Trumpet question

[Robb in Austin]

I just got a trumpet today and just caught one of my cleaner shrimp going over it and apparently eating into the flesh.

Is this normal?

I chased the shrimp away but am worried for my trumpets long term health.

TIA,
Robb

 

[DetectiveTofu]

Sometimes cleaner shrimp just like to pick at things ; I know mine are all over anything I put in the tank (rock, coral, hand, you name it). Half a minute later, they don't touch it again.

Was the trumpet coral (I'm assuming Caulastrea furcata) damaged in the area the shrimp was picking at? If so, this may explain the shrimp behaving in the manner it did. Chances are though, that the shrimp may return and continue to irritate the coral if there is an open wound. If you can, definitely place the coral into a small quarantine tank and let it recover there, as you won't be able to manually protect the coral 24/7.

Just my .02

 

[Robb in Austin]

Thanks for the feedback. He seems to have left it alone all day, it looked just fine tonight when I got home.

Thanks again!
Robb