How many of you guys are keeping cleaner shrimp?

[Daniel@R2R]

How many of you keep cleaner shrimp? Do you just like them as a tank inhabitant, or do you think they serve a purpose in fish health? How highly would you rate their importance to your tank?

Photo: @ChristopherKriens

 

[vetteguy53081]

Mine very active, friendly and good scavenger

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

I had one in my nano and they are the most animated/fun inverts to watch. As for tank health, I only saw him clean a fish once in about 2 years.

 

[WIReefer]

Have two in my system and agree with @vetteguy53081 great scavengers. But also steals food from my corals! lol

 

[terraincognita]

Always have one. I don't see a reason to not in any tank, they're only 15 dollars and are really just a positive utilitarian tank mate. Can't think of one negative reason to have them.

We'll, Except they're nem food stealers lol.

 

[Adamantium]

Had one until the day I put a nem in my tank. Found him halfway into the nem's mouth the next morning.

As cool as he was, it was a bit annoying how often he would steal food from my corals. Worse than the hermits.

I have a small blue neon goby that cleans my fish every once in a while.

 

[Sleeping Giant]

I love mine, dances to any song..lol

 

[j.falk]

I am. My wife loves them and I always have at least one because it helps clean up the leftover food the fish don't eat.

 

[GatorDoc70]

I have two. They are very active and try to eat everything that is placed in the tank, I have even seen them get to the seaweed clip to have a bit of the seaweed. I also have seen them clean my tangs, as the tangs will pull up to the rock where the cleaner shrimp are and let them do their work. I like them.

 

[vlangel]

I have a cleaner shrimp in my 56g high nutrient tank. He regularly cleans my orange spot blenny plus he is fun and eats excess food. He is a wonderful addition to the tank.

 

[Entz]

I couldn't imagine a tank without one. They are very active and neat to have crawling on you (hand in tank = new adventure for them). I would agree they are piglets and do steal food. They don't care if its from a fish or a coral. Mine -> Yoink!.

 

[mindme]

I got rid of mine about 3 months ago. None of my fish liked him, he would try to ambush them to clean them. Which of course never worked for him.

And he tries to eat everything, which could be good. Except they will eat and steal the food from anything. I would try to feed my YWG and he would chase the goby off just to get the food. And then he was constantly walking over coral like zoas, causing them to close up.

 

[Roush427R]

I have 2 and like them. One always jumps on my hand/arm when I stick it in the tank.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Always have one. I don't see a reason to not in any tank, they're only 15 dollars and are really just a positive utilitarian tank mate. Can't think of one negative reason to have them.

We'll, Except they're nem food stealers lol.

$15 ????
$30-35 by me

 

[ReeferWarrant]

I have one, doesnt do much for cleaning fish. Then again I have a smaller tank and smaller fish so they are more scared of it than wanting cleaning. It's more of a decoration for me, steals food from corals all the time and constantly picking at them. I'm much happier with my cleaner goby for it to be a productive member.

 

[terraincognita]

$15 ????
$30-35 by me

Move out to LA



few stores here sell em for $30.

I do a lot of driving to different stores.

I know who has cheap softies, cheap SPS, cheap inverts, cheap fish, lol. All different stores, but worth it

 

[terraincognita]

I have 2 and like them. One always jumps on my hand/arm when I stick it in the tank.

Okay wait that's the other actually really frustrating thing I hate.

I don't really pay TOO much attention when I put my hand in I'm normally looking to where I'm trying to make my hand go not watching where my hand is, and they ALWAYS always get me, and I'll jerk the first time every time lol.

It was cute the first time, but now that it happens everytime, and I ALWAYS react XD it gets old lol. I should just stop reacting though.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Move out to LA



few stores here sell em for $30.

I do a lot of driving to different stores.

I know who has cheap softies, cheap SPS, cheap inverts, cheap fish, lol. All different stores, but worth it

Nope- Florida for me

 

[terraincognita]

Nope- Florida for me

It's okay.

Ever since I got back to LA from Tampa, I'm just figuring out how to get out of LA

 

[kev.2013]

I used to keep one in my nano, named Francis, but eventually ended up rethinking him.

He started off as a good tank mate, but after about 8 months he started to scare off my fish. He would also ALWAYS be hungryand go after coral food; even if I gave him a solid amount of food prior. Making him a bit of a bio load contributor.