Are Skunk Cleaner Shrimp Really Reef Safe?

[aastretch64]

I have 1 cleaner and 2 peppermint. The peppermints are nipping at my clam and I am trying to remove those pests before they kill my clam. In fact I think they might of stress/killed some of my new frags too. Anyway, I see my cleaner shrimp on some of my lps coral. Not sure if he is nipping, or cleaning, possilbly stealing food.

Is the cleaner shrimp safe, or can it, like the peppermint shrimp cause coral and clam damage?

Alex

 

[chuckydaphish]

I have never seen a cleaner shrimp do any damage to corals. I have herd of problems with peppermint shrimp though. I have observed the cleaner shrimp Cleaning coral but never any detromental activities. They do however like to eat cyclopese ansd other invert foods and I could possibly see them stealing food although have never wittnessed it

 

[Reefynewby]

again and again, there are misidentifications of camelbacks and peppermints (although i think they look quite different). Make sure you don't have a camelback, those AREN'T reef safe. As for cleaners, i dunno. My cleaners bother my GBTA a lot, walk all over it all night long, pick at it... etc. But no real damage, and corals, i've never seen him harm corals.

 

[weaselslucks]

my cleaner will ocasionally steal from my corals if i don't feed him first but other then that he leaves them alone

 

[keith1569]

my cleaner does not bother any of my corals

 

[aninjaatemyshoe]

Camel backs are definitely not reef safe. Small peppermint shrimp are, but I've heard that they can become a bit bothersome when larger, ie they will nip at certain things.