How “shy” are fire shrimp?

[alex277]

I’m stocking my 160 gallon slowly, won’t be adding shrimp in for a bit yet but trying to decide between the fire shrimp and cleaner shrimp. I think the fire shrimp is absolutely beautiful, but I hear they’re really shy and you won’t hardly see them. On the other hand, the cleaner shrimp isn’t nearly as stunning but is always out and about it seems, and I find them really fun to watch. Exactly how shy are fire shrimp? I was considering adding two as I hear it helps them be out more, this true at all? Will I ever see these guys if I add them? I’m fine with them not always being out but it’s a lot of money to spend on something I NEVER see, lol. Just trying to decide in advance which to go with

 

[Wick]

mine used to hang out on a rock upside down all the time. They come out for sure but you will see em upside down imo. and why not get both? i had 2 cleaner shrimps and a fire shrimp in my 125 gallon.

 

[WheatToast]

I regret purchasing a blood red fire shrimp (Lysmata debelius) because it is by far the least active and interesting of my tank's livestock; it only emerges in the dead of night, when there is no light, and avoids interacting with all of its tankmates. My skunk cleaner shrimp is, personally, much more fun to watch and will even clean my hands. Again, behavior might vary between individuals...

... and maybe adding more could increase activity, but I don't have plans on doing so.

 

[benmed]

My cleaner shrimp is mr personality. He comes out and beats a rock to let me know it’s dinner time. He has me very well trained. My fire shrimp is the ninja assassin. You never see him, but you know he is there because every so often you see his molt exoskeleton or his little whiskers poking out from a rock. Get both.

 

[alex277]

My cleaner shrimp is mr personality. He comes out and beats a rock to let me know it’s dinner time. He has me very well trained. My fire shrimp is the ninja assassin. You never see him, but you know he is there because every so often you see his molt exoskeleton or his little whiskers poking out from a rock. Get both.

See that’s what I was worried about, my emerald crab is that way. I’ve only seen him a couple of times since being added. The fire shrimp look so nice I just wish they would be out to appreciate more. Would hate to never see him So yours pretty much never comes out?

 

[benmed]

My rock work is such that you can almost always see him as he hides in the rocks. But he doesn’t sashshay down the catwalk.

 

[workhz]

I’ve seen mine maybe 4-5 times in 6 months. Never from the front of the tank. My aquarium is in wall and I have a room in the back. The 4-5 times was from the back.

 

[Baldguy]

Get a pair of each. You'll see the skunks more but the fires should still come out at feeding time.

 

[Natural_Reefer]

I also have 2 Cleaner and 2 Fire shrimps! The cleaner shrimps are super active and often bother the crap out of my zoas. The Fire shrimps are more shy but they do come out quite often. The Fire shrimps are definitely much more beautiful!

 

[wculver]

I’m stocking my 160 gallon slowly, won’t be adding shrimp in for a bit yet but trying to decide between the fire shrimp and cleaner shrimp. I think the fire shrimp is absolutely beautiful, but I hear they’re really shy and you won’t hardly see them. On the other hand, the cleaner shrimp isn’t nearly as stunning but is always out and about it seems, and I find them really fun to watch. Exactly how shy are fire shrimp? I was considering adding two as I hear it helps them be out more, this true at all? Will I ever see these guys if I add them? I’m fine with them not always being out but it’s a lot of money to spend on something I NEVER see, lol. Just trying to decide in advance which to go with

I would recommend the cleaner shrimp because maybe you'll get lucky and he'll be a cool one. I've had a few of them and one was really neat. He would watch for you, climb on your hand, swim in the water column, etc.

All of the fire shrimp on the other hand just chill under a rock. If you don't look for them likely you'll forget you have one.

 

[Alexopora]

See that’s what I was worried about, my emerald crab is that way. I’ve only seen him a couple of times since being added. The fire shrimp look so nice I just wish they would be out to appreciate more. Would hate to never see him So yours pretty much never comes out?

For me its my boxing shrimp thats super shy. The emerald crab is always out and about.
In another tank which is mostly crustacean dominated, my sexy shrimps are always out and about. Even the saron (monkey) shrimp isnt as shy.

