Shrimp + Anemone = ?

[MWafler]

My cleaner shrimp has developed the habit of sitting by my BTA and picking/poking at it, causing it to close up (grr.....) Should I be worried that the shrimp's going to stress out the anemone or hurt it?

[Gerber77]

I say you ditch the cleaner and get an anemone shrimp. IMO

[DudE31]

cleaner shrimp killed my hammer coral ... get rid off the shrimp

[MWafler]

How did he kill it?

[Chupacabras]

The problem with cleaner shrimp is they love to eat anemone poop and anything you feed them, causing a lot of waiting around and picking at the 'nem. Usually, a cleaner will leave the 'nem alone after a while once it realizes anemones aren't Pez dispensers.

 

I've watched mine run across the face of my carpet anemone while it closes up behind... like that crappy scene in Behind Enemy Lines where Owen Wilson is outrunning the exploding mines.

 

Give it some time, I don't think I'd buy another skunk cleaner to put with anemones though as they're too much of a pain when trying to feed.

[idog]

Do you have a clownfish? Might shoo the shrimp away.

 

Also, make sure the shrimp is well fed.

[Reefstalker]

I came home last night and found my Green BTA eating my cleaner shrimp! Don't know whether the shrimp died first, or if he was picking through the anemone and the anemone nailed him. Anyway, I wish I took a picture but it didn't occur to me to do so until this morning, and the shrimp was already gone.

[Argent]

Nem: 1

Shrimp: 0