Harlequin shrimp vs cleaner shrimp

[Psiber_Syn]

Just bought a cleaner shrimp and a cc star for my Harley dropped them in the cleaner was close to the Harley and I looked away next thing I know shrimp is dead and Harley was dragging it around by a antenna is this normal are they enemies? Lil upset as it was like a 30 dollar cleaner lol

 

[Naiad]

Shrimp don't play nice with each other generally.

 

[Baby Ray]

If you add the harlequin shrimp after the cleaner shrimp can they possible get along?

 

[Naiad]

It all depends on territory. If you have enough room then yes. This ended bad because the cleaner wandered into what I assume was the harlequins territory while still adjusting to its surroundings. Add to the fact it was dinner time...

 

[Naiad]

Just bought a cleaner shrimp and a cc star for my Harley dropped them in the cleaner was close to the Harley and I looked away next thing I know shrimp is dead and Harley was dragging it around by a antenna is this normal are they enemies? Lil upset as it was like a 30 dollar cleaner lol

You did acclimate the shrimp? I just assumed that having a harlequin you would.

 

[Psiber_Syn]

Had the Harley for a long time the cleaner was close to the Harley and it was acclimated and all like normal the Harley don't bother arrow crabs or blood shrimp just the little cleaner guess it's cause it was smaller I dunno :-(

 

[Baby Ray]

It all depends on territory. If you have enough room then yes. This ended bad because the cleaner wandered into what I assume was the harlequins territory while still adjusting to its surroundings. Add to the fact it was dinner time...

I have a 29 gallon but the cleaner shrimp hangs out in the same general area so if I set the Harley in the spot where the cleaner doesn't hang out, maybe it would work....... Anyways, I probably won't even get a harly but I can dream :D. I just don't know if I could keep up with feeding it CCS.

 

[Naiad]

Never really can predict. I have 3 skunks and a blood. They all hang out in a corner. Every now and again they spat but generally they are fine. I added an anemone shrimp and they killed it.

 

[Baby Ray]

Never really can predict. I have 3 skunks and a blood. They all hang out in a corner. Every now and again they spat but generally they are fine. I added an anemone shrimp and they killed it.

I have 2 sexy shrimp with my cleaner and they get along fine

 

[Naiad]

I have 2 sexy shrimp with my cleaner and they get along fine

Yep no idea why mine killed the little pedersons... just went all nuts. So always introduce away from other shrimps home and hope they don't wander too close. That's all I got as far as advice. Oh and try not to pick out a jerk shrimp.

 

[Baby Ray]

Yep no idea why mine killed the little pedersons... just went all nuts. So always introduce away from other shrimps home and hope they don't wander too close. That's all I got as far as advice. Oh and try not to pick out a jerk shrimp.

My cleaner has never bothered anybody.......... as of now

 

[Psiber_Syn]

Thanx for the advice :-)

 

[Zoom_]

Maybe it died or was attacked because it was already sick?

 

[vipete1985]

My fire shrimp dominate the 2 harlequin shrimp...I have a 50 cube and if the Harley's go anywhere near there hideouts he attacks viciously stabbing the harlequin with his 2 front claws....my harlequins are constantly missing there front claws or apiece of other appendage and I didn't know why until I saw them wander down the wrong neighborhood one day

 

[RMS18]

Just bought a cleaner shrimp and a cc star for my Harley dropped them in the cleaner was close to the Harley and I looked away next thing I know shrimp is dead and Harley was dragging it around by a antenna is this normal are they enemies? Lil upset as it was like a 30 dollar cleaner lol

Holy run on sentence!

 

[Psiber_Syn]

Its. an? internet! post, not; a: thesis" paper' :-P

 

[RMS18]

Its. an? internet! post, not; a: thesis" paper' :-P

Lol I know, I read that before I had my morning coffee. Did you try another shrimp? I have 3 kinds of shrimp species in a 30 gallon all get along. My lfs keeps cleaners and harlequins in the same tank.

 

[Psiber_Syn]

I have fire shrimp and arrow crabs. I've seen the arrow go after sexy shrimp before but never the Harley. I'm thinking it must have been a fluke maybe the cleaner was hurt or something I dunno. Haven't tried another one though maybe one day.

Thanx for the info though

 

[Bongo Shrimp]

Shrimp don't play nice with each other generally.

This is simply not true, especially in reference to harlequin shrimp. There are special cases, such as coral banded shrimp and pistol shrimp, which are indeed very aggressive, but other than that very few even interact with each other.

I've seen a few people lately suggesting that cleaner shrimp or harlequin shrimp will kill other species, but unless someone has video proof of it I don't think we can implicate these shrimp with committing the crime. I think its much more likely that the cleaner shrimp died and that the harlequin was moving it around for one reason or another. Harlequin shrimp are not nimble predators, they are systematic, highly specialized feeders.

I keep a pair of full grown harlequins in a tank with 7 sexy shrimp, two Urocaridella sp., and two other smaller shrimp and none of them could possibly care less about the other. I've also kept many other combinations of shrimp together in rather small tanks with no aggression or interaction. I'm not saying this is the rule, but it is certainly not typical for "shrimp not to play nice with each other".

 

[Salty1962]

Opportunity! It is unusual for a Harley to eat debrits as they mainly feed on starfish but a meal is a meal:)