Cleaner shrimp ok with crabs

[TravisBTravis]

Hi everyone,

I want to get a cleaner shrimp for my damsel. The only thing is i have about 5 or 6 crabs (just your basic crabs, probably from Mexico ).

What are the chances that the crabs will go after the shrimp? I have had the crabs in my tank for about a year.

Here he is, Spaten:

http://www.reefsanctuary.com/photopo...hp?photo=10907

Thanks.

[lcstorc]

Depending on the type of crab you should be ok. Which kind of cleaner shrimp are you considering? There are several out there. I have a skunk cleaner shrimp, and a fire shrimp who is also a cleaner. If your crabs are the typical hermits it should be ok as long as the shrimp is bigger and you have hiding places in the rock etc. Shrimp are usually faster than the crabs and more mobile so they can get away if one of the crabs comes after it.
Why do you need a cleaner for your damsel? If it has ich you should know that the cleaners only help with part of the life cycle of the ich. The only way to truly rid your tank is to move all livestock into a cycled qt setup and treat with hyposalinity or copper while leaving the display without fish for 6 weeks. The ich cannot survive without a host and 6 weeks is the life cycle of the parasite.
Now if you just like to watch the shrimp clean the fish then that is another story and something really cool to watch.

[TravisBTravis]

Now if you just like to watch the shrimp clean the fish then that is another story and something really cool to watch.

yup...thats it . I will be looking to get a skunk cleaner but i mostly want to watch it clean (no ich in tank) and have something else in my 40 gallon.

I am reluctant to add another small fish because the Damsel will probably go after it.

As for the crabs, i guess they are hermits, they look like this:



I am pretty sure given the chance the would eat anything.

[Dentoid]

They are Blue legged hermit crabs and I have many of them in my tank. I have a Skunk cleaner shrimp, a Fire shrimp and 4 Peppermint shrimps and have had no problems. Many people say that these crabs will kill and eat snails for their shell. For me that's life on a reef, snails are replaceable. Just about all crabs are opportunistic feeders, meaning that they will eat anything they can get their grubby little claws on. So it's no wonder they eat slow moving snails! Generally most animals are fast enough moving to stay out of their way, but the sick and dying. Personally, I think these cute little crabs have gotten a lot of bad press and have been unrighteously, persecuted by blogging reefers.

[rebekwl]

I have a skunk cleaner shrimp and many blue leg hermits with no problems. You should be just fine. They will go after any snails that are on their backs though. I spend lots of time flipping snails over!! I have never actually seen my cleaner shrimp clean anything besides my hand though!! Good luck!

[TravisBTravis]

THANKS. Looks like a new cleaner shrimp then

[Dentoid]

I just love a tidy thread!