Are cleaner shrimp very fragile?

[sally666]

My brand new cleaner shrimp died within 24 hours of being placed in my FOWLR tank. My hermit crabs are doing very well and are still alive. Are cleaner shrimp very sensitive to water changes/differences when compared to other invertebrates?

 

[edsbeaker]

How did you acclimate him? Cleaner shrimp are VERY sensitive to water changes. If there was a difference in the salinity and he wasn’t acclimated slowly that may have been the cause.

 

[TX_REEF]

On the contrary and with all due respect to edsbeaker, I have always found cleaner shrimp to be quite hardy. In fact I've only ever had them die of old age. any fish you have that may have bothered him? hermit crabs are somewhat resistant to bullying with their external shells.

 

[Tahoe61]

How did you acclimate him? Cleaner shrimp are VERY sensitive to water changes. If there was a difference in the salinity and he wasn’t acclimated slowly that may have been the cause.

Agreed. A longer acclimation is beneficial.

 

[edsbeaker]

On the contrary and with all due respect to edsbeaker, I have always found cleaner shrimp to be quite hardy. In fact I've only ever had them die of old age. any fish you have that may have bothered him? hermit crabs are somewhat resistant to bullying with their external shells.

Not disrespectful at all. :) I have found them pretty hardy too once they are acclimated, but it seems that people report them dying within that first 24 hours a lot. My old lady memory might be off, well it is, but I thought I remembered that they need a slower acclimation. Sorry if I’m wrong on that

 

[sally666]

Thanks everyone. I will not replace the cleaner shrimp because it costed me $45 from the fish store. Unless someone sells one on craigslist for under $10, I will just stick with hardy fish and hermit crabs.