Attack of the Killer Cleaners

interex216

Member
Has/does anyone else had their cleaner shrimp literally attack your hand as soon as you stick it in the tank? My cleaners are getting rather large and well.. when they try to "clean" its feeling more and more like pinching and less like gentle cleaning lol. This last week when i feed my corals my 2 cleaners charge my hand and go to town. I guess i had a cut one day when i stuck my hand in because they drew blood!
Its become apparent my fish dont like being cleaned much lately since both skunk cleaners are larger than any of em lol. If this has happened to you lets hear your stories ^^
 

barracuda1

Member
The shrimp aren't attacting, that's just their version of cleaning. there trying to remove skin that they believe is dead but it's not so you feel it
 

rune

Member
We have a single skunk and he does that. We started target feeding our fish from a turkey baster when we realized the majority of it was going straight into the overflow box. Now whenever you stick the baster in the water he comes swimming 90 miles an hour through the water and jumps on the baster. He puts his tiny arms in the hole and shovels food into his mouth. It's cute, he is such a pig!
He also cleans under our nails and likes to pinch (clean) whenever he gets a chance. :) I love my cleaner, he is probably my favorite critter in the tank right now.
 

drrty

New Member
My cleaner shrimp has now assassinated 6 fish. He gets so aggressive in his cleaning, he kills them. I can't wait to get rid of him. My beloved African Firefish...dead. The Black Clown I waited 6 months to get...dead. 2 new Firefish I got last week....dead.
 

rune

Member
Thats the strangest thing i've ever heard. Are you sure the fish weren't sick to begin with and it just looks like the shrimp was the cause?
 

shaunalynna

Member
My peppermints do this to me
they always seem to be after my hand when I am doing something inside the tank. I have yet to feel it but he is still small.
 

drrty

New Member
Originally Posted by Rune
http:///forum/post/2749013
Thats the strangest thing i've ever heard. Are you sure the fish weren't sick to begin with and it just looks like the shrimp was the cause?

Positive.
He goes on some sort of John Wayne Gacy episodes where he will wipe out a couple fish over a 2 or 3 day period. Then he mellows out for a month or so.
 
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