How long does it take a new Cleaner Shrimp to clean?

[tennisace]

How long does it take a new Cleaner Shrimp to begin cleaning fish? I have a dwarf lion and just got a cleaner today (yes I gambled and came out on top because they have been within an inch of each other several times with no problems). When will he start to try to clean my zebra lion? Are there some cleaner shrimp that won't clean (jw)? The Zebra keeps going to him for a cleaning it looks like, and will turn his back, but the shrimp looks a little timid.

 

[ophiura]

I have bad news...it may never clean. May depend both on the shrimp and the fish but mine only gets to clean my hand

 

[tennisace]

Originally Posted by ophiura
I have bad news...it may never clean. May depend both on the shrimp and the fish but mine only gets to clean my hand

.........b....e....a....utiful. I hope he gets hungry and decides to clean the one fish that will not run (wouldn't even move when a grouper would lay on him constantly, and he wouldn't even sting the grouper).

 

[tennisace]

The lion is constandly laying on the rock near him, and keeps trying to get his attention by moving to differnt angles, but he isnt' threatening him or even eyeing him as a snack! PLZ CLEAN HIM! They are an inch apart, I didn't pay $20 for nothing...CLEAN NOW! Lol, I'm joking, actually all that is true, but I'm really not that impacient.

 

[lion_crazz]

Give him some time. It usually takes a few days for my neon gobies to accept a new fish to clean. It took them 4 days to start cleaning my kole tang. They never clean my lions though. My lions never seem to ask for it though, either. Good luck!
By the way, is that your lion in your avatar? If so, it is very nice. Do you have any more pics to post? How long have you had him?

 

[tennisace]

Originally Posted by lion_crazz
Give him some time. It usually takes a few days for my neon gobies to accept a new fish to clean. It took them 4 days to start cleaning my kole tang. They never clean my lions though. My lions never seem to ask for it though, either. Good luck!
By the way, is that your lion in your avatar? If so, it is very nice. Do you have any more pics to post? How long have you had him?
Yep that is him, I will get more pics once I stop adding rocks an moving stuff around, then the water will be clear. I've had him for maybe 3-4 months.

 

[lion_crazz]

awesome! Very nice fish.

 

[corally]

I have two cleaners that have been in my tank for months and have never cleaned anything except my hand.

 

[lion_crazz]

The weirdest thing is my neon gobies will never go close to my hand. All of the ones I have dealt with at work always came up and cleaned my hand, and these guys never come close. They do a great job on the fish though.

 

[hawthorn]

i had my cleaner shrimp in my tank for about 5 hours when it went and cleaned my firefish and and then my clowns but now 6 months later it doesnt seem to clean as often except when my hand is in the tank and it seems to go crazy chasing me round the tank.

 

[tennisace]

Well, after the lion pesters the shrimp to clean him, the shrimp finally goes and tries to clean him. But the first thing he goes for is the antenaes on the lions head, and the lion flinches a little (i bet it tickled) and the shrimp backs off. I know this relationship can work, now its a matter of the shrimp not being so afraid, and the lion no being ticklish.

 

[studly]

have u considered a cleaner wrase? much better then a shrimp.

 

[lion_crazz]

I disagree. In fact, I am strong believer that cleaner wrasses are another one of the fish that should be added to the "do not keep in captivity list" that is headed by moorish idols and parrotfish.
A cleaner wrasse would be a poor choice for mostly every tank under several hundred gallons because the only thing that they attain nutrition from is parasites, whereas neon gobies and cleaner shrimp do not need parasites to thrive.

 

[corally]

Originally Posted by lion_crazz
I absolutey disagree. A cleaner wrasse would be a poor choice for mostly every tank under several hundred gallons because the only thing that they attain nutrition from is parasites, whereas neon gobies and cleaner shrimp do not need parasites to thrive.

yes, so this greatly reduces their lifespan, dosen't it?

 

[lion_crazz]

The lifespan of the average cleaner wrasse in captivity is a couple of weeks to a month if you are lucky. There is one, maybe 2 posters on this board that I have seen have success with cleaner wrasses. They are the very rare exception. If you are keeping a 1000 gallon aquarium, that is a different story. Most of the people on this website however do not have tanks even close to that. Cleaner wrasses need a HUGE bioload to live.
What I do not understand is that when there are specimens such as neon gobies and cleaner shrimp readily available and inexpensive, why do people to continue to collect and recommend cleaner wrasses to people who have little knowledge as to what they are doing? It is just as easy to sell that person a neon goby or cleaner shrimp, and they will not have to deal with the anger and the upset feelings that they will when the cleaner wrasses dies in a few weeks.

 

[cowfishrule]

my cleaner shrimp only cleans my hand- i guess that means there is nothing in my tank that needs cleaning-

 

[mrdc]

My cleaner shrimps clean the heck out of most of my fishes. Anytime the fish are missing, you can look under a rock and there they are. Sometime 3 or more fish will be surrounding one shrimp. I'm getting my neons today (finally...well let me call the store to make sure they came in) and maybe they will give the shrimps a break. I would add another cleaner but they aren't cheap around here. The shrimps do wonders on the hands too

 

[my way]

Originally Posted by COWFISHRULE
my cleaner shrimp only cleans my hand- i guess that means there is nothing in my tank that needs cleaning-
Or you have dirty hands