how long do cleaner shrimp live?

[salty joe]

I'm wondering how long cleaner shrimp live?

 

[Paul B]

I think I had this mated pair for 7 years. But that was in the 70s so I may be off by a few years.
I may have it in my log book someplace.

 

[am3gross]

I think I had this mated pair for 7 years. But that was in the 70s so I may be off by a few years.
I may have it in my log book someplace.

This is not a pair of Cleaner shrimp, this is a pair of Banded Coral shrimp. I can not answer the question tho, as I have never had good luck with them as it seems something always eats them.

 

[vetteguy53081]

My coral banded was 5+ years Until I added a flame hawk (Grrr). It all depends on diet, tank conditions and lack of predators

 

[Timfish]

On avaerage I'd say Skunk Cleaners two years is good. For Coral Banded Shrimp 5 years is good. My suspicion though is a lot die or are killed either during or immediately after molting. I've seen a few over the years that seem to have died in the middle of a molt and they are easy pickins while their new exoskeleton is soft and anything can kill them. Also, there are several different species of Lysmata sp cleaner shrimp (the genus also include fire and peppermint shrimp sp) and I would not be surprised if there was a lot of variation in life expectancies.

 

[S&SReef]

I'd say 3-5 based on lifespan of my skunk and fire shrimp

 

[wonroc]

Can you grill em when they croak?

 

[jda]

3-4 years is a good estimate. A lot depends on how old they are when you get them, which you will never know. I start to get replacements for my peppermints after about 3 years since they need to grow up in a fuge for a bit before they are display ready.

 

[Paul B]

This is not a pair of Cleaner shrimp,

Banded coral shrimp are also considered cleaner shrimp like many other types of shrimp

Coral Banded Shrimp – Detailed Guide: Care, Diet, and Breeding

Coral banded shrimp (Stenopus hispidus), commonly known as “Cleaner shrimp”, “Boxer shrimp”, “Barber pole shrimp”, and “Clown shrimp”, is one of the most popular decapods in the marine aquarium trade due to its bright coloration and hardiness.
Coral banded shrimp is a reef-associated cleaner shrimp with a worldwide distribution. It is known to remove and consume ectoparasites, injured or dead tissues, and excess food particles from fishes and thus play a vital role in the aquarium ecosystem. They are pretty easy to care for even for beginners.

 

[90's reefer]

I had a cleaner that was small when I got it.
Had it 3 years and it got big.
One day I just never saw it again.
Guess I have a good cleanup crew, lol.
I have a few peppermints that are 3 years old too.

 

[am3gross]

Banded coral shrimp are also considered cleaner shrimp like many other types of shrimp

Coral Banded Shrimp – Detailed Guide: Care, Diet, and Breeding

Coral banded shrimp (Stenopus hispidus), commonly known as “Cleaner shrimp”, “Boxer shrimp”, “Barber pole shrimp”, and “Clown shrimp”, is one of the most popular decapods in the marine aquarium trade due to its bright coloration and hardiness.
Coral banded shrimp is a reef-associated cleaner shrimp with a worldwide distribution. It is known to remove and consume ectoparasites, injured or dead tissues, and excess food particles from fishes and thus play a vital role in the aquarium ecosystem. They are pretty easy to care for even for beginners.

I seen that, I guess I was not associating this type of of shrimp as a cleaner type, I would figure that with the much larger pinchers that it would not make it a cleaner type shrimp like the cleaner shrimp pictured. I have often seen banded shrimp picking at dead fish and or going after the fish with there bigger pincher.. Never have I seen a a banded shrimp swimming on the body of an alive fish! LOL!!

 

[jeffchapok]

A rock flower nem ate my banded coral shrimp that I'd had for a year and a half. He had been molting every couple of weeks and I guess he got careless and got too close the last time. Found him hanging half out of the RFA's mouth one morning with a freshly molted she'll lying in the tank.

 

[jeffchapok]

A rock flower nem ate my banded coral shrimp that I'd had for a year and a half. He had been molting every couple of weeks and I guess he got careless and got too close the last time. Found him hanging half out of the RFA's mouth one morning with a freshly molted she'll lying in the tank.

 

[Paul B]

They don't use those large pincers for anything but defense and holding larger foods. They pick parasites with their small "claws"

 

[G Santana]

My coral banded was 5+ years Until I added a flame hawk (Grrr). It all depends on diet, tank conditions and lack of predators

I love flame Hawks and that is the dilemma. Hawk or Shrimp lol.
I'm starting a tank soon and I want a Hawk, but I'd like shrimp too lol

 

[vetteguy53081]

I love flame Hawks and that is the dilemma. Hawk or Shrimp lol.
I'm starting a tank soon and I want a Hawk, but I'd like shrimp too lol

Had I known- I would rather have my shrimp

 

[RVA REEF]

ive got a pair over 10 yrs, Im guessing they will live another 5 if I dont screw something up

 

[salty joe]

ive got a pair over 10 yrs, Im guessing they will live another 5 if I dont screw something up

what kind?

 

[cool2burn]

Aren't they immortal like lobsters.