Searching for a shrimp

[jonnybravo22]

Can anyone offer (experience based) insight?

I want a shrimp to add some character to my tank but it needs to meet a few criteria.

1) i dont want to have to feed it individually (which rules out harlequin i believe)
2) i want it to help eat scraps from when i feed my fish frozen / pellets and help mix up the sand bed a little bit
3) needs to not attack / bother clownfish or an anemone (gigantea)

From what i've read so far I'm thinking these are my options (in order of preference)

a) bumble bee (Gnathophyllum americanum) - dont know downsides on this so far
b) sexy (Thor amboinensis) - but hear they dont move the sand and might compete for anemone with clowns
c) cleaner (Lysmata amboinensis) - but i fear they might be most violent

 

[jonnybravo22]

should add i have a shallow sand bed (<1 inch in most places)

 

[kyrin01]

Just go with the cleaner IMO. They are awesome scavengers and have great personality. they will even clean your hand everytime it goes in the tank once they get used to you. ( a day or 2)

 

[iamwhatiam52]

Bumblebee is VERY small and hides most of the time. Very cool though when you do see them.

Sexy shrimp are out in view most of the time, half a dozen will not add much to your bioload, but not great scavengers.

Go with the cleaner.

 

[jonnybravo22]

What's your knock on bumblebee for my purposes?

More info might help. I have a nano, 29g biocube, 16x19x16 roughly

I don't think there will be MUCH work to do but want something as a backup. Don't mind if it's not in full view 24x7 but there isn't much tank for him to get lost in.... I'm ok with a very small shrimp.

Just want to see if i'm missing something in terms of care / diet / compatibility. New thoughts?

 

[Mustang Boy]

now dont quote me on this but i believe bumblebee shrimp are in the same family as harlequins n eat starfish now i dont know if that is all they will eat though

 

[tarpon12]

My skunk cleaner (Lysmata amboinensis) definately has some character. He stays out all the time, not aggressive, eats scraps, and cleans under my finger nails everytime I stick my hand in the tank. Hows that for character.

 

[jonnybravo22]

couple of people have mentioned cleaner shrimp trying to clean their hands when in the tank. that would freak me out.

if the shrimp started running towards my hand when i go in to adjust a powerhead or something i dont know how i would take it! haha, seems so weird. cleaner's sound like they have lots of personality -- the crazy kind!! :spin2: between the potential for violence and propensity for hand to hand contact, they seem pretty volatile


i'm getting the sense that not a lot of people own bumblebee shrimp on this forum? strongly considering just throwing a pair of those in to see how it works.

 

[rssjsb]

between the potential for violence and propensity for hand to hand contact, they seem pretty volatile

Not sure where the idea that cleaner shrimp are violent is coming from. The worst thing you can say about them in my experience is that they are thieves, stealing food from corals and anemones. They're not going to attack your hand.

 

[tarpon12]

Not sure where the idea that cleaner shrimp are violent is coming from. The worst thing you can say about them in my experience is that they are thieves, stealing food from corals and anemones. They're not going to attack your hand.

+1:beer:

 

[tahoe61]

Shrimp

Shrimp

How about a fire shrimp, attractive, good part of a clean up crew and ususally does not harass inverts IMO:fish1:

 

[Lateralus]

Cant beat cleaners imo. I have 3 of em. As soon as they see me they are all over my arm. Full of personality, smart and good scavengers. I even had one help me get a camel back shrimp out of my tank.

 

[Arkayology]

Cant beat cleaners imo. I have 3 of em. As soon as they see me they are all over my arm. Full of personality, smart and good scavengers. I even had one help me get a camel back shrimp out of my tank.

Nice!

 

[Grandreef 2]

I like my fire shrimp. He searches the reef for scrapes of food when the lights turn off.

 

[gtfourmn]

Cleaners certainly have personalities, but I also love sexy shrimps. Why not get them both or all three of the shrimps?

 

[DarthAWM]

I have two cleaners and the most "Aggressive" behaior they have is they crawl all over the clam when they get excited at feeding time.