6-line and cleaner shrimp: OK to mix?

[Delphinus]

Can a cleaner shrimp be at risk to a six-line wrasse? Tried searching the net for info and haven't found any solid anecdotal evidence...

[smokinreefer]

shouldn't be a problem.
i've had the 2 together before, and i've seen plenty of tanks that do as well.

[FishGeek]

Ok in my tank

Simon

[Old Guy]

I had a six line that took a liking to shrimp eggs and killed my cleaners. It also found a small exit through my top and went carpet surfing :( .

[PFisher]

I have a six-line and a cleaner in my tank and they are fine together. When I added the shrimp the wrasse didn't much like the cleaner trying to clean him all of the time and would dart at the shrimp now and then. That only lasted about a week, then things settled down and now all is well.

[Bob I]

I have both, and have no problems to date. The Six Line does not look at the Cleaner Shrimp. Curiously enough, he does not like my Cleaner wrasse, and sometimes chases him. :D

[wayner]

I have them and no problem

[Tau2301]

AOK in my tank.

[Jacoda]

I got both in my tank without any problems

[Delphinus]

Thanks for all the replies. I just put a wee little cleaner (1") in my tank, and it looked like the 6-line was 'eyeing' the shrimp which made me a bit nervous. Glad to hear they're generally well-behaved! (whew!)

[Bob I]

So did the wee cleaner come from Big Al's, and was it as inexpensive as I thought? :?: :?:

[Delphinus]

Yup, Big Als. I can't remember what your estimate was? It was $28. I went to both Wai's and Big Al's yesterday ... at Wai's they were $40 each (also in the "wee" size range, despite the label saying "large" ... perhaps I need new spectacles... :roll: ;) ). I didn't pick any up because I was pretty sure Big Al's had a better price. Unfortunately, they only had one (I was looking to buy 2 or 3), so I still feel a little unfulfilled in my mission to get a few of them.

Supposedly they