Survival of a cleaner shrimp with Flame Hawk

[RioReefr]

I like the look and function of a cleaner shrimp, but the thing is I have Flame Hawk who is fed twice a day (actually tiny pieces of frozen shrimp)

I had a small peppermint shrimp which the the 2 of them lived in harmony right up to the point when the pep shrimp molted, then the Flame Hawk took a nice chunk out of him.

Does a cleaner shrimp have a better chance of survival...is it even worth it?

 

[Rover88]

If they eat shrimp... its probably not worth it, no. Sometimes it depends on fish, but yours already demonstrated it will.

 

[Uncle99]

Molt and lunch!
Won’t last long
Sorry

 

[nereefpat]

Lots of folks keep flame hawks with cleaner shrimp. The chances are better if the shrimp are big and added first, and of course there's always a chance, but it's very possible to keep them together.

 

[RioReefr]

Yeah, thanks guys. After my post, I read some other reviews about the same question. Many say they could live together for 5 minutes or 5 months, but eventually nature will take over and the temptation (even if he is full from eating) will take over.

Shrimp "expects" say all shrimp molt at least 1/month and the new skin is so fragile that they would have no chance at a carnivore like a Flame Hawkfish. More likely he would perish sooner than one month's time especially since the Hawkfish has been in the tank at least 6 months and already established his territory. It would be like putting a meaty-bone in front of a dog and expecting him NOT to at least take one bite.

 

[Uncle99]

Good choice!
While there is always the “one offs”, in the end, when opportunity arises, POOF, 30-50 buck gone, and that would.

 

[albano]

Good choice!
While there is always the "œone offs", in the end, when opportunity arises, POOF, 30-50 buck gone, and that would.

Omg...cleaner shrimp are $15 here in NY.

 

[Jason9488]

I have 2 cleaner and a blood shrimp with my flame hawk....no issues

 

[albano]

I have 1 cleaner and 1 coral banded, both added at different times, months after the Flame Hawk in a 200g...they have molted multiple times.

 

[Uncle99]

I have 1 cleaner and 1 coral banded, both added at different times, months after the Flame Hawk in a 200g...they have molted multiple times.

But you have a 200g and the OP has a 32g.
That could make a big dif on survival rates.
If you guys in the US are paying 15 bucks, then not too concerned.
In Canada, 1.5" fire shrimps run 40-50 bucks, skunks run 35-40, too expensive.
But your right, if the tank is big, that changes a lot of things.
In addition, size of shrimp may help as well, I have seen as small as .75" and mine, I have one of each at 3" now.