How do cleaner shrimp actually work?

[nugrad2005]

I don't really understand how the cleaner shrimp work? From my experiences with fish they don't really just sit in one place while they let a shrimp eat parasites off their fins. Do the shrimp attach themselves to the fish or does the fish just understand whats going on and sit still while the shrimp does its thing.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Oh and by the way i'm new to the board and love it!

Thanks.

-Dan

 

[Guest]

I have not seen this in action in captivity, however, I have seen it in the wild. The fish actually show up to a cleaning station and the critters clean away the parasites...It is funny to watch...

I would imagine, it would be somewhat the same in an aquarium, because it is instinct....

 

[maiceman]

My Coral Beauty gets cleaned regularly. Sometimes the shrimp cling on to the side and clean the gills as the CB flares them open. Other times the CB opens it's mouth wide and hovers in front of the shrimp. I have seen the shrimp go for short rides as the CB swims away... it is very cool to watch. I will try and get a pic of it sometime.

 

[Hara]

My peppermint had a drive through service...Naso tang would pull in, park, they clean and then he took off...same place each time

 

[nugrad2005]

How cool is evolution?

 

[swishyfishies]

My cleaner shrimp used to clean all my fish. It is very neat to watch.

 

[glstine]

I have the same experience with my cleaner and coral beauty that maiceman does. I've also found if I put my hands in the tank near the shrimp he will jump on and start picking at my skin. It's a pretty weird feeling. Hope that doesn't mean I have parasites.

 

[ReefRaff]

Do Cleaner shrimp clean the tank as well as the fish?

 

[TygGer]

Do Coral Banded Shrimp clean also? From what I've read, they do not... I see mine sometimes trying to pinch the fish as they swim by.

I never knew the shimp actually cleans the fish by clinging on them. If I saw that, I wouldv'e thought that the fish was being attacked!

 

[Guest]

Well mine dosen't work. He suddenly dissapeared, im 100% sure hes dead. There great to have, my coral banded does the same. My palani will let him clean, but hes really rough. I had a small gold banded that cleaned, and wasn't so anxious.

 

[flatzboy]

My coral banded shrimp doesn't do anything. I have a cleaner shrimp that cleans my hand and goes crazy when I put food in the tank, I think he has A.D.D beacause he is hyper. I am thinking of trading in my coral banded shrimp and getting 2 more cleaners.

 

[indy]

The CBS are nice to have to look at, but the activity of the cleaners is more entertaining. My little guy tries like hell to clean the fish, but they generally run away. He seems to be more successful with the coral beauty I put in last week. My percs don't want anything to do with the shrimp so far. Unfortunately something else is being successful with the CB, I'm seeing nips out of his tail.

 

[TygGer]

Ok, how can you tell if the CBS is trying to clean the fish or attack it? I see my CBS open his claw and thrust for the fish as they swim by. The fish never hangs around for the CBS to come close enough to "clean" them.

 

[Guest]

There rougher, they will clean but many fish don't trust them.

 

[TygGer]

Yes, they look like their trying to eat the fish! Does everyone agree that they are trying to clean the fish and are not actually attacking them????