Cleaner shrimp not cleaning :(

[soulfish]

Ok he's been in there a week and neither the fish nor the shrimp seem to be paying their way! I must have a lazy cleaner right? Or will this guy actually do more than hang upside down on the HOB skimmer return?

 

[privatejoker]

Some cleaner shrimp have no interest in cleaning. You may have one that won't clean, it happens.

 

[gmann1139]

Give it patience. It won't clean until its comfortable. Could take days, weeks, or even months.

 

[yearofthenick]

It's funny - my bigger cleaner never does anything, but the smaller one is my hero... I've never seen him NOT cleaning...
I've also heard from others that it's more common to find that smaller cleaners work harder than the bigger ones.

 

[spiderwoman]

My 2 in the 75 are NUTS! They both race to my hand any time I'm arranging corals around. They are not shy at all and I have to shoo them off. Sometimes the Fire shrimp joins them and I'll have 3 large shrimp picking on my fingers and hand. They are a lot of fun for sure!

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by SoulFish
http:///forum/post/2725227
Ok he's been in there a week and neither the fish nor the shrimp seem to be paying their way! I must have a lazy cleaner right? Or will this guy actually do more than hang upside down on the HOB skimmer return?

Do you have any fish large enough for it to clean?
What species of Cleaner Shrimp? Some are less likely to clean than others.

 

[soulfish]

This is the kind of cleaner I have . The fish in the tank are a Foxface about 4", Tomani Tang 3" & a Flame Hawk 2". I know the foxface tried to swim up to him once, but he shrimp just sat there as if to say what thhe hell do you think your doing

 

[spiderwoman]

That's a Skunk Cleaner. Mine are those too.

 

[srfisher17]

Your cleaner shrimp just joined a good Union.

 

[bang guy]

The Foxface is a prime candidate to be cleaned. Try hand feeding it regularly and see if it becomes more friendly.
Skunk Cleaners are THE most likely shrimp to be cleaning fish.

 

[aquaguy24]

Originally Posted by gmann1139
http:///forum/post/2725257
Give it patience. It won't clean until its comfortable. Could take days, weeks, or even months.

..be patient..it'll be one of the most active things in ur tank after time...

 

[sepulatian]

They don't always clean. Some won't at all. Try hand feeding it as Bang suggested. Put a small amount of food in your hand, keep your hand cupped while it goes into the water, open it next to him and let the shrimp eat the food from your hand. Is there a situation or do you just want him to "clean"?

 

[aquaknight]

Some skunks clean, most don't, and some that do, end up stopping. In the home aquarium, it's far easier for the shrimp to pick up leftover scraps of food (or steal food, from corals usually), then to actively hunt and clean overzealous fish.

 

[fishy7]

i had one skunk in the tank and he was LAZY. I have large tangs that would pull up for service and he just turned away. Then, I added a few more and then he had a different approach. They all started cleaning like they were supposted to.

Try adding a few more?

 

[aquaguy24]

all the cleaner shrimp i had or have cleaned even my fire shrimp cleans..not all will clean i guess i got lucky..