wink

 

[reveriesh]

I agree, ditching the LPS for a good shimp is a good move.

I agree, ditching the LPS for a good shimp is a good move.

I agree, ditching the LPS for a good shimp is a good move.

 

[reveriesh]

I agree, ditching the LPS for a good shimp is a good move.

I’m with you on this! We have a bunch of cleaner shrimp (Scarlet Skunk, Fire & Peppermint) and we just adore them, not to mention our fish have never struggled with parasitic diseases. Our Scarlet Skunks actually regularly clean our fish…it’s so cool to watch. They serve an important purpose on the reef, and I’m appreciative of their efforts in our tank. In order to help keep them healthy, I also target feed them twice a day, when I feed the tank, some of the meaty foods the fish get. They jump on the doser like a baby holding a bottle!! It’s absolutely fantastic!! I couldn’t enjoy them anymore than I do. And because I keep them healthy they are constantly berried…which in turn feeds the tank. The only thing I’ll say is our peppermint shrimp are much more shy than the others, so if I was advising someone I’d so go for the skunk shrimp first, then the fire shrimp. And buy 2 as the are “protandric simultaneous hermaphrodites” meaning they change sexes as they molt and their partner can fertilize the eggs. And they actually have terrific little personalities!

 

[SeaweedLife]

My skunk cleaner is the same way… it parkours off of the glass and is basically a water ninja. They are very fun to watch at feeding time

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

I’m with you on this! We have a bunch of cleaner shrimp (Scarlet Skunk, Fire & Peppermint) and we just adore them, not to mention our fish have never struggled with parasitic diseases. Our Scarlet Skunks actually regularly clean our fish…it’s so cool to watch. They serve an important purpose on the reef, and I’m appreciative of their efforts in our tank. In order to help keep them healthy, I also target feed them twice a day, when I feed the tank, some of the meaty foods the fish get. They jump on the doser like a baby holding a bottle!! It’s absolutely fantastic!! I couldn’t enjoy them anymore than I do. And because I keep them healthy they are constantly berried…which in turn feeds the tank. The only thing I’ll say is our peppermint shrimp are much more shy than the others, so if I was advising someone I’d so go for the skunk shrimp first, then the fire shrimp. And buy 2 as the are “protandric simultaneous hermaphrodites” meaning they change sexes as they molt and their partner can fertilize the eggs. And they actually have terrific little personalities!

I always buy fire shrimp first. Super active all the time. Them and pom pom crabs are my top two reef critters and it's not really even close.

 

[Idech]

Mine has never cleaned any fish. It steals food from corals if I let it. As someone else said, once it’s gone, no more. It’s huge and healthy though so it might take a while…

 

[littlefoxx]

I got a cleaner shrimp a week ago and I fed Reef Nutrition pellets yesterday and the shrimp climbed up the side of the glass, went up to the top of the water and knocked all the pellets off the surface. It was like a meteor shower of food. The shrimp proceeded to head back to the sand to claim its prizes. Has anyone seen this before or is this a trick this shrimp learned at some point?

Here's a pic of the creative eater

Yeah mine did that and would swim like a fish for some frozen food in the water column… shrimps are super cool!

 

[Cichlid Dad]

I’m with you on this! We have a bunch of cleaner shrimp (Scarlet Skunk, Fire & Peppermint) and we just adore them, not to mention our fish have never struggled with parasitic diseases. Our Scarlet Skunks actually regularly clean our fish…it’s so cool to watch. They serve an important purpose on the reef, and I’m appreciative of their efforts in our tank. In order to help keep them healthy, I also target feed them twice a day, when I feed the tank, some of the meaty foods the fish get. They jump on the doser like a baby holding a bottle!! It’s absolutely fantastic!! I couldn’t enjoy them anymore than I do. And because I keep them healthy they are constantly berried…which in turn feeds the tank. The only thing I’ll say is our peppermint shrimp are much more shy than the others, so if I was advising someone I’d so go for the skunk shrimp first, then the fire shrimp. And buy 2 as the are “protandric simultaneous hermaphrodites” meaning they change sexes as they molt and their partner can fertilize the eggs. And they actually have terrific little personalities!

It's funny, even our shrimp have personality. I have coral banded, peppermint and a cleaner shrimp. I love all of them