Are skunk cleaners predatory?

[Anonymous]

The other night, I looked in my tank a while after the lights went out,
one of my cleaner shrip was eating a bristle worm about 6" long. The worm was still alive, trying to wrap itself around the legs of the shrimp.
Then the other shrimp joined in, and they were ripping the worm apart and eating the pieces. I've never seen them do anything like that, it was interesting to watch.

 

[fungia]

i think they will eat anything they can catch like most scavengers. i know they eat meaty foods when they can so i am not surprised.

 

[Modo]

I used to watch a Cleaner Shrimp in my old tank munch on those tiny brittle starfish all the time. The shrimp IMO would actively seek them out under crevises and shells.

 

[npaden]

Yes, they are the jackals of the reef.

Heh, Nathan

 

[Anonymous]

yeah..they eat parasites..the skunk cleaner will...ive never seen mine do any damage to anything..they are scavangers though..like vultures or jackals as npaden put it..just cuz mine have never done any damage doesnt mean they wont