Function of the coral banded shrimp

my2rotties · #1 04-13-2009, 02:40 PM

I was just curious of what benefit these shrimp have to being in a tank? I have one that came in some rocks I bought in a tank shut down, and he is just creepy. He is not killing any of my cleaner or peppermint shrimp even though I read that they do this.

Do they do anything aside of killing small fish and shrimp? To me it does not look like he would be any good at killing anything since he is rather slow and too big to get into small crevices that my shrimp stay in. I have had him three months and I have never seen him eat anything or really do much rather then look creepy.

parkinsn · #2 04-13-2009, 02:43 PM

I have offen wondered what it is that they do. I think they are pretty cool but like you said they dont really do much for cleaning fish or anything else productive. I do like mine though.

Rbacchiega · #3 04-13-2009, 02:54 PM

Pretty much a poop eater.

my2rotties · #4 04-13-2009, 03:00 PM

So it is creepy and gross. I never see the thing do anything to be honest even after the lights go out...he looks more like a lobster then a shrimp... his arms fall off and grow back in a few days....ewww.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rbacchiega

Pretty much a poop eater.

noirsphynx · #5 04-13-2009, 03:08 PM

I've heard that they're bristleworm eaters.

my2rotties · #6 04-13-2009, 04:25 PM

I have never seen him do anything, I am surprised my triggers and puffer have let him live. They love the cleaner shrimp, but they give them spa dates all the time...

Quote:

Originally Posted by noirsphynx

I've heard that they're bristleworm eaters.

banditpowdercoat · #7 04-13-2009, 07:51 PM

The Puffer doesnt attack/eat the cleaner?

my2rotties · #8 04-13-2009, 08:38 PM

Not at all... he only eats clownfish

When the lights go out at night he can be seen swimming with our fire shrimp on his back...He lays down at the cleaning station and the cleaner shrimp crawl all over him. He was a tough fish to get used to captivity at first but he is very peaceful and eats very well. Once I got his diet right (home made food), he really has no issues with eating stuff he should not. He does snipe to odd snail though...

Quote:

Originally Posted by banditpowdercoat

The Puffer doesnt attack/eat the cleaner?

MMAX · #9 04-13-2009, 11:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by my2rotties

So it is creepy and gross. I never see the thing do anything to be honest even after the lights go out...he looks more like a lobster then a shrimp... his arms fall off and grow back in a few days....ewww.

Creepy??? Those things are awesome. I can't wait to get my 100gal running so I can get one in there.

untamed · #10 04-13-2009, 11:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by my2rotties

So it is creepy and gross. I never see the thing do anything to be honest even after the lights go out...he looks more like a lobster then a shrimp... his arms fall off and grow back in a few days....ewww.

OK...the arms falling off thing isn't normal. That would suggest that he is fighting some battle with someone/something else in the tank.

If you want, you can hand feed them...or feed them with a feeding stick. That will at least make them more interactive with you and you might not find them so creepy.