Crusty companion: What is your favorite shrimp for a reef tank?

[TWYOUNG]

I have a blood fire shrimp over 2 years and lucky to have it as I had two cleaners, a giant coral banded shrimp and this fire. Some of the others were almost 4 years for me and I introduced a flame hawk who quickly ate all the others.

Did you remove your Hawkfish or did he just not go after your blood shrimp?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Did you remove your Hawkfish or did he just not go after your blood shrimp?

He's long gone and never again. Still have my blood red shrimp

 

[Jason Scalise]

Saron shrimp.

 

[i cant think]

I have a cleaner, but have been wanting to get a fire shrimp. Do they ever get over their shyness and eventually come out during the day?

It’s really shrimp dependant, my last one was all over the tank but my current one is mainly out at night and during feedings.

 

[efurino]

Will no longer have peppermint shrimp as I was horrified to watch the ones I has tear chunks off my rock flower nems until there was nothing left!

 

[shakacuz]

pistol(candy cane/red banded), then cleaner shrimp

 

[NickHolmes]

Had this guy for over a year now, fascinating creature with quite the appetite. Managed to get a steady supply of Cushion Stars locally so he stays well fed

 

[toadfarm]

My current favs are my cleaner, about 2 years old and huge, and a golden coral banded. The coral is one of the more active that I've had.

 

[runcis]

Donald Duck shrimp (Leander plumosus)

 

[Klyle]

Not sure how the banded coral isn’t on the list…even though i voted pistol shrimp

 

[Cthulukelele]

Don't "sexy & Harlequin shrimp require Asternia?

Sexy shrimp don't require starfish. Theyll eat anything. Harlequin do.

 

[Nemo&Friends]

Everything else is always happy and honestly the shrimp is acting normally. But I’d wake up in the morning and they look like tumbleweeds on the bottom of the tank. Maybe one day I will give shrimp another shot

Are you sure it is dead? mine disappear completely for over 3 weeks, but a few days ago I saw the end of its antennae sticking out of a large conch shell. Cannot see the shrimp, but antennae appears during feeding. The molt looks so much like the shrimp itself, than it is easy to think them dead. I thought I lost my coral banded shrimp, until I saw the live shrimp standing next to its molt.

 

[Mark Bradley]

I have two blood reds but my favs are my pair of Boxing Shrimp

 

[Sinibotia]

Definitely pistol. Both of the reef tanks I have had now have had a pistol and goby pair as their centerpiece motile animals because they are just so fascinating to watch and their habits are so endearing and amusing, even if they can be a little frustrating moving things where you didnt want them I don't think a nano reef gets better than pistol shrimp (plus goby).

 

[Reef_Tank_Fan_SC]

Are you sure it is dead? mine disappear completely for over 3 weeks, but a few days ago I saw the end of its antennae sticking out of a large conch shell. Cannot see the shrimp, but antennae appears during feeding. The molt looks so much like the shrimp itself, than it is easy to think them dead. I thought I lost my coral banded shrimp, until I saw the live shrimp standing next to its molt.

Oh yeah, he way definitely dead. I sit him out of the tank and when he was in my hand he was 100% gone. Which I was upset about because he had inly been in the tank for about 36 hours at the time. Everything else I put in at the time with him is still happy and healthy. It ironic that you quoted my comment about it because the place I bought it from had the same name as you. Nemo, lol. But I don’t know maybe it’s just not meant for me to have a cleaner shrimp.

 

[TWYOUNG]

He's long gone and never again. Still have my blood red shrimp

I wanted to add a cleaner shrimp a few months ago to help with a low level of parasite activity even though I have a Flame. First Skunk was in there six weeks without any issues so I added two more Skunks and two Blood Reds. 10 days later one of the Bloods Disappeared without any evidence then a month later the remains, (I don't think it was just a shell), of a skunk were found and I appear to be down to two skunks and one Blood Red. I did see considerable squabbling between the three Skunks so I'm trying to determine if I have an assassin Hawkfish or if he's as innocent as he looks lol!

 

[vetteguy53081]

I wanted to add a cleaner shrimp a few months ago to help with a low level of parasite activity even though I have a Flame. First Skunk was in there six weeks without any issues so I added two more Skunks and two Blood Reds. 10 days later one of the Bloods Disappeared without any evidence then a month later the remains, (I don't think it was just a shell), of a skunk were found and I appear to be down to two skunks and one Blood Red. I did see considerable squabbling between the three Skunks so I'm trying to determine if I have an assassin Hawkfish or if he's as innocent as he looks lol!

I trust a politician more than I trust a hawkfish

 

[Nemo&Friends]

It ironic that you quoted my comment about it because the place I bought it from had the same name as you. Nemo, lol. But I don’t know maybe it’s just not meant for me to have a cleaner shrimp.

I bought mine at Nemo in Charlotte too, about 6 weeks ago. It disappeared for over 3 weeks and I thought it died. But a few days ago the end of its antennae appeared...
All my fish, and most of my invert, except a few snails come from Nemo. I do not have corals, just macro. I have been happy with their advice and the stuff I bought from them.

 

[ID-Reefer]

I have two cleaner shrimp, a pistol and a harlequin. My favorite is the Harlequin for sure. So fun to watch and is really a beautiful creature. I see him daily in my 200 gal. reef and feed him one arm off of a chocolate chip star once a week.

 

[Reef_Tank_Fan_SC]

I bought mine at Nemo in Charlotte too, about 6 weeks ago. It disappeared for over 3 weeks and I thought it died. But a few days ago the end of its antennae appeared...
All my fish, and most of my invert, except a few snails come from Nemo. I do not have corals, just macro. I have been happy with their advice and the stuff I bought from them.

I like them also and that where I got my Wyoming white clowns from. Maybe my Shri will make another appearance but I’m 99% sure he’s gone.. lol.