New addition

[Cayenne]

New cleaner shrimp since Sat. Also 3 turbos. I read that cleaner shrimp are hard to keep, so far so good. Say hello to my little friend.

 

[bettaowner]

Nice shrimp. Only certain species are hard to care for.

 

[nikki_kaiser]

New cleaner shrimp since Sat. Also 3 turbos. I read that cleaner shrimp are hard to keep, so far so good. Say hello to my little friend.

Very cool!! He should be easy to care for! Congrats!!

 

[lakaiguy]

Do these kind of shrimp not hide alot like peppermint shrimp???

 

[spoonman]

My cleaner is out waaaaaaay more.

 

[nikki_kaiser]

Do these kind of shrimp not hide alot like peppermint shrimp???

Mine never does! I have that, a coral banded (he's a jerk...wouldn't recommend him) and my blood shrimp (LOVE HIM AND HE IS WAY COOL). None of them do but I know that some people say they do!

 

[Rutrag]

Once established in the tank, the skunk cleaners are pretty bold. Mine climbs over everything and is generally in the front of the tank. My peppermint got prettty bold as well, but generally liked to stay under something until feeding time or unless my hand was in the tank.

Skunk cleaners will also jump onto your hand or arms and try to clean you if they're comfortable. It's pretty cool.

 

[lakaiguy]

So what is a "cleaner shrimp"???

 

[nikki_kaiser]

So what is a "cleaner shrimp"???

They basically clean the rocks and bottom of fish poo and excess food! LOL!

 

[nikki_kaiser]

I live near Galveston and some people will go down at night and get their own peppermint shrimp. You should see the pictures because they get a ton of them!

 

[Rutrag]

So what is "cleaner shrimp"???

Most of the time when folks say "cleaner shrimp," they are referring to the skunk cleaner shrimp (what the OP had a picture of).

However, there are actually several species of cleaner shrimp including the peppermints, fire shrimp, coral banded and more. The reason they are called cleaner shrimp is that in the wild, they will stake out a small territory where fish will come to have dead skin and parasites removed and even have stuff removed from inside of their mouths. You can probably find photos or videos of them climbing over morays or groupers providing this service. (I seem to remember reading that scientists think the long white antennae send a signal to the fish that signals "don't eat me!") In captivity, the skunk cleaners are the only ones I know that will still do this regularly.

 

[nikki_kaiser]

Most of the time when folks say "cleaner shrimp," they are referring to the skunk cleaner shrimp (what the OP had a picture of).

However, there are actually several species of cleaner shrimp including the peppermints, fire shrimp, coral banded and more. The reason they are called cleaner shrimp is that in the wild, they will stake out a small territory where fish will come to have dead skin and parasites removed and even have stuff removed from inside of their mouths. You can probably find photos or videos of them climbing over morays or groupers providing this service. (I seem to remember reading that scientists think the long white antennae send a signal to the fish that signals "don't eat me!") In captivity, the skunk cleaners are the only ones I know that will still do this regularly.

Actually the blood shrimp will too! When I had my yellow tang my blood shrimp would sit on a rock and the tang would stop for a few and let him do that. What he was picking at...I have no idea as I've not had any parasites or ich in years (Pleaseeeee quarantine your fish before putting in your main tank!!) but he did! He's very easy going, not at all aggressive, and a deep red color that looks good. Some say they hide in caves all day but mine never does this unless the cat jumps up on the stand...dumb cat...

 

[Beengirl]

The skunk cleaners will pick off bits of dead skin and scales as well as parasites. Here's apic of mine cleaning my bartletts anthias. He'll do the same thing to your cuticles!! LOVE my cleaner!!

 

[Cayenne]

He hides at night under a rock, but as soon as the lights are on and I start feeding he jumps out and runs after food. He is actually (I am assuming its a he) a skunk cleaner shrimp.