(Skunk) Cleaner Shrimp!!! WOO HOO!!!

[Guest]

I just got a (skunk) cleaner shrimp and it's acclimating in my tank. Now I would like everyone who has owned or does own one to tell me a little bit (or a lot) about this critter and any stories you may have. Also, if you can share some care tips and tricks that would be cool.

Thx,

$imple

 

[Anemoneman]

If you get more than one they will carry (and hatch) eggs every two or three weeks.

 

[Guest]

when they hatch, are the hatchlings easy to raise?

 

[Fluff]

They are great shrimp. Not shy at all. They stay out in the open and will even get on your hand/clean your hand when your in the tank. As far as care, they eat everything. They will skim across the water to grab flakes as well as any meaty item you add to the tank.

 

[quarryshark]

One of my favorite inverts!! Once he get to know you, he will clean you arm. There is a pic in my gallery of both of mine on my daughters arm....it too cool. Any time I am working in the tank near them, they try to jump on.
Easy to care for, they will clean up scraps in the tank..no worries as far as feeding them.
Enjoy, they are a blast!!

 

[Guest]

Firstly, quarryshark, I hate you! (JK, I don't really hate you but I am really jealous of your setup. I feel soooooo limited with my 20 gallon tank yet so is my wallet so I'll stop complaining now)

Secondly...

About 5-10 into acclimation when I was attempting to mix the water gradually, the process went ill and he fell into the tank. I'm not sure what's wrong with him but he's hiding out under this rock on the ceiling of a crevice. Could it be a symptom of not be acclimated properly? Or is he just being really shy? After he was in there for about 30 min, I brought some brineshrimp out of the freezer to feed my clownfish and him if he was interested, however, he ignored all the food that went directly past him. I'm started to get kind of worried. Can anyone diagnose the problem or give suggestions please?

Thx again,

$imple

 

[Fluff]

His behavior could be due to lack of acclimation. I hope he comes around for you. Good luck.

 

[Guest]

I don't think my clowns even know he is in the tank.

 

[quarryshark]

Could be the acclimation, or he could just be being shy (hopefully).
Mine hid for about a week and all the sudden they were out.....for good.
Fingers crossed for you. :|
Not much you can do but wait and hope.

 

[SoylentGrundy]

First time a cleaner jumped on my hand to clean it, I about screamed!...Didn't know any better at the time...

 

[Guest]

ok I put my hand in the tank towards the cleaner and it ran away, yet in the store it jumped on the employees hand right away. It better be shy. And quarryshark, when you said it was out for good, you mean that in what way? They were gone? Or were they out in the open?

 

[quarryshark]

I'm sorry. I meant they were visible (not shy)...lol

 

[Guest]

About your sandsifting starfish, is it really efficient at sifting the sand and how big is it and how big does it get? Do you think I can keep one in my tank.

 

[Guest]

koo

 

[steve r]

your tank will not support a sandsifting star. many LFS's and online fishstores will say otherwise. mine just starved to death after about 3 months. they are hard to target feed. i am going to go with a few nassarius snails to work the sand.

i have found that every new animal i put in the tank takes a while to get used to its new home. even corals take a few days sometimes to open up. our clown is just now starting to swim around all levels of the tank and we have had him about a month. hopefully your ph and salinity were very close to the LFS. cleaner shrimp are pretty sensitive to aclimation but very hardy after that

good luck
steve r

 

[Guest]

I woke up this morning to find him on the opposite side of my tank. He isn't moving around right now but he is moving in the stationary position that he is in. Before, he was kind of frozen unless I put my hand near him. Now at least I can tell he is alive.

 

[DeepCutta720]

Mine stayed in a crevice for 2 days. Then ate voraciously after that and was always in the open.

 

[Guest]

He is still scared. When I put anything near me he runs away until he can find a cave to hide in. However it's not scared of the clownfish and neither are the clownfish scared of him, at least that's good to see.

 

[spongeynip]

shrimpies

everyone keeps only one of these. anyone know if keeping a pair is easy?
And I know its off topic, but I've heard cases of coral Banded Shrimps attacking o clowns. I am planning on getting one, should I reconsider?

thanx
-Trent