Chineseghoststory Posted January 10, 2003 Share Posted January 10, 2003 I just recently added a small, red-striped camel-back shrimp to the company of the damsel and two hermits that live in my 7 gal. bow nano. Everyone seems to be getting along, the damsel is leaving the shrimp alone except to occasionaly take a closer look at his antennea once in a while to make sure they're not food. The shrimp seems happy and forages regularly for food on the LR, eating whatever it is they eat off of it. But his habits are to hang mostly around the backside of the one rock he has a liking to and he rarely leaves it. although he does move around to the front of the rock once in a while, the back is clearly more his place. I wouldn't be suprised if he's not yet ventured to the other side of the tank even. Is this because he is new (about a week) or are shrimp rather territorial? Do they typically hang around just one small spot in the rocks or otherwise adopt a home which they don't go far from? I guess it wouldn't bug me but I really wanted a shrimp for a long time and i just don't see that much of the guy. How about adding another shrimp? Would the new one adopt another spot for himself and stay out of the way of the other one? Should I get another camel-back or a different species or does it matter? Would they bother each other if a newer one wandered around more? Or would they take up house together? I guess my one guy is finding plenty to eat on the one rock, he has the rest of the tank available if he likes. Okay, thassit! Thanks, Jeff Link to comment
spoondigity Posted January 10, 2003 Share Posted January 10, 2003 Give him time. They will tend to find a spot they like but eventually you will see him all over the tank. I would not get another. Cleaners can eat each other during certain periods of weakness from what I have read (camel-backs may be different but I am generalizing and guessing they may be similar). Molting being the most common. If you had a large tank it wouldn't be such a concern. Link to comment
Drysocket Posted January 10, 2003 Share Posted January 10, 2003 I think that this is common. My coral banded hangs upside down from my filter all day. It's his spot. He's had other spots in the rocks, too. He seems to switch it up every couple weeks or so. I think they just find a spot where they feel safe and they stay there for a while. I would just give him time....he'll come around. Link to comment
Mnesarchus Posted January 10, 2003 Share Posted January 10, 2003 My cleaner shrimp did the exact same thing. In a few weeks he will get less shy. Actually after a few weeks it's almost annoying how excited they get when you enter the room. Link to comment
Korbin Posted January 10, 2003 Share Posted January 10, 2003 My cleaner was more secretive when I first got him for the first few weeks. Now he's all over my hand whenever I reach in the tank. He likes to chill upside down too. Its annoying though, when you're sleeping and it tries to jump into bed with you. And it always chews up my slippers X) Ok, maybe not that last part. Seriously though... does anybody else's cleaner wave its white front legs back and forth really fast when you look in the tank at night? Its almost like mine is trying to scare me away. Link to comment
technoshaman Posted January 10, 2003 Share Posted January 10, 2003 If he's indeed a camel back shrimp they are supposed to be fairly aggressive. I wouldn't mix any other types of shrimp with him. I have a fire shrimp that's the same way. Comes out if he smells some food other than that he hides away behind a rock. Link to comment
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