My cleaner shrimp have 9 lives

[rcreations]

So I have these 3 cleaner shrimp that according to everything I read should have been eaten many times over. I've had 1 of them for like 2 years, the other 2 also for a long time, maybe a year. Now get this... these shrimp have been in the tank with the following fish over their lifetime: humu trigger, niger trigger x2, golden puffer, australian tusk, lunare wrasse, dogface puffer, goldenheart trigger, plus other fish I won't list because they are reef safe. But if what everyone says is true, then why are my shrimp still alive? And they don't hide either, they are in plain view during the day, very easy for one of these fish to get them.

 

[brianbeme80]

Cool! That is weird, casue I put a cleaner in my reef, with nothing in it (that I know of) and it was gone the next day... ha

 

[sk8shorty01]

--,
I believe some fish recognize the white antenae of the cleaner shrimp and thus know that they are cleaners and not a snack. It probably depends on where the fish come from, as those with cleaners in their local systems would be more apt to recognize them as such and leave them be. Now of course this is not always the case, but I have had quite a few eels that would eat shrimp as their meals but then turn around and let my cleaners climb into their mouths and clean their teeth.

 

[rcreations]

I'm pretty sure that's why they're not killing these shrimp, they recognize them as beneficial. That and the fact that these shrimp are huge.

 

[crypt keeper]

That is nuts! I have peppermint shrimp. I was thinking about adding a couple cleaners. Will they fight?

 

[birkhoferfan15]

Can you put cleaners and or peppermint with an arrow crab?

 

[ca161406]

i always wanted to add a cleaner shrimp in hope it wld be left alone to do its job. buuut just havent cashed out to risk it

 

[rcreations]

I'm pretty sure cleaners and peppermint shrimp get along because my LFS has them in the same tank. If you decide to give them a try, I advise to buy the largest ones they have and introduce them at night when your fish are asleep. If you just drop them in during the day, they might think its food as a first instinct.

 

[flower]

Originally Posted by RCreations
http:///forum/post/3032406
I'm pretty sure cleaners and peppermint shrimp get along because my LFS has them in the same tank. If you decide to give them a try, I advise to buy the largest ones they have and introduce them at night when your fish are asleep. If you just drop them in during the day, they might think its food as a first instinct.
+1 on getting the biggest you can get.