Skunk cleaner shrimps = friendly?

[Robbip]

Few questions regarding them and their temperament...

 

1) Can I keep a pair of them in a 5.5g? If I introduce one a few weeks after I introduce the other, will there be problems?

 

2) Will my damsel harass cleaner shrimps?

 

3) Will hermits ever attack it?

 

/Rob

[Monkeyrobb]

Damsels will harass everything.

[PieNinja]

Skunk cleaner shrimps are super friendly! Once they're settled into a tank, they'll clean your hand anytime you do in-tank maintanence work.

1.) Yes, you can keep a pair in a 5.5G. Just make sure that there are no dramatic swings (pH, SG, ect) and they'll be fine. No problems if you add another skung cleaner in a few weeks later.

2.) I've never seen my damsel harass my skunk cleaner before. Actually, it's the other way around since my cleaner shrimp always seems to be after my damsel for a cleaning. The shrimp eventually gives up.

3.) Hermit crabs won't attack it. The shrimp is real fast.

[DementedLullaby]

I have a skunk cleaner shrimp named Mr.Clean. I've been thinking of getting another. From what I understand they can change sexes and will spawn in the aquarium. It is hard to raise the babies because they go through planktonic stages but possible if you setup a dedicated tank for the female to release her eggs. Otherwise you can just let them go in the tank to become food for stuff. I think a pair would be fine as long as you keep water params in check.

 

As for friendly-ness. They are lovely little shrimp. Mine loves to jump on my hand and clean me. I hand feed the little guy all the time. The only pain in the butt thing is he loves to steal food right from the corals mouths. I remedy this by offering him a nice big chunk of grocery store shrimp and then feed my corals. He's to occupied eating to bother stealing anything

 

As for the damsel...I don't think so but I don't have a damsel. Usually fish recognize the cleaner shrimp is a good guy and leave him alone. Some fish love to be cleaned.

 

As the above poster said, no problems with the hermits (unless your shrimp is unhealthy).

[mullman]

1. I defer to the pros on this, but I have a skunk cleaner and fire shrimp in a 12g. Each have established their own area of the tank and both are very active! I expected the fire shrimp to be shy, but he is as active as my crazy skunk! They both eat out of my hand which is a hoot.

 

2. I had a yellow tail blue damsel with a skunk cleaner shrimp. As someone already mentioned the skunk cleaner would almost chase the damsel and try to clean it. Hands down the skunk cleaner is my fav item, although the bi-color blenny is closing in fast.

 

3. I will defer to the pros on this one, but I don't think so.

 

FWIW, I plan on adding a skunk cleaner shrimp (or maybe a fire) to my 5g office nano...

[Robbip]

Nice... because, although I have 1 in my tank now, I really add 1 or 2 more in the future... good idea or bad idea?

[ezcompany]

if you plan to feed your corals, shrimps are a BAD idea.

[DementedLullaby]

if you plan to feed your corals, shrimps are a BAD idea.

 

Naw as I said up there all you gotta do is make sure the shrimp gets a nice chunk before feeding the corals.