input on shrimp

i've decided to buy a shrimp for my tank but i am having trouble deciding on which would be beneficial (in terms of scavenging or parasite control) as opposed to harming tank inhabitants (polyps in particular). i'm leaning towards a cleaner or a peppermint. i'm just looking for opinions based on experience...the two types of shrimp listed above are by no means my final decision. if there is a shrimp that you have had great experiences with, let me know. two shrimp that i am not interested in are sexy shrimp (too small) or harlequins ( not willing to sustain their eating habits). thanks for looking and please...throw some advice my way!!!!

 

Fire, cleaner and peppermint shrimp are all good choices. Other shrimp cannot be trusted in a reef tank. The three shrimp I mentioned above should be watched periodically to make sure they are ok with corals but on the whole will do just fine in your tank. They make fine, colorful and interesting additions to a tank!

 

The fire, skunk and peppermint shrimp are all cleaners but skunks are far more out and about when the lights are on than the other two, especially if they're kept in groups of 2 or more. Fire and peppermint shrimp find safety in numbers too but I have never had any come out when the lights were on unless they were in groups of 3 or more.

 

I second amcarrig on the fire and peppermint. CBS seems to scavenge at night and is a good prey on pests including bristleworms BUT!! It is extremely territorial and will pinch fish! Atleast mine does and I'm sure people will agree with me whom own that bastard. He once pinched my clam which pretty much decided his fate... he's outta my tank! Now the problem is taking him out.

 

I say go with a Skunk Cleaner...you just cant go wrong with these little guys. I have four at the moment and they are great...two cleaning stations. They live very long in my experience too. My first one i had since it was a baby and lasted two years...it would have lasted longer...but during the first 24hour+ blackout...i lost it. But i know they can last for years because a friend of mine has a few in his 100 gal and that tank has been up for about 9 years.

PROS for Cleaner Shrimp:
They clean the fish, and your hands!
They eat all the left overs.
They are out all hours of the day...I love to watch mine during the night...they dance on the power heads ha...
They are just really cool.

CONS:
Er...need a long acclimation? but what invert doenst?

 

I have a Skunk cleaner and he is out and about all the time. I also have a Fire shrimp, he rarely comes out, however the tangs go to him if they need a clean, infact they dont let the Skunk anywhere near them!!

I have seen the fire shrimp actually climb on the tang and go for a short ride.

 

thanks for the replies everyone, i appreciate all the feedback. i think my main concern is the shrimp feeding off corals in the tank. my tank is primarily softies but i don't want to take any chances. obviously with a supplemental food supply the shrimp's appetitite can be controlled. out of the varieties mentioned earlier....what shrimp would cause the least amount of damage or be less prone to pick on corals? (from everyone's experiences of course).

thanks again,
jonathan

 

I've never had a cleaner shrimp pick on my corals. I have heard a few stories about polyp eating peppermint shrimp but I have yet to see one in action.

 

I agree with amcarrig...although it might be possible for really any shrimp to pick at corals...i have never had a problem...once i thought i saw my shrimp eating one of my open brain corals...but when i got closer he was just stealing food...

 

cleaner shrimp

I have 2 large cleaner shrimp and a peppermint in the same tank. They get along fine and i have never had a problem with them eating anyhting they shouldn't. My 2 cleaners are always out in the open. I can even place krill or mysis shrimp in the palm of my hand, and they will climb into my hand and eat out of it. kinda feels funny when they stick their litle arms under my fingernails though. i think they go into clean mode. id say go with cleaners and a peppermint in the event you might ever tangle with aptasia, good to have the peppermint on patrol.