Coral Banded Shrimp Robbing food from corals

[I'm Batman]

Before I could snap a pic my instincts were to shoo the coral Banded Shrimp away from my acans.

 

Anyway... I fed my acans coral frenzy and come back two minutes later and the coral Banded Shrimp is holding the acan colony, ripping at it with its claws which I assume was an attempt to get the food... 

 

Im sure this is natural but why and should I get rid of him. Does he coral Banded actually serve any purpose to my ecosystem?

[Flexin]

How often do you feed the shrimp, what do you feed him with, do you target feed?

 

And by the way, anyone taking on the Batman name is good in my book!

[I'm Batman]

Haha, good cause originally this was the "no flex zone" but anybody cool with batman can flex all they want hahah!!!

 

I broadcast feed mysis then spot feed the cora frenzy.

[Tamberav]

Serve a purpose? Well not really. I do not keep large shrimp with LPS for this reason. I fed them before feeding coral but to no use, they were bottomless pits. They do look cool but I personally just add them to tanks where I do not need to feed coral chunks of food.

 

Cleaner shrimp are less destructive since they have tiny claws but they do still steal. 

 

I guess maybe if given something that took them a long time to eat, it would work? Sort of like giving a puppy a bone to chew on and distract him from chewing on your favorite slippers ;p

[Flexin]

I feed the fish/shrimp/crabs first.  I spot feed the shrimp and crabs.  Need to keep them content to not do that.  If not, spot feeding the corals will drive them into a feeding frenzy, they are looking for the food but having a hard time finding meaty bits..  Give it a try and let us know.

[1891Bro]

CBS are known coral munchers anyway. All shrimps are the devil even cleaner. Giant pains in the ass. I'm ok with cocktail shrimp, shrimp scampi, shrimp kabobs, shrimp gumbo........

[I'm Batman]

The verdict is in.... F*@# that guy!!!

Thanks everyone!

[Friendly]

keep in mind the real batman uses non-lethal options.  

[I'm Batman]

10 hours ago, Friendly said:

keep in mind the real batman uses non-lethal options.  

Fo sho, he'll go into another tank as soon as I can trap him!

[Flexin]

If they are like my shrimp, just some food on your spot feeder will do it,  my cleaner swims upside down at the surface so I can feed him.  

[brianinak]

My cleaner is my favorite.  He eats with the fish.  Goes nuts moving up the glass and the upside down thing cracks me up  He does go on the corals if he thinks food on them.