I am utterly amazed how much cleaner shrimps can eat

[Len]

Yesterday, a newly acquired A.fuscus blenny died. It was never healthy and had rapid breathing from the get-go, but I figured for $9, I'd give it a chance in my tank.

Anyhow, the blenny was about 2" long. When it died, my shrimps immediately went to work on it. In about 3 hours, nothing but the spine of the blenny was left :x The shrimps are about the same length as the blenny, so I have absolutely no idea where they packed in all that meat.

 

[ChrisRD]

You might want to put a lock on your frig with those guys around... :wink:

 

[Anonymous]

My shrimp did the same thing on a sick horseshoe crab. Pretty neat how they clean all that up.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm amazed, too. Mine are the most voracious feeders in my tank, including the fish. They're fast swimmers and aren't afraid of free swimming. One of mine (2 total) got smaller a month after I first bought it, then I realized it needed more direct feeding.

We're talking about Lysmata sp., right?

 

[Len]

Yep, run of the mill Lysmata amboinensis

 

[Anonymous]

They torn thing up, and throw the mess around a lot, so it is possible that they only put 5% of the the fish thru the mouth. Well, if you see they "recycle" their poop, you know there is still a lot of undigested items in there... :?

 

[Anonymous]

That's one reason I removed my Acan Lords from the tank with those cleaners. I would spot feed the lords some mysis... they'd go right in and pick the food out, someone suggested feeding them first... same result though. I was THIS close to squishing the f'ers!

 

[Anonymous]

I have the same urges with mine when he steals the food from my blastos and tubastrea. What I have found to foil him is I cut the top off a 2 litre coke bottle. Drilled through the cap and siliconed a air hose into it. When I feed the corals I place the top of the 2 litre over the coral touching the sand on all sides and apply food through a turkey baster into the hose. Food really swirls around the corals and the shrimp can't get in. It is still tempting to squish him though for being a pain in the arse.

 

[Anonymous]

I'd venture to say that your population of copepods, isopods, and amphipods also helped a great deal in cleaning up the carcass.

Regards,
David Mohr

 

[MartinE]

Yeah I to think its awsome how things get cleaned up in saltwater tanks

 

[MartinE]

You might want to put a lock on your frig with those guys around... :wink:

:lol:

 

[Meloco14]

So, is it grammatically correct to say "shrimps" or "shrimp" when referring to multiple shrimp(s)? Is it like the whole "fish" vs. "fishes" thing that depends on if you are describing multiple species vs. multiple individuals within a species? Anyone know?

 

[Anonymous]

You are getting really deep with the gramatical correctness. LOL!

 

[Chubosco]

See cleaner shrimp. See cleaner shrimp eat. Eat cleaner shrimp eat.

 

[Luis]

I'm wondering too Meloco and I'd like to know the right way (There's nothing wrong trying to know the deepest things :wink: )

 

[Anonymous]

Yeah I to think its awsome how things get cleaned up in saltwater tanks

True. When Lark is away I just soak the dishes in the reef tank. Few hours they are good as new.

 

[Anonymous]

I've noticed the same thing. Deffinitely the best scavengers on my whole tank.

I've also noticed that they can sense food entering the water 3 feet across the tank within seconds and zero in on it before any other animal in the tank. They get first dibs on anything.

 

[Anonymous]

So, is it grammatically correct to say "shrimps" or "shrimp" when referring to multiple shrimp(s)? Is it like the whole "fish" vs. "fishes" thing that depends on if you are describing multiple species vs. multiple individuals within a species? Anyone know?

To answer your question, it's both. You can use either one.

 

[bleedingthought]

My cleaner is amazing at eating too. The sight of him swimming after food and then "smacking" down pieces of it and catching them under his arms is amazing. He also isn't shy either! Every time I have my arm in there to do something or another he is always scraping my arm or hand.

Is that bad for him, by the way? :?

 

[Anonymous]

Mine jump on my fingers all the time. They will eventually eat out of your hand. Never bothered mine shrimp. Just make sure your hands are clean.