cleaner shrimp chasing fish

dampkring9

Member
I recently added a six-line to my tank, about an inch and a half. Every time the shrimp and him get close to each other; the cleaner shrimp darts at him and will TRY to chase him for a second. I've noticed him doing it to my clown fish a few times but no where near how he acts with the wrasse. Anyone seen this type of behavior before? If anything I thought it was going to be the wrasse going after the shrimp. Also the wrasse doesn't seem to care much, he just swims off and doesn't go hide in the rock.
 
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karnivor

Guest
My cleaner shrimp kinda does that but what I think he's trying to do is clean the parasites off the fish, he cleans my tang all the time, and the clowns are trying to get used to it but are slow to cross over. Cleaners are pretty tame as far as I know I think you just have a dirty wrasse lol
 
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saxman

Guest
one of the potential troubles with cleaner shrimp is that they can be insistent to the point of harassment. i'm surprised it's after your wrasse tho...they're fast movers, and this usually happens with slower fish.
do you give the shrimp supplemental feedings? it might be starving.
 

mrdc

Active Member
Originally Posted by saxman
http:///forum/post/3272320
do you give the shrimp supplemental feedings? it might be starving.
I was thinking the same thing. Mine have always tried to approach whatever fish comes near them since I believe that is their nature but they won't chase a fish. They have also learned not to go near the hawkfish that likes to be left alone. I would try to send some food towards the shrimp and see if that makes him stop chasing.
 

flower

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by karnivor
http:///forum/post/3272257
My cleaner shrimp kinda does that but what I think he's trying to do is clean the parasites off the fish, he cleans my tang all the time, and the clowns are trying to get used to it but are slow to cross over. Cleaners are pretty tame as far as I know I think you just have a dirty wrasse lol

LOL...+1
Sometimes it takes a bit of chasing before the fish figure out the shrimp is a friend. Mine takes rides on the sand sifting goby across the tank. I have even seen the fish spread their gills real wide for them to clean out.
 

dampkring9

Member
yep I watch him eat mysis, brine, and pellets. havnt seen him chase tonight yet so hopefully it will stop or maybe just a getting to know each other deal.
 
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