Scared Cleaner Shrimp?

[MichaelReefer]

So I picked up my first Cleaner Shrimp on Sunday, and the little bugger just hides under the rocks and in the back. I've seen him one time since the day I added him, and that was only because his antenna were poking out from behind the rocks. Has anyone experienced a cleaner shrimp that is so skiddish? Most of the ones ive seen in tanks are always out at their little cleaner station.

 

[romperstomper]

mine hides most of the time although I can hand feed him ,food should encourage him out ,maybe your fish are a bit nippy with him .

 

[ScottR]

Probably still acclimating. This is common with new additions to the tank but hopefully you acclimated it to the tank properly. Inverts can be picky at first.

 

[Redfoxtang]

I have 2 and mine always hide under the rock. I don’t think I’ve ever seen them out except when the lights are off.

 

[LIreefguy]

remember shrimps are low on the food chain. so these animals normally hide when scared, once they get used to your tank and feel safer it will be out and about. as others said feeding it often will help. i spot feed my lps with a turkey baster and my cleaners have quickly realized food is coming when they see it enter the tank and attack it.
its both cute and annoying

 

[ScottR]

remember shrimps are low on the food chain. so these animals normally hide when scared, once they get used to your tank and feel safer it will be out and about. as others said feeding it often will help. i spot feed my lps with a turkey baster and my cleaners have quickly realized food is coming when they see it enter the tank and attack it.
its both cute and annoying

In the wild, cleaner shrimps will help to clean extremely aggressive animals such as groupers. I find that they are quite bold in fact. They’ll even jump on me when I stick my arm in the tank.

 

[LIreefguy]

yes i know what they do in the wild. but that doesn't mean shrimp arent scared when put in a bag, flown around the world, then put in a small tank, then put in another bad then put in a little glass tank.

many fish are aggressive in the wild, but when put in a tank with new fish are scared at first. didnt say they will be scared forever, just said once they feel comfortable they will come out

 

[MichaelReefer]

I drip acclimated him for an hour with tank water. I guess I will give him a few days, but I dont think he's even eaten.

 

[Jet915]

What kind of fish do u have in the tank? Ive got a few wrasses and my shrimp hide during the day but once lights are out, they come out.

 

[MichaelReefer]

What kind of fish do u have in the tank? Ive got a few wrasses and my shrimp hide during the day but once lights are out, they come out.

Two Clowns, one Wrasse, and a Pink Spotted Goby

 

[GThompson]

Mine hid for a week when I first got them. My fire shrimp almost a month. They will come around just give them a little while

 

[MichaelReefer]

Well, got home from work yesterday and Mr.Shrimp was dead in the corner of the tank. Not quite sure what happened? He was alive the night before. Stress perhaps? I acclimated him close to an hour in a drip. Did I do anything wrong? All parameters are good, all my fish are healthy, fat and eating.

 

[W1ngz]

Are you sure it's the whole shrimp and not just a moult? Have a good look around in all the holes and crevices.

 

[Jet915]

Yeah, sometimes it's the moult.

 

[Jon Fishman]

I didn’t see a pair of them for 4 months, until I tore the tank down. Forgot I had them. They pretty much just hide.

 

[MichaelReefer]

Are you sure it's the whole shrimp and not just a moult? Have a good look around in all the holes and crevices.

Yeah...I grabbed him with my pinchers and he just hung there lifeless. Didn't seem like it was a malt.

Would his antenna be attached to the malt?

 

[romperstomper]

Yes and they often moult after a move or tank water changes ,just cut the moult in half and see

 

[MichaelReefer]

Yes and they often moult after a move or tank water changes ,just cut the moult in half and see

I flushed what I thought was the Shrimp because it did look like a dead shrimp. I will look around tonight and see if I can find him, my girlfriend and looked around a bit without moving things and didn't see him. His legs flopped around and he looked like it was falling apart but I will double check.

 

[W1ngz]

A moult has everything, legs, body and antenna. They’re pretty soft after that so they usually hide for a day or two.

 

[jeffchapok]

I've never had any luck with cleaner shrimp. If yours is indeed dead and you're not absolutely set on another one, try a banded coral shrimp instead. Mine is very active. He's always out bebopping around the tank.