Periclimenes spp - Cleaners in the Wild?

[driftin]

Or I guess more relevant, are they cleaners in a captive environment?

Purchased a glass anemone shrimp a while ago, Periclimenes spp. I need to research it a bit further to get a better identification, but it's not a pedersoni or brevicarpalis, for starters. Last night I caught one of our dwarf angels trying to get a cleaning. Couldn't tell how happy the shrimp was about that...

I've found a couple references to them being cleaners in the wild but they all seem to refer to the P pedersoni. Is it a common trait in the whole species?

 

[LeslieH]

Only some species are cleaners. Usually you can tell which ones because they stay in prominent positions to advertise their services.

 

[driftin]

Thanks Leslie. I think I'll be spending part of the holiday weekend trying to get a more definitive identification.

 

[charlesr1958]

I have a few Periclimenes photo detailed within the below link :

http://www.chucksaddiction.com/Caridean.html

Chuck

 

[driftin]

Great photos Chuck. I may be changing my mind. It looks identical to the brevicarpalis on your site. http://www.chucksaddiction.com/car007.html

Makes me wonder if many of the images I was pulling up on a google search are either mis-identified or are pregnant females? Most of them look squatter and with additional white spots on the abdomen. This site is a pretty typical example. [interesting side note, our shrimp has also opted for a frogspawn]

 

[charlesr1958]

A great many amateur photos online are inaccurate which is why I've stopped using "google" and instead rely upon the experts such as Leslie.
I'm not at all surprised that your shrimp has taken to your coral, this is a very common species and I've found them amongst a great many different corals and anemone. The white patterns are also a bit variable as well, as they are in many different species which lead me to make the effort of doing detailed photos of their anatomy as such details are really needed to be positive, or more positive..lol, of an ID.

Chuck