Cleaner shrimp wont clean

romeofoeve

romeofoeve

Member
i purchased a scarlet cleaner about 2 weeks ago and after he was acclimated he was cool and cleaned. he had his antennae bit off by a puffer (the puffer is long gone) about a week ago and is now kinda shy and wont clean. my maroon clown and coral beauty angel go up to it and rub its antennae but all it does it just sit there or retract from them. 1) will his antennae grow back after molting? 2) will he be enthusiastic about cleaning again? and 3) will the addition of another shrimp aid in his shynedd problem, if so which kind?
Thanks
 
romeofoeve

romeofoeve

Member
do you think i should isolate it or anything else i can do to help him feel safer? i currently have 2 fish (maroon and CB angel) and they wont inflict harm unto him
 
clown52

clown52

Member
This is a guess but could you trick it by quarentining it for a couple days then reintroducing it into the tank?
 
romeofoeve

romeofoeve

Member
im afraid it will cause it alot more stress. its starting to touch around on my angel a bit when it appriaches the shrimp, time and patience i guess. ill give it time, time to feel comfortable with my current fish. i asked my lfs if the puffer would b a problem, it was a hawaiian blue dot puffer, and he assured it wouldnt do anything. the 3rd day it probably got annoyed from the shrimp feeling it up with its antennae and probably bit them off. it even tried to eat my hermit crabs, what a punk!
 
clarkiiboi

clarkiiboi

Active Member
1) yes it should, but it may take a few molts. 2) Most likely, the puffer probably gave it a good scare. Puffers do eat inverts, thats why they are not considered a reef safe fish. 3) You could add another cleaner shrimp that may help, I have always heard they do better in pairs also. Now that the threat is gone (the puffer) the shrimp should come around. Dont expect it to always be on your fish though. Added bonus with having 2 cleaners is one or the other seems to always be carrying eggs, so thats kind of a free treat for the tank.
 
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