Where are my cleaner shrimp?

[Guest Amber Nussbaum]

Hey guys,

 

I just recently got my cleanup crew (including a peppermint shrimp) from Dr. Mac... plus I ordered 2 small skunk cleaner shrimp. Everyone was out and about the first day. Since then (3 days later) I have not seen hide nor hair of the cleaner shrimp. I finally spotted the peppermint.. he's living in a hole in one of the rocks.. comes out halfway when I feed the tank.  I can pretty much see most of the stuff in my tank (except inside and under the rocks... and a few crevices). I can't find the cleaners anywhere.

 

Do peppermints eat cleaners? He was about twice their size.. and I don't think my firefish or my purple queen anthias would have eaten them... would they?

 

Just seems like an expensive snack for a free peppermint shrimp. Ha.

 

Any clues?

[Lee Stearns]

I have had a pistol shrimp eat a peppemint in my nano, but in my main tank and the 29 the cleaners rule over the pepermints from the time they were even close to the same size.

Regards,

Lee

[HowardofNOVA]

Amber,

From my little bit of experience with them, I would recommend at least 2 peppermints, they seem braver using the buddy system. I had 4 in my previous 30gal tank and they usually stayed in the open all the time but in a little pod on the back of one of the rocks.

Howard

[Marty]

Ok.  Peppermints definitely do better in a group.  Get 3-4.  They most likely did not do anything to your cleaners.  I've had cleaners that I don't see for weeks, then they'll appear at night waving around looking for someone to clean.  Pistols or more likely mantis shrimp could be the culprit.  Do you have any snapping or clicking especially at night?  

 

Look around with a flashlight about an hour or so after the lights go out.  Also listen for snaps and clicks.  Good luck.

 

mc

[Guest Amber Nussbaum]

I saw them, they just kind of hang out in a concave type rock. They're in there though. Maybe they'll come out more when they get bigger.