cleaner shrimp attacking mushroom?

[fryeguy82]

Yesterday I witnessed my cleaner shrimp picking at the edge of one of my hairy mushrooms and it started to curl up (defensively). Today the edge of the mushroom seems dark, almost black. Is the shrimp attacking my mushroom or is something wrong with the mushroom and the "cleaner" shrimp is trying to clean it? I thought cleaner shrimp were reef safe. Has anyone else had a problem with cleaner shrimp attacking corals? Is the shrimp not eating enough? I feed the tank twice a day with flake and brine shrimp and it always eats? Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Chris

 

[2farNorth]

Cleaner shrimp can be a little 'rough' with corals and other critters when hunting for food. I've always had trouble feeding many of my corals because the cleaner shrimp would reach into the corals and pull food right out of their mouths.

My guess is that the Shroom had some food on it, and the cleaner was foraging for it....

You can try to hand feed your shrimp, (it's fun giving them a piece of Krill or small shrimp, and watch them pick it clean) it may slow it down a little at feeding time... but I've seen shrimp totally gorge themselves and feeding time, then minutes later, doing it again....

 

[fryeguy82]

Thanks! Should i be concerned for my corals?

 

[2farNorth]

I'd just keep an eye on them. I've never lost any corals from it, but I have stopped spot feeding my LPS and such because of it.....

It ticks them off more then anything,,,, well ticks me off also!!!

 

[suitsnakes]

i've had the same experience with my cleaner shrimp--he's an aggressive eater but he's never hurt my mushrooms or any other corals

 

[ryansweet]

I actually just had to move my cleaners into my FOWLR tank because of them and the pepperment shrimp eating my mushrooms. I haven't gotten the peps yet(they're a lot less trusting of my hand) but they are next to go. I thought they were both reef safe but apparently not in my house.

 

[tpdpercula]

I have some peppermint that are feeding on some of my acans. Makes me mad but they did take care of all my aptasias.

 

[Hand von Tod]

Old thread, but when I had a cleaner shrimp it'd seem to make an effort to walk all over one of my mushrooms. It'd also pick at the poor coral quite a bit. Overall, not a happy relationship. :blown:

 

[cablebox2003]

My cleaner shrimp doenst really mess wih my coral. I hand feed them everyday so they are feed good. Try hand feeding it.

 

[wchuck]

I put a couple of beautiful red mushrooms in my tank earlier this week. They opened up beautifully and were a great addition, but now they are mostly curled up and not looking well. I see my cleaner shrimp (red stripe) walking around on them a lot, as he does everything else in the tank. I also saw one of my small clowns pulling shrimp out of the head of a hammer (another new addition). I hate to get rid of the shrimp, because, you know... Jacques. I target fed the hammer yesterday (Rod's Food), to make sure it was happy in its new home, and then I see the clown routing around in there and comes out with a big piece of food. :-( Any suggestions on protecting the mushrooms? And are my clown fish (2) going to eat the hammer out of house and home?

 

[organism]

Holy ghost thread.

1. The mushrooms will get used to it.

2. You don't need to feed your hammer at all nor would I recommend doing so if you're a new hobbyist, but it sounds like until your clownfish are less hungry than your hammer then that's how it's gonna go.

 

[DerNaschkatze]

The shrimp was probably just picking at bits of food around the musroom. Shrooms are hardy anyway, so you shouldn't need to worry.

 

[MizTanks]

I always feed shrimp & fish first then corals.