Is there any shrimp that won’t steal food from LPS?

[STEEZY]

Hello,

I am interested in adding a shrimp to my tank but I keep reading that they can steal food from coral. I have looked at cleaner shrimp, blood shrimp, and coral banded shrimp. I have several LPS that I would consider expensive and don’t want them to get damaged, any suggestions? I know you can feed the shrimp first but I have read they can still go after the coral later. I feed fish every 2 days and coral every other time.

Thanks,

pete

 

[blaxsun]

My CBS always had enough food without having to resort to scavenging through the corals.

 

[eggplantparrot]

I'd imagine the only one would be harlequin, everyone else are opportunistic scavengers

 

[acanman]

I have cleaner shrimp and coral banded if you feed the tank good there will be enough food for them also. When I'm feeding my dendos,scolys and acans I cover em with a 2 liter coke bottle that I cut the top off of. Just in case they try to take the food

 

[homer1475]

Feed the entire tank, and not just the fish or corals, and thats usually not a problem with any shrimp.

I am a firm believer in heavy in, heavy out. Meaning feed heavy and export heavy.

 

[Lyss]

So, my cleaner shrimp is very well fed but that doesn’t stop him from being opportunistic. On the days I plan to feed corals I also feed frozen so the whole tank is occupied, and hand feed the shrimp some of that, which he takes. But he does finish before many of the corals, and he’ll come picking. Honestly I don’t think it’s that big of a deal.

You can do what another poster suggested and put the half bottle over the corals, or I just kinda shoo the shrimp away and give him another piece of his own. It’s a PITA but not a big deal and not worth not having the shrimp IMO — he adds a lot of character to my reef.

 

[sacutshall]

Sexy Shrimp. I don't know what they eat. I offered them everything on the menu. They just ignore it. They Screw with nothing.
Suggest 4 or 5 of them. They just do there sexy dance all day.

 

[Joe31415]

I have several LPS that I would consider expensive and don’t want them to get damaged, any suggestions?

I'm not sure if that's really a concern, is it? My cleaner shrimp is an absolute pig and will pick through the frogspawn next to his spot if there's food in it, but he won't hurt anything. He just picks at it. Feeding the shrimp first is more about distracting it so you can target feed things that can't eat fast enough to not get their food stolen.
Usually I'll just take whatever I'm using to target feed (or my hand) and move the shrimp away from what I'm feeding. They'll pretty readily back up if you do that.

 

[STEEZY]

Thanks for all the replies! I think I will get a Cleaner shrimp and be mindful when I’m spot feeding the coral. My LFS has them on sale for $24 this weekend!

 

[jcolliii]

My yellow coral banded shrimp is an ideal tankmate. Not only does he not steal food from anyone, but he cleans my fish as well, which was somewhat surprising when I saw it for the first time a couple of weeks ago. Picked him up from Petco - they get the smaller yellow, and yellow and blue ones in up here sometimes.

 

[Spare time]

Hello,

I am interested in adding a shrimp to my tank but I keep reading that they can steal food from coral. I have looked at cleaner shrimp, blood shrimp, and coral banded shrimp. I have several LPS that I would consider expensive and don’t want them to get damaged, any suggestions? I know you can feed the shrimp first but I have read they can still go after the coral later. I feed fish every 2 days and coral every other time.

Thanks,

pete

As long as they have food it isn't really a problem. You can also scoot them away haha

 

[62518161]

I stopped feeding my lps years ago. Between my wrasses and cbs corals don’t have a chance.

 

[Uncle99]

They will “steal” food directly from the corals mouth.
The damage is unfortunately, collateral.
If you don’t want to risk your LPS, then stay clear.
It’s not usually a problem till they max out there size.
They are a scavenger, they eats what’s available and a coral eating food is a great place to find it.

 

[KrisReef]

I recommend mysis shrimp, frozen.

 

[G Santana]

I have a blood shrimp that limits where it goes to a few spots, I hand feed it daily and it waits to pull shrimp off of my baster.

Never has it gone after LPS food as long as he gets fed.

 

[BroccoliFarmer]

Feed the entire tank, and not just the fish or corals, and thats usually not a problem with any shrimp.

I am a firm believer in heavy in, heavy out. Meaning feed heavy and export heavy.

Heavy in heavy out...reminds me of my dating habits in high school

 

[Joe31415]

I recommend mysis shrimp, frozen.

It always seems weird to me when I see my shrimp eating another shrimp.

 

[ahiggins]

I’m so not a shrimp person but any sort of shrimp that’s a cleaner or scavenger runs the risk. Personally I’ve sumped so many over the years because of that reason with my acans. The only ones I seem to have luck with are the pistols and sexy shrimp

 

[Spare time]

You could also feed liquid food instead

 

[STEEZY]

You could also feed liquid food instead

I do feed reef roids and AB+ but my scoly and acans love brine and mysis as well.