Keeping a cleaner shrimp

[leopard_babe]

Never had one. Would love to try to keep one. I know that they CLEAN. What do they eat? Are they hardy? When can you add one? My tank is almost through cycling.
I am still working on a stock list. Can you keep one with a blue spotted puffer?

 

[pleasants9]

I dont know about a puffer, but I know mine gets super excited whenever mysis or prime reef enters the tank, he usually ends up getting blown around by the jets trying to grab the food before it sinks. Mine has seemed hardy, I have had hime for two weeks and hes been fine along witht he 2 peps that I got. From first day of adding water to the tank to the present has been 3 months, So at least that soon if not sooner. I just know they need iodine for molting, but i believe they can get the iodine through frequent water changes, could be wrong though. (I'm still fairly new just telling ya what i've experienced)

 

[leopard_babe]

I had a mean shrimp before, i don't know what kind it was. I remember the iodine thing, and never had a problem. Thanks for the reminder
That's cool. Thanks for the info

 

[fallensynner]

i doubt u can keep a puffer and a shrimp but there r always exceptions. cleaner shrimp r usually very easy to keep and hardy. mine mainly ate pellets, stuff off rocks, and cleaning the fish. one of my shrimps even got pregnant but i never got to see them release her kids because my parents lost the animals and got rid of the tank by then

 

[fallensynner]

ooo my tank had every type of chemical for the tank and every type of food source that a reef tank can have. so im sure that there would be no prob with the shrimp
that was one of the reasons my tank could stock almost any fish coral or invert we wanted

 

[weiser5150]

I have had my cleaner shrimp for 6 weeks and he has molted three times.He was tiny when i got him and now he is a big boy!I have a flame angel (a) and he has nipped at him once or twice.He eats flake,pellet and i have even seen him eat some brine.

 

[jharlow]

I typically hand feed both of mine a small piece of cut silversides or krill. They also will eat any food that is added to the tank, as well as scavenge.
Honestly out of the 60 living animals in my tank, the cleaner shrimp are my favorite (with my lobster a close second). I highly recommend them!

 

[forsfed50]

I wouldnt put a puffer with a cleaner shrimp.