Different kinds of CLeaner Shrimp?

[saltysteven]

i was at a LFS and the owner was telling about his cleaners coming in the next day were the best ones from xmas island and they were better than the other cleaners you would see in other stores.
I asked how you can tell the difference and he said-
they arent as see through and they constantly inspect the fish in the tank (cleaning them) .
the other not so good cleaners just kind of lay around and they dont clean the fish really at all.

he was selling his GOOD cleaners for $29 each about 2-3 inches
another store down the road has cleaners for 15 about 1 inch

anyone heard of different kinds of cleaners before???

 

[Tennyson]

well there are the Fire Shrimp and the Skunk Cleaner Shrimp.

There are some variations of these two species depending on where they are from. I think Skunk Cleaners from the carribean have a different design on their tail while the other ones are normal.

I'm not sure though. Post pics up if you get one.

 

[RicksReefs]

there are two species of skunk cleaner shrimp
Lysmata amboinensis from the pacific and 99% of what you see in shops
and Lysmata grabhami from the carribean.

 

[arteaction]

I have a 5 in fire shrimp that would love to clean. He is constantly trying to clean the fish but they won't let him. He goes up to them and then will shy off. He will go up to me when he sees me where ever I am looking and will take species of shrimp from my hand but is skiddish around the fish. Go figure.

Have a coral banded shrimp also. They say they are cleaners but they are NOT. Good for bottom clean up but He was terrorizing the tank at least until he stood up to my blue spotted jawfish. Now he is not so mean anymore with one large claw.

Ive seen skunk cleaners in the store always cleaning. I am sure either species will do the job better than mine.

 

[Rendos]

There is a cleaner called a kuekenthali cleaner shrimp/lysmata kuekenthali.
This is a picture from a google search...not mine, but I do have one in my 240.

 

[saltysteven]

no no these i speak of are skunk cleaner- the guy tells me there are different versions and hes getting the best from christams tree island. they are not fire shrimp nor kuekenthali cleaner shrimp/lysmata kuekenthali

just your reg skunk cleaner

could it be possible that he getting the rare 1% Lysmata grabhami ?

 

[Tennyson]

Probably. That would be my guess.

 

[Tennyson]

Just to support my answer. I did a little search and christmas tree island is in the carribean so I'm pretty sure it'd be the lysmata grabhami that are occasionally on Divers den of liveaquaria.

I'd go for it and buy them just cuz they're rare...if it's the grabhami.

 

[philter4]

There are some variation in locale, as far as difference in cleaning I don't believe that is a factor, I have L grabhami, and I've collected L amboensis from HI and there is no difference in behavior, but there are at least 10 species of Lysmata so there are bound to be species that do not clean as well as others.

It is easy to tell the 2 skunk types apart, the amboensis have white spots on the tail, and grabhami have white stripes on the tail, once you have seen the difference there is no mistaking the two.

 

[RicksReefs]

christmas island is in the area of borneo and sumatra. northwest of australia. not iin the caribbean.

 

[Tennyson]

Oh yea, I have to improve my researching skills :/ sorry.