I've just about had it with my cleaner shrimp!!!

[jjboods]

All he does is sit on or near my alveopora all day so it doesn't fully extend. When it does decide to move, it is only to steal food away from my bubble tip anemone!!!! It doesn't seem to CLEAN anything!! It is a pretty cool looking addition to the tank, but what else is it good for? Is there anything that can be done to correct its behavior...other than taking it back to the LFS...which I am very close to doing anyway?

 

[newreefers]

my cleaner will actually hop onto my tang and ride him around the tank and clean him. it also cleans the corals and lr. maybe you have one of those 'mentaly challenged pets' we hear about. LOL how long have you had him?

 

[jjboods]

I've had him for a few months. I suppose he could be cleaning the alveopora...but all day, every day??? Never goes near a single fish.

 

[jonthefb]

if hes not goign near your fish, thats definately a good thing because it means that there are not any parasites on your fish, and therefore no need to clean them. as for it sitting on your alveopora, im willing to guess it will eventually get used to him and return to normal size. i dont think its harming your coral, but if your coral is on the decline, it could simply be eating any of the dead/decaying tissue
good luck
jon

 

[musipilot]

Send him to me. We run a halfway house for wayward shrimp.

 

[shadow678]

ROFL
Musipilot's Shrimp Recovery Clinic. Where your shrimp can learn to respect themselves and others, and get started back down the right path.

 

[slick]

I love mine they picked off a spot of ick off my coral beauty

 

[jarre]

Hi, my name is cleaner shrimp and I'm a recoverying do nothing! LOL

 

[mmslue79]

LOL that's all I have to say.

 

[donkeykong]

Some cleaners wont take to cleaning your fish. It could simple get enough food from scraps and not want to bother with fish or it tried and was given a not so warm welcome and gave up.

 

[jjboods]

Sounds like everyone's opinion is to leave him be...or send him to them...LOL!!! What about the issue of him stealing food from the Anemone?

 

[saltyrich]

I would not worry about the anemone. I know that some people will cringe when I say this, but I believe that anemones should not be fed as often as they are. I read a few posts and talked with some people in my area about feeding anemones and they suggested only feeding them manually about every two-three weeks. Unfortunately, I've killed a few anemones in the past, but my current anemone is thriving and I only feed him every 2 1/2 weeks. He gets other sources of food when I feed the fish along the way. He is really growing. I would not worry about the shrimp taking his food.

 

[jjboods]

Well...I know I might get reprimanded for this, but I only feed my fish pellet food and frozen Formula II. I also add phyto for the corals and anybody else that wants it.

 

[donkeykong]

JJboods how is your hippo and kole tangs doing together? I am considering those two for my 80gl.

 

[jjboods]

No problem at all. The Kole is about 3-4 inches and the Hippo is about 2 inches. The hippo, however, can be a prblem when I try to feed my corals any meaty treats. You will definitely need to feed the corals at night if your hippo develops a taste for whatever you give the corals...silversides in my case.