Sexy Shrimp

[mrg02d]

Hello,
I was considering getting some of these guys. They look so neat! I have a 20g reef tank with two clowns and a sixline wrasse as well as alot of corals, hermits, snails, and a skunk cleaner shrimp.

Should I go messing around and add some of these guys? The fish bother each other from time to time, but never bother the inverts except when the skunk cleaner shrimp tries to force a cleaning on one of them.

Matt

 

[Innovator]

They are one of my favorites, but unless kept well fed they will eventually consume coral tissue.

 

[mrg02d]

Hows the bioload on them? Also, how much food do they require before they go nuts on corals? Which corals do they eat? I dont care much for my zoas, just dont want them bothering my other corals and clam.

Matt

 

[Innovator]

lol I cannot tell you how much food they require. They are scavengers so I think feeding meaty foods every other day would suffice. Just about every time I have kept them they eventually moved onto my corals: Euphyllia (frogspawn and hammer), Caulastrea (candy cane), Zoanthids, Turbinaria (cup coral), etc. About the only coral they left alone were leathers *sigh* They are gorgeous shrimp though and fun to watch if you get a good group of 5+, just be watchful.

 

[mrg02d]

Hello,
I just thought of another issue. How might they get along with my sixline wrasse? Im thinking he might go crazy on them? I did add a skunk cleaner a few weeks ago and he didnt even come to see it. But I read that the sexy shrimp come 1/4in in size. He might think they are large copepods. (He cleared my tank of all the pods I had).

Matt

 

[Innovator]

There is a strong possibility they will be eaten by any wrasse, cardinal, and just about any fish that isn't a strict herbivore.

 

[roka64]

Sexy shrimp seem to be hit or miss with eating corals. My friend has a bunch of them with corals and 2 years later they haven't messed with his corals....Mileage may vary!

 

[mrg02d]

Hello,
I am more concerned about something eating them.

I guess I should hold off on them. Id hate to see them destroyed.

Matt