A good crab that isnt as shy but needs to be around relatively peaceful inhabitants is the Pom Pom Crab. Mine is consistently out and about.

but back to fire shrimp, I’ve been really tempted as well to get one but all I am seeing is how shy and reclusive they are..

 

[TokenReefer]

Skunk Cleaner ftw! they do actually clean fish, can't speak to fires tho fwiw

 

[i cant think]

I’m stocking my 160 gallon slowly, won’t be adding shrimp in for a bit yet but trying to decide between the fire shrimp and cleaner shrimp. I think the fire shrimp is absolutely beautiful, but I hear they’re really shy and you won’t hardly see them. On the other hand, the cleaner shrimp isn’t nearly as stunning but is always out and about it seems, and I find them really fun to watch. Exactly how shy are fire shrimp? I was considering adding two as I hear it helps them be out more, this true at all? Will I ever see these guys if I add them? I’m fine with them not always being out but it’s a lot of money to spend on something I NEVER see, lol. Just trying to decide in advance which to go with

Mine explores the tank constantly, that bright red colour causes me to be able to see him even when hiding. I had both a Lysmata debelius and Lysmata amboinensis in the same 3’ tank a while back. They were as shy as eachother once more fish got into the tank. I also currently own both and the fire shrimp is much more active than the Cleaner.
You’ll most likely find the cleaner out at night, same with the fire shrimp as that’s when they scavenge. Any shrimp you will most likely see more after lights out than you would with lights on. In these photos you can see who is much more active, the cleaner mainly hides in one spot all day (his Cleaning station). Whilst my Fireshrimp will wander round the tank. In total I have 4 shrimp;
- Lysmata debelius
- Lysmata wurdemanni

- Lysmata amboinensis
- Stenopus scuttelatus
Out of these 4 (spread across 2 tanks) the Debelius and Scuttelatus are the two I see most often.

I plan on my 3’ tank to be heavier in inverts and lower in fish stock which may be why my debelius comes out more. Remember, these shrimp are prey out in the wild, this is why they’re shy in captivity. Also, it’s fun having an invert or fish you rarely see as it’s like the tank has a surprise for you every so often. It’s not all just an open book if you get what I mean, it’s got it’s secrets hidden within.

 

[benmed]

You made me do some experimenting. My fire shrimp becomes much more active around the tank if I lower the flow. Typically I have very throughout the tank but when I drop it down, he will come out and mess around as long as the lights are on full blast

 

[JScottS]

This is just based on my personal experience, but I have kept several blood shrimp since I got interested in this hobby. The first one I got, he was out in the open in the tank at the store, seemingly unafraid of anything. I took him home, and the first thing he did was perch on the tallest rock in the tank, and then look back and forth across the aquarium, as if he were the king and everything he saw belonged to him. He came out all the time. He very rarely hid. He would come clean my hand every time I put my hand in the tank, and he would even take food right out of my hand.

That was all and good, until this pufferfish I had just bit him in two. I was heartbroken.

I later went and got another. There were none visibly galavanting about the tank, so I got one that was hiding under a tray where coral frags were kept. I got him in the tank, and the first thing he did was hide, and after that I'd see him like once every three months or so.

Later I went back to the LFS and saw one that wasn't shy like the second one. Like the first one, he showed no fear, none of the other creatures bothered him, and he just seemed vital and full of life, so I got him. Like the first one I had, this one picked a perch as soon as I let him out of the bag, and I see him out and about and frolicking like such a good happy shrimp. I don't there's ever been a day when I have not seen him.

Like I said, this is based on my experience and purely anecdotal information, but I kind of feel like the all have different personalities, and if you want an active, outgoing blood shrimp, then look for one that is already showing signs of sociability, interacting with its tank mates rather than one hiding in some dark corner like he's terrified of his own shadow.

Another benefit of my little experiment is that the shy one I bought second has actually started to come out more. Maybe he feels emboldened just by having another of his own species to hang out with and learn from.

So that's it. That's my personal experience. Take it or leave it, but it sure seemed to work for me.

 

[JScottS]

hing. I took him home, and the first thing he did was perch on the tallest rock in the tank, and then look back an