Skunk Cleaner Shrimp lifespan

[Geodriller]

I have had a Skunk Cleaner Srimp for about 2.5 years. When I got him he was about medium size. He grew as large as I have ever seen. Molted about every 4-6 weeks for the first year then every couple of months after that. He was an area of great interest to people seeing my tank for the frst time as well as to me. I could hand feed him and every time I had my hand in the tank he was right there cleaning me. A couple of weeks ago he disapeared. . I check perameters religiously and nothing was wrong. I am not a noob to the hobby and the only thing I can come up with is old age. So my question is does anyone know how long they live? He did not get eaten, I only have 2 fish. 1 small Tomatoe Clown that has lived in harmony for two years. and a Striated Tang who has been in my tank for at least a year. Also I dont test for or add Iodine as I do not have any softies and do 15 gal WC every 2 weeks so all Iodine should be in salt.(I use Coral Pro) Like I said nothing in my tank has changed it just seem there was no rhyme or reason to this.

 

[dc]

[moved]

 

[greenbean36191]

In the wild they probably live around 2 years. In captivity, sometimes as long as 4 years.

 

[gig]

I just had mine disappear, had him over 2 years, I suspect old age, he ate everything I put in and was my main cleaner...picked up a replacement yesterday, as well as a nice little cleaner "neon" goby

 

[snorvich]

In the wild they probably live around 2 years. In captivity, sometimes as long as 4 years.

Now that is too bad. I have a lot of them that are at least 4 years old.

 

[BigKahuna]

I just checked when I ordered mine online and it was almost 4 and a half years ago. He is about the biggest one I've ever seen and when I got him he was about medium sized to begin with, I was happy about this because I had a long nosed hawk who I was afraid would make a snack of him if he was too little. I figure he must a have been a minimum of a few months old when I got him so he has to be pushing 5 years old if not older. He's one of my tank's greediest eaters to this day. In any event I figure the liitle guy's days are numbered but hopefully he's enjoyed his stay.

 

[ackee]

I've have two grabhami, the Caribbean version of the skunk cleaner shrip, for more than 3 years. They were collected separately, a few months apart, and were initially hostile, but settled down into a mated pair, still producing eggs continually in a 125 reef tank. I have another pair of skunk cleaner shrimp in my 220 primarily fish set up. One is Caribbean, collected by me, and the other is the Pacific variety, from a local retailer. They get along beautifully, and are always together, interacting in what appears to be a pair bonded manner, though no eggs after two years together. One is at least 3 years old, the other at least 2.