Killer Cleaner Shrimp?

[reefpatrique]

Has anyone had any experience with cleaner shrimp killing small fish like gobies? I came home to find a cleaner tearing into one of my two wheeler gobies, removed it, and checked on the other one, which seemed fine. Just now, I saw the cleaner shrimp tearing into the other wheeler goby. Seems strange to me that the fish would have not been killed with no apparent signs of sickness from the fish.

 

[btackerman]

Has anyone had any experience with cleaner shrimp killing small fish like gobies? I came home to find a cleaner tearing into one of my two wheeler gobies, removed it, and checked on the other one, which seemed fine. Just now, I saw the cleaner shrimp tearing into the other wheeler goby. Seems strange to me that the fish would have not been killed with no apparent signs of sickness from the fish.

Are you sure the fish didn’t die on its own. I have seen a cleaner shrimp devour a Med sized tang with a few hours but typically they are very timid until food is present

 

[reefpatrique]

Are you sure the fish didn’t die on its own. I have seen a cleaner shrimp devour a Med sized tang with a few hours but typically they are very timid until food is present

Not sure they didn't die on their own, but I would not know why they died, since they exhibited no signs of distress or sickness.

 

[Anubisxii]

In my experience cleaner aka skunk shrimp do not kill, but the second there is something dead in the tank they are ALL OVER IT. I'm no expert but I have looked into this a lot and have never seen or heard of a case of a cleaner shrimp killing anything, other than live brine shrimp. Cleaner shrimp are the nurses of our tanks.

 

[Tanofthereef]

So I just witnessed something very similar. In my case I had bought a tangora goby, which wasn't doing too well once introduced to the DT. He was hiding a lot and barely eating, well this morning I woke up to him having trouble staying upright, I turn on the white lights to see a redness on his dorsal fin and what looks like a broken back.

Well while I was trying to get a video and some pictures to ask on here about the gobies fate and any recourse to help the guy out, the cleaner shrimp walks into frame to "clean up" - warning graphic video.

If you dont want to watch the video I would understand but basically the goby on death's door gets grabbed and spasms before finally dying.

 

[reefpatrique]

So I just witnessed something very similar. In my case I had bought a tangora goby, which wasn't doing too well once introduced to the DT. He was hiding a lot and barely eating, well this morning I woke up to him having trouble staying upright, I turn on the white lights to see a redness on his dorsal fin and what looks like a broken back.

Well while I was trying to get a video and some pictures to ask on here about the gobies fate and any recourse to help the guy out, the cleaner shrimp walks into frame to "clean up" - warning graphic video.

If you dont want to watch the video I would understand but basically the goby on death's door gets grabbed and spasms before finally dying.

Interesting! Cleaner shrimp as undertakers.