Need fish purchase advice.

[jeebus]

I have a 37 gallon reef tank with lots of live rock. Current stock: Coral Banded Shrimp (large), Peppermint Shrimp (2), Skunk Cleaner Shrimp, Blue Damsel, Zebra Damsel, emerald crab, hermits and snails. I am primarily interested in getting a fish that will interact with the Cleaner shrimp, but not interfere with the rest of my critters. The fish I have now don't seem interested in being cleaned, but I don't want to throw a wrench in the works by adding a fish that will make everyone else miserable. Also would it be better to have more than one Cleaner? Thanks.

 

[carrie1429]

If the fish don't want to be cleaned then they don't need to be. Usually fish that have a parasite will always want to be cleaned. And yes it is better to have a pair of cleaner shrimp IMO.

 

[jeebus]

Do cleaner shrimp only eat parasites? What do they eat if my fish are already clean? Do I need to get a dirty fish?

 

[carrie1429]

Cleaner shrimp aren't picky eaters and will take most food you feed fish. Mine seem to like brine shrimp, zooplankton, blood worms, ect. Any food you feed the fish they like.

 

[ty@heidi]

cleaner shrimp will eat just about anything, including fish food. My cleaner shrimps have become so used to regular meals, that are intended for fish, that they have no desire to clean fish, why work for food when it comes right to you. Feel lucky your cleaner is not cleaning your fish, because that means you have healthy fish!

 

[nm reef]

You were asking what fish to get.....myself I'd look at returning the damsels and getting maybe a percula clown and a dwarf angel....I'd pick a coral beauty. Plenty of live rock and some selective corals.....man sounds like a nice 37 reef to me.
The only shrimp I've kept have been peppermints...but since I've removed a pest of a formosa wrasse I may look at a pair of cleaners......

 

[fishfood]

NM - When and why did you remove the wrasse? Also how much was it if you don't mind telling.
I also agree about removing the damsels. Its not necessary but if you go for what NM mentioned i would remove them. As for other fish to add if you don't want to remove them i'm not sure. Possibly a royal gramma, Cardinal, or even the angel that NM mentioned but I would only add one of the above.

 

[nm reef]

Fishfood....the story of the red coris/formosa wrasse is a long one.
Short version is my wife purchased what was called a red coris that was brightly colored and very small. We added it to the reef "without" knowing for certain if it was safe....and we didn't know if it was a red coris or a formosa...when juvinile they look very much alike. It eventually became a pest....munching crabs....digging in the sand...stirring things up.....and its about 4"-5" long ...still not mature enough for positive ID and in general not a fish I want in my reef. He now lives in my fish only 58 gal system with his new friends...a 6" yellow tang and a 5" niger trigger. In there he can disturb the sand all he wants and he's never been interested in snails....which is all I keep in that system(no crabs).
Bummer is I still don't know which it is for certain...coris or formosa...but he did become a pest.I've located several sources of info on both...and mine has not matured enough to really tell for sure...but I do believe its likely a formosa. Initial cost over a year ago was about $30....I think.

 

[fishfood]

I remember the discussions on here about what it actually was. I am not to familiar with them to know the difference but really love what they look like also, but do not have a tank for that type of fish. My lfs recently had one for $15 and i thought that was very cheap. No one ever bought it and it was there for about a month and a half. It eventually died in the small little division in the tank. I was bumbed out when i saw it.