Does Shrimp Cleaning = Sick Fish?

[HingleMcCringleberry]

Hi all,

 

I have a cleaner shrimp in my 30 gallon tank that seems to have a voracious appetite. I’m very happy with the small skunk cleaner and how much he tries to clean my fish. But counterintuitively, this makes me worried about my fish. I know my tank has ich since I had an outbreak in the past, but all my fish currently look and act healthy. No spots or scratching on rocks or any other unusual behavior. My largest fish, a foxface rabbitfish has been getting a lot of attention from the shrimp. The rabbitfish was also hit hardest by the ich in the past. It’s a small tank and I guess it’s not easy to avoid the manic little shrimp (the rabbitfish is moving to a bigger home soon), but the rabbitfish often swims slowly past. The shrimp jumps on and starts to clean and the rabbitfish shakes him off shortly after. Not sure if the fish is asking for it or not. 

 

Either way, my real question boils down to this: 

If my cleaner shrimp is cleaning my fish a lot does it mean my fish is getting sick? Even if the fish shows no signs of infection?

 

thanks in advance to any thoughts and advice!

[seabass]

Larger fish are usually more comfortable being cleaned than smaller, more timid fish.  Healthy fish may allow a cleaner shrimp on them, although a fish with parasites may be even more willing than a healthy fish.