snail eating cleaner shrimp???

Hey all.

For the first time last night i took a flash light and looked what was going on in my tank at night... i was looking for my brittle star cause i haven't seen it in a couple of days. Found the star but saw a whole bunch of other stuff to. All kinds of little critters and wiggly things. Very cool...

I was looking for my cleaner shrimp in his usual spot but he was on the other side of the tank and was dragging something around... i looked closer to see that he was dragging a Stomatella snail around trying to run away from the light. So i moved the light away so he didnt have it directly in his face but so i could still see him pretty good. He was picking at it, not sure if he was eating it or cleaning it though. Didnt stick around to see cause it was kinda late but i will try to see if theres an empty shell when i get back from work.

Are cleaner shrimps known to eat snails???

Just wanted to share with you guys.

Marc.

 

the snail might have been dead already.

 

good point hoodoo... didnt think about that one.

Marc.

 

I agree with hoodoo. I've never had a Red Skunk Cleaner do anything but scavange.

 

It probebly was dead... i was cleaning my tank glass last night and accidently crunched one up against the glass with my brush. The dead snail was stuck on the brush so i slowly aproached the bruch near the snail and he didnt even think twice about it and grabed the snail. Ate it up in about a minute. He was going at it like crazy....

Marc.

 

lol u smushed a snail with a brush...man what a bad way to go...like having a fridge jump on u lol...

 

[quote author=Bruce link=board=Inverts;num=1102522479;start=0#5 date=12/09/04 at 16:32:20]lol u smushed a snail with a brush...man what a bad way to go...like having a fridge jump on u lol...[/quote]
[smiley=laugh.gif] [smiley=laugh5.gif] [smiley=laughingsmiley2.gif]

Ok guys and gals last night my wife saw it picking at a live snail. Never saw a snail move that fast.... But as soon that she got closer to the glass to check what was going on it moved back in its spot like as if it got caught or something... And ive noticed that i have allot less Stomatellas in the tank... So not sure if its eating them alive or not but its sure looks like it.

Marc.

 

Very interesting! Post a picture if you can. A Red Sunk Cleaner that went to the drak side, yikes!

 

Ill try to post a pic Craig but i cant garanty anything as soon as i get close to the glass it lets go of everything and goes back in its spot...

Marc.