Oh where or where did my cleaner go?

[PatMayo]

I purchased a cleaner shrimp about a week ago. I acclimated him to the tank and he looked just fine for a day.

The problem is now I can't find him. I have looked high and low.
I have lots of live rock so there are many, many nooks and crannies for him to hide.

But, and here's where it could get sinister, I have about 5 or 6 fairly large blue legged hermits and a couple of them are sporting snail shells. Yup they are not sharing the shell with the snail.

My question is do you think the shrimp is just a good hider or do you think the hermits took him out?

Regards,

Pat

 

[Wolverine]

Cleaner shrimp are usually a lot faster than hermits, and can hold their own (I've seen cleaners and peppermints kill and eat bluelegs).

If he's molted, which isn't uncommon when first put into a new tank, they can hide for a few days while the new body hardens up.

They're also good at hiding. Before we moved, we would go for days without seeing our cleaner shrimp in our 46g. We didn't see a peppermint shrimp in the same tank for several months at a time.

Check out the tank at night. Get red cellophane and put it over a flashlight (or we had it wrapped over an extra fluorescent fixture that I would set on the tank). Often they can be more active at night.

Dave

 

[PatMayo]

Thank You,

That makes me feel a little better.

I'll take that advice.

Regards,

Pat

 

[Blazer88]

I didn't see mine for a few days when I first put him in. Give it some time, it is likely to show up.

 

[adamsky27]

Mine crawled out of the tank. Found it 2 days later on the floor behind it.