Shrimp obsessed fish?

[judith]

Since my juv Koran Angel and Domino damsel have discovered the new shrimp in my 92 gal tank they continually try to get the poor guys attention. They posture in front of them and stand perfectly still. Are they trying to get cleaned or are they threatening the shrimp? I have one 3 inch Fire shrimp who barely gets any piece. The fish wedge themselves under the piece of live rock and just hang out next to him. The little 1 inch peppermint shrimp were completely intimidated when the two of them stood in front of him. Will they calm down or eventually eat the shrimp???

 

[duke13]

This is what the fish are doing:
The Angel looks to the Damsel and they knod their heads at each other. Then, they simultaneously yell....
"GROPE ME!!!"
Ok, maybe not exactly like that. Your fish are waiting for a cleaning. Fire Shrimp don't proactively clean like Scarlett Skunk Cleaner Shrimp. Get yourself a Cleaner Shrimp and your fish will love you.

 

[stanlalee]

Fire shrimps instincts to clean arent as high as other cleaner fish but mine will gladly clean any fish that stands in front of his den. Right now the only fish I have that goes in for a cleaning is a lawnmover blenny. matter of fact he cleans the blenny anytime he's sitting still close by wether he wants it or not. the other fish are too small to let him mount them.

 

[danedodger]

Yeah I agree with the others. The fish are just asking to be cleaned.
Fish can be goofy about that! I put a 1.5" purple lobster into my tank at work and before the poor guy had barely hit the substrate the coral beauty in there was cozying up right next to him doing that "swimming in one spot shimmying" kind of thing begging for a cleaning. After trying a few times the CB figured out he wasn't going to get it I guess because he stopped.

 

[judith]

Thanks for the replies. I will be getting some cleaner shrimps to satisfy my guys' urges. They were already behaving a little better today, although I have lost sight of those 5 Peppermint shrimp I just put in..... Let's hope it is the big tank and they are just hiding in the rock work.

 

[tormented]

I have a skunk and a fire shrimp and the skunk rarely cleans anyone but the fire shrimp does it alot. Kinda backwards it seems.

 

[murph]

I have a yellow Tang that constantly "request" cleaning from a CBS. The most he has ever gotten out of the deal was a pinch on the nose from the CBS but he still lines up several times a day in hopes of a cleaning.
Yellow tangs are puppy like stupid, especially when juvies. Its a miracle they survive out in the wild.

 

[wax32]

My fire shrimp cleans my yellow tang and my damsel. I think mine is pretty rare though, from listening to other's stories.