Does a CBS east parasites??

[dilb1021]

I have to coolest CBS in town, and hes stuck thro thick and thin. My only question is that if one of my fish contracts Ick or some type of parasidic disease, will he pick them off and eat them?? This website actually says they will, but most say they wont. Also, do the relaly eat algaE? eveyone says they eat only meaty foods? Im confused.....

 

[sistrmary]

Mine picks parasites from my lionfish, but not all of them do, it just depends on the shrimp

 

[musipilot]

Well...it does depend on the CBS as posted above, but also on the tankmates. In an aggressive tank with few occupants, they will pick parasites, especially if they are the only shrimp in the tank. In a large community/reef tank, especially with cleaner shrimp or wrasses, they will play bad boy, hanging on the rocks and waiting for meaty foods, flake, or whatever floats by.

 

[marco333]

Hey dilb
I have no clue

 

[j21kickster]

Mary- so your lion has parasites? i wouldnt rely on the CBS to cure him.

 

[sistrmary]

He had parasites in his mouth when I first got him. I couldn't even see them (how often does a healthy fish sit with its' mouth open?) until the CBS walked over towards the radiata. The CBS was about two inches away, and the radiata slung open its' mouth and waited for the CBS to come pick him. The lion stayed there with its' mouth open for about 5 minutes while the CBS was furiously messing around inside its' mouth. I assume it was parasites. I didn't get closer to look because I didn't want to frighten the lionfish into chomping down on the CBS.
The lionfish is healthy, eats regularly and is growing rather rapidly for a lionfish. (IME they're kind of slow growers.) I've had him over a year and he's thriving. I don't want to add anything that my tanks don't specifically need if I don't absolutely have to. If it's still got parasites, they're not affecting it and they're not spreading.