Cleaner shrimp for fighting fish parasites

[ReEf BoSs]

Came across a study on using shrimp to eat parasites in the fish farming industry.

Excerpt on findings
The effectiveness of shrimp in reducing parasites on farmed fish remained unexplored until now. We tested four cleaner shrimp species for their ability to reduce three harmful parasites (a monogenean fluke, a ciliate protozoan, and a leech) on a farmed grouper. All shrimp reduced parasites on fish and most reduced the free-living early-life environmental stages – a function not provided by cleaner fish. Cleaner shrimp are sustainable biocontrol candidates against parasites of farmed fish, with the peppermint cleaner shrimp reducing parasites by up to 98%

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-32293-6


Worth the read

[smokinreefer]

Thanks for sharing.

Never thought of peppermints as cleaners, more so for aiptasia eradication.

I do keep 2 pairs of cleaners though, scarlet and blood.
I just plain like to keep them, the cleaning relationship is cool to see too!
Also having them clean your hands when in the tank is neat too lol.

[hillegom]

Yeah, as well, thanks for posting. Enjoyed the read
I love it too when they go on your hand. Except for one time. I had a 1/4 inch scab on my hand and the skunk found it. He hunkered down and with all his might tore it right off. Too fast for me to pull the hand out. Bleeding after.
Laughable now.
I get my guests to wash their hands and place one into the tank. Mixed reactions
lol

[smokinreefer]

Ouch!

[ReEf BoSs]

Ouch with a little 😂

[hillegom]

Yes, beware if you have an ouch.
Seriously though, the read was quite informative.
I think the sales of peppermints will go up

[ReEf BoSs]

Originally Posted by smokinreefer

Thanks for sharing.

Never thought of peppermints as cleaners, more so for aiptasia eradication.

I do keep 2 pairs of cleaners though, scarlet and blood.
I just plain like to keep them, the cleaning relationship is cool to see too!
Also having them clean your hands when in the tank is neat too lol.

In my older systems my cleaner shrimp would set up little cleaning stations basically an overhang and fish would swim up. First time i seen a cleaner crawling on a fish i was a bit shocked