Cant decide between Fire Shrimp or Cleaner Shrimp

[jamex]

Tank is a 16G bowfront. Assuming the price difference doesn't matter, is there an obvious favorite? The fire shrimp certainly 'looks' cool, but do they clean fish? Could both co-exist in a tank this small? I have tonnes of rock....would i ever see either of them, or are they fond of hiding?

 

Opinions from those who have kept both whether together or not would be awesome. Thanks.

[AReeferIsExpensive]

i have a 16bow and i have both. Cleaners want to interact with you more but the fires do look neat~ they always stay in sight, but in caves

they like to hang upside down in caves so if you make them one, youll ALWAYS see them.

Mine each have their area and they walk near eachother without any problems. They stay out of each others way for the more part and ive never seen them fight. hope this helps

[screeftennis]

The fire shrimp will hide for most of the day, and the cleaner shrimp, will tend to stay more visible. I have had both at the same time before and i would definitely go with a cleaner shrimp, even though the fire shrimp i smore attractive (IMHO).

[Dan_G25]

I prefer the fire, I think cleaners are ugly. My fire doesn't seem to clean but he's very interactive and when I sit infront of my tank he comes out and greets me and begs for food.

[EnderG60]

Fire : Looks MUUCH better, does clean fish(and hands), good shrimp. but does hide ALOT and cost more.

 

Skunk : still cool but not as much as the fire, cleans fish, doesnt hide as much and isnt as much $$

 

I like my fire shrimp alot, but he only comes out to stuff his face with flake food.

[NaNO ReeFiN]

Get both, I did.

 

I've noticed when feeding the tank, after a while my bloodshrimp tend to just stay in the open searching for food in the rocks.

[Sickboy]

Jamex,

 

I've had a fire shrimp for a year and a half and I absolutely love him! Yes, he cleans fish,arms and hands. Mine comes out when I feed and I manually feed him with my fingers or tweezers. I first used long tweezers only to give him pellets, but I soon kept fooling with him and now he takes from my fingers...80% of the time. He likes to hang upside down and watch everyone thats at the tank.

[jamex]

Thanks for all the great responses. sounds like I could get away with both in the same tank, so maybe i'll try that.

 

do either eat any sort of macro algae off the rocks? also, if i wanted a peppermint shrimp to help with aiptasia, do all 3 generally co-exist happily?