Skunker Shrimp Eating Habits

[RaymondL]

I purchased a few Skunk Cleaner Shrimps, and out of the batch one likes to come up to feed as if it's a fish. For example, I put out some flakes along the surface and the shrimp comes up from and swims upside down and grabs the food from the surface, and grabs it and brings it down into the water and consumes it.

I thought shrimps are bottom feeders, unless they are and this isn't normal?

 

[exnisstech]

I've had them eat from my hand. It's not nearly as much fun as watching them rip food from out of the insides of my LPS tho. Just saying

EDIT: I only have one left and it has resorted to nocturnal eating. It will climb up on rocks and swim in the water column to catch food also. They'll pretty much do what ever is needed for a meal in my experience.

 

[Palmtree14]

Mine acts similarly. I feed pellets and as soon as they hit the water it swims to the upper column and grabs a couple.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I think scavenger is more appropriate than "bottom feeder". They will go to where the food is if its possible for them. Mine would climb the side of the glass to get pellets that had not sunk yet.

 

[RaymondL]

So 2 of the 3 shrimps do not like flake food even if I try to spot feed them...the other, completely eats the flake food from the surface of the tank, or spot feed.

I don't get it. I wonder if I should move the 2 to the same tank that I have the single one. Maybe there's something in the tank that the 2 aren't happy about?

 

[kevgib67]

They can be shy when first added to the tank. I added a new one and for about 3 weeks it just stayed behind the rock. It showed no active feeding . I did spot feed it mysis a couple times but I believe it was scavenging when the lights went off. Now it’s out and about and actively feeding with the other one.