Mystery Wrasse question

[MBVette]

I couldnt stop myself from picking up a beautiful mystery wrasse from the LFS yesterday. It is one of my favorite fish, and this is a gorgeous one that is about 2'' long right now.

Just a question about it eating the shrimp in the tank. I have a couple cleaner and a few peppermint shrimp in there along with a pistol. I understand the cleaner and peppermints are likely to become dinner for the wrasse at some point. Will he go after the pistol? I dont mind the cleaner/peppermint going I like them but have no real attachment to them. I love my tiger pistol and would be pretty upset if he got eaten.

 

[inselaffe]

I have had mine for almost 2 years and he lives with a cleaner and a blood shrimp (both added before the wrasse) he is about 4 to 5" long so not small one and if anything he runs from the shrimp when they try to give him a clean.

Great fish, very shy at 1st but now bold as anything.

 

[MikeandNicole]

The rule of thumb is for mystery wrasses is if the shrimp are in the tank first, they should be ok. If you add shrimp after the wrasse is established, the wrasse might see it as a snack. My mystery has been with pistols and cleaners and I had no issues.

 

[lman]

My mystery has not bothered the skunk cleaner shrimp I'm my current tank. I have seen others eat shrimp. My shrimp were in the tank first.

 

[rssjsb]

Mine was in the tank for a good year before it realized that the shrimp in there with him might be good to eat. The first hint I had was when I saw him swimming around with antennae sticking out of his mouth.

 

[milkman55]

I think Mystery's get a bad rap. Mine is in with a six line, fire shrimp, cleaner shrimp, and a dozen other fish. He is a good citizen and leaves everything alone.

 

[29reef]

They will eat your shrimp in the long term. Very few never do. It's usually just a matter of time. Each fish is different.