Cleaner shrimp actually cleaning fish!

[Sink_or_Swim]

Guys. I was just watching my fish tonight as usual, checking each one out as I do daily, and seeing how all the corals are doing. My cleaner shrimp was hanging out upside down from his favorite overhang, and my big bicolor blenny decided to perch next to him. All of a sudden, the shrimp moved over to the blenny and started cleaning him! The blenny allowed it, and even let it pick around its gills and climb on its head! My husband thought I was nuts because I was like "OMG LOOK! HE'S CLEANING HIM!" Lol... I wish I had my phone nearby so I could capture it - I never thought I'd ever actually see it happen. Just had to share my excitement, as I'm the only one interested in my household - and I know this group would understand and probably think it was cool too. (Pic of "Bubba" the shrimp still hanging out after the blenny swam away). I should add, the shrimp also jumps on my hand whenever I have to reach into the tank and starts picking at it, lol. Startled me the first time he did it!

 

[DannoOMG]

On day 1 when I put my skunk cleaner shrimp in my tank he immediately started cleaning my tailspot blenny. The tailspot actually presents himself to the shrimp once in a while. The blenny even opened his mouth like a dentist visit. It is funny how they know the shrimp is a friend not foe.

 

[Sink_or_Swim]

On day 1 when I put my skunk cleaner shrimp in my tank he immediately started cleaning my tailspot blenny. The tailspot actually presents himself to the shrimp once in a while. The blenny even opened his mouth like a dentist visit. It is funny how they know the shrimp is a friend not foe.

That's awesome! I agree, it is very cool how they just know these things. :)

 

[WheatToast]

My Skunk Cleaner Shrimp "Joey Logano" currently has no fish to service, though it is happy to clean my hand whenever it gets the chance.

 

[Andresnyc93]

Mine set up a station where fish pass by the most and they’ll clean my angelfish and tang. I’ve seen my diamond goby also letting one of these guys literally get on top of them and open their mouths, pretty cool IMO

 

[Sink_or_Swim]

My Skunk Cleaner Shrimp "Joey Logano" currently has no fish to service, though it is happy to clean my hand whenever it gets the chance.

It feels so weird when they do that! (I was curious so googled the name Joey Logano - I see the resemblance! Lol!) We had Bubba and Forrest... Forrest kicked the bucket when my bta died and nuked my tank a few weeks ago. Bubba was the lone survivor. I got him a fire shrimp friend thinking they'd hang out, but nope. My two cleaners were always together. I think I may have to pick up another one.

 

[Sink_or_Swim]

Mine set up a station where fish pass by the most and they’ll clean my angelfish and tang. I’ve seen my diamond goby also letting one of these guys literally get on top of them and open their mouths, pretty cool IMO

That's really cool - I love seeing the marine creatures' wild behaviors actually happen in our little slices of ocean. I thought maybe he'd try cleaning my lemonpeel angel, but never did. I'm hoping when I add additional fish he'll set up a little cleaning station like yours. :)

 

[Roatan Reef]

Guys. I was just watching my fish tonight as usual, checking each one out as I do daily, and seeing how all the corals are doing. My cleaner shrimp was hanging out upside down from his favorite overhang, and my big bicolor blenny decided to perch next to him. All of a sudden, the shrimp moved over to the blenny and started cleaning him! The blenny allowed it, and even let it pick around its gills and climb on its head! My husband thought I was nuts because I was like "OMG LOOK! HE'S CLEANING HIM!" Lol... I wish I had my phone nearby so I could capture it - I never thought I'd ever actually see it happen. Just had to share my excitement, as I'm the only one interested in my household - and I know this group would understand and probably think it was cool too. (Pic of "Bubba" the shrimp still hanging out after the blenny swam away). I should add, the shrimp also jumps on my hand whenever I have to reach into the tank and starts picking at it, lol. Startled me the first time he did it!

 

[ying yang]

Yeah mine does it also,thought they was cool at first, but truly went off mine as just steals food from corals mouths even if target feed him first,just drops his then hurries over to corals and steals lol then 3 weeks ago a conch minding his own business cleaning algae on the rocks and shrimp viciously killed him ,well half killed him then between shrimp and my nassarious snails finished him off,got a video somewhere of shrimp with coaches head/ one eye eating it pffft
Got a blue streaked cleaner wrasse that just wants to clean fish all day long,other fish let him sometimes but you can tell they get fed up off it and shrug him off alot of the times,but yeah back to the shrimps, when it dies won't be replacing .he on last warning at moment and one more wrong he going in sump jail with the other naughty snail killing hermits lol

 

[Andresnyc93]

I found a video of the angelfish going in for a quick one

 

[BigMikeFlipz]

So do cleaner shrimp kill other CUC? Also, think I saw that my flame would possibly attack the shrimp too... Want one but also don't want battle royale.

 

[Sink_or_Swim]

Yeah mine does it also,thought they was cool at first, but truly went off mine as just steals food from corals mouths even if target feed him first,just drops his then hurries over to corals and steals lol then 3 weeks ago a conch minding his own business cleaning algae on the rocks and shrimp viciously killed him ,well half killed him then between shrimp and my nassarious snails finished him off,got a video somewhere of shrimp with coaches head/ one eye eating it pffft
Got a blue streaked cleaner wrasse that just wants to clean fish all day long,other fish let him sometimes but you can tell they get fed up off it and shrug him off alot of the times,but yeah back to the shrimps, when it dies won't be replacing .he on last warning at moment and one more wrong he going in sump jail with the other naughty snail killing hermits lol

Oh no, sorry for laughing but I'm just picturing your murderous cleaner shrimp's shenanigans, lol! That's not cool though, especially the stealing food from corals and killing snails! Luckily so far my shrimp leave the corals alone... he does sometimes antagonize my anemone though, I think because he has noticed the nem will hold onto little pieces of food and maybe he's formulating an evil plan to steal some, haha. I also don't have hermits because of their rep as snail-killers.

 

[Sink_or_Swim]

I found a video of the angelfish going in for a quick one

Sweet! I need to try to catch mine on video cleaning the blenny next time. It's just so fascinating.

 

[mcgallagherc]

My Skunk Cleaner Shrimp "Joey Logano" currently has no fish to service, though it is happy to clean my hand whenever it gets the chance.

Anytime I reach in tank he comes straight for me... tickles like hell lol

 

[Sink_or_Swim]

So do cleaner shrimp kill other CUC? Also, think I saw that my flame would possibly attack the shrimp too... Want one but also don't want battle royale.

I don't think cleaner shrimp will USUALLY attack others... but there are always exceptions. So far, mine is perfectly friendly with everything from my fish to the smallest cerith snail. :) They are opportunistic feeders though and will try to steal food from corals if they can get away with it, lol. I want a flame hawk SO bad, they are my favorite fish... but I am honestly too afraid it would attack my shrimp (my cleaner and my fire shrimp are both smaller, maybe 1.5" long). I know they have a rep for dive-bombing smaller shrimp. If you found a large cleaner shrimp maybe that'd work though? They're $40 locally for me so I just don't want to chance losing that investment to a hawkfish. (We have one in our office tank, so I at least get to see one every day lol)

 

[Sink_or_Swim]

Anytime I reach in tank he comes straight for me... tickles like hell lol

It does! Lol! Mine just started eating out of my hand one day, and then after that I think it associated my hand with food. But no, he'll pass up the food and goes up my hand and just picks all over. I reached in a few days ago to move a frag, and he jumped on my arm - it startled me so bad I screamed, lol! Darn goofy shrimp.

 

[BigMikeFlipz]

I don't think cleaner shrimp will USUALLY attack others... but there are always exceptions. So far, mine is perfectly friendly with everything from my fish to the smallest cerith snail. :) They are opportunistic feeders though and will try to steal food from corals if they can get away with it, lol. I want a flame hawk SO bad, they are my favorite fish... but I am honestly too afraid it would attack my shrimp (my cleaner and my fire shrimp are both smaller, maybe 1.5" long). I know they have a rep for dive-bombing smaller shrimp. If you found a large cleaner shrimp maybe that'd work though? They're $40 locally for me so I just don't want to chance losing that investment to a hawkfish. (We have one in our office tank, so I at least get to see one every day lol)

Cool, I do have a pistol shrimp, paired up with a yellow watchman goby and he eyes them but hasn't attempted anything yet. Been in there 2 weeks without any issues.

 

[Jedi1199]

My skunk cleaners regularly pick over my fish in both tans I have them in (No shrimp in the big tank.. expensive snacks for the preds in there).

I've never had one come to my hand before. Would be fun to watch it try and clean my hand though.

 

[Sink_or_Swim]

Cool, I do have a pistol shrimp, paired up with a yellow watchman goby and he eyes them but hasn't attempted anything yet. Been in there 2 weeks without any issues.

They eye everything with their judgemental expression in my opinion, lol. But hopefully he's not thinking about turning your pistol shrimp into dinner. My cleaner shrimp generally hangs out upside down on the rocks all day, so as long as the flame doesn't see that as encroaching on its territory, it's probably safer than something tiny like sexy shrimp. And since the goby will keep an eye out for your pistol shrimp, I bet it'll be ok. But anything could happen I suppose. You could always try it and see. :)

 

[Sink_or_Swim]

My skunk cleaners regularly pick over my fish in both tans I have them in (No shrimp in the big tank.. expensive snacks for the preds in there).

I've never had one come to my hand before. Would be fun to watch it try and clean my hand though.

Definitely expensive snacks, lol! I didn't expect him to come to my hand either - I think what happened was I was feeding the tank a LOT less after my bta died and nuked the tank overnight and I woke up to $400 worth of dead fish. :( He must have been hungry, because I figured I'd try to toss him a little chunk of frozen food and he just swam up to the food as I was holding it between my fingers, and proceeded to eat like crazy. The next day I tried the same thing and he crawled up my hand, and it was so cool. I have a pic and video - will post if I can find it. I had seen youtube videos where people got theirs used to eating from their hands, but didn't think mine would! I got new fish recently though, and feeding daily again, so he hasn't come to my hand as much. Now my fire shrimp is another story... I never see it. Got it because I think they're beautiful - kind of an expensive shrimp to never see though, lol. Shy little punk.