TR fish and cleaner shrimp

[canadian_eh]

I have a pair of juvinille TR false percs that I've had for about 3 months now. About a month ago I added a cleaner shrimp into the mix but the TR clowns don't seem to know what the shrimp is for Even now whenever the cleaner makes an attempt to clean them they just swim away.

Even without cleaning the fish, the shrimp is really cool though. The day after I got it it was eating from my hand. It almost ended up on the floor though the first time it jumped on my arm when I was scraping the glass...I pulled my hand out sooo fast. Luckily it let go or it would have gone splat against the far wall! Did it ever freak me out!

Anyone else experience this with TR fish? Maybe once I add a wild caught fish in, the clowns will learn from it?

-Ron.

 

[xxmoorishmanxx]

i think it may have more to do with size, usually clowns are small, compared to other reef fishes, and usually they're smaller or at least the smae size as the shrimp. This will freak out the clowns when they see the shrimp coming after them, cleaners IME clean big fish like, tangs, angles, ect..

 

[Corty]

Regarding the cleaner shrimp cleaning YOU.. I am going to purchase one in a bit (actually intended to quite a while ago). Just out of curiosity, how does that feel?

I vaugely recall screaming like I've never screamed before and throwing the bubble wall I was installing across the room the first time a Goldfish nibbled at my fingers. It doesn't bother me anymore, but yikes.. unprepared.. Let's just say my roommate found it hilarious once he realized I wasn't on fire or had lost an arm or anything.

 

[canadian_eh]

Definately without expecting it was really freaky. For some reason I'm a little jumpy when my hand is in the tank...who knows what might come out of the deep dark holes in the LR Man my wife and I must have laughed for half and hour at my expence.

Now its pretty cool...everyone that comes over likes to see it...most don't want to try it though.

 

[canadian_eh]

i think it may have more to do with size, usually clowns are small, compared to other reef fishes, and usually they're smaller or at least the smae size as the shrimp. This will freak out the clowns when they see the shrimp coming after them, cleaners IME clean big fish like, tangs, angles, ect..

Good point...Right now the cleaner is like twice the size of the clowns. Have you had larger TR fish that took to a cleaner right away?

 

[xxmoorishmanxx]

no i only have 37 so most of my fish are little, at the LFS i worked at i had seen them clean yellow tangs, i believe they where tank raised but am not sure

 

[canadian_eh]

Guess we both need larger tanks to try out your theory

 

[two11devan]

I had the same issue with my two clowns and cleaner shrimp. It seemed willing to participate put the clowns never went for it.

It kinda startled me the first time my cleaner jumped on my hand when it was in the tank....it doesn't hurt......it kinda tickles actually