cleaner shrimp questions

[sir_dudeguy]

first, are they really what they're talked up to be as far as cleaning, and cleaning the fish?

second, would a flame hawkfish, flame angel, and/or a sixline wrasse cause any problems w/one? I would, of course, try to get the biggest shrimp i can.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Re: cleaner shrimp questions

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7717184#post7717184 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sir_dudeguy
first, are they really what they're talked up to be as far as cleaning, and cleaning the fish?

second, would a flame hawkfish, flame angel, and/or a sixline wrasse cause any problems w/one? I would, of course, try to get the biggest shrimp i can.

My Cleaner shrimps never scrub the kitchen floor but they do a great job on the fish in my aquarium.
A hungry Flame Hawk might eat any type of smaller shrimp.

 

[sir_dudeguy]

k i'll prolly be getting one then...i've seen some of them that are bigger than flame hawks, so i'll try to get one thats big like that...a few other people have said that as long as the fish/invert is the same size or bigger than the hawk, the hawk prolly wont do anything to it..specially if its well fed..which i do overfeed my fish a little bit lol.

 

[Gary Majchrzak]

Just a tip:
Stenopus cleaner shrimps will usually only clean very large fishes.
Get a Lysmata spp. cleaner shrimp.
Commonly called a "Skunk" or "Scarlet" cleaner.
Get a pair. They will feed your aquarium continuously with their spawnings (zooplankton).

 

[sir_dudeguy]

ya thats the one i was thinking of...i had no clue there was another...but the skunk one is the one w/the white body and the red stripe(s) going down its back right? and ya, i was thinkin of getting a pair, but they are kinda expensive, so i might not...hopefuly someone close will give theirs up for cheaper than lfs (cant pay 50 bucks for 2 shrimp lol)

 

[Ryanqk]

I've had mine for quite some time and occasionally he will do a physical on my other small fish, but generally mine will eat whatever food i put in the tank, even swimming upside down to grab floating bits of food. He also will scavenge anything the other tankmates miss. He is kinda greedy and has grown huge in my tank. He's one of the first to investigate anything new i put in the tank. He's been a great lil guy to have in the tank. I dont think they get any bigger than the one i have, he is a couple inches in body lenght alone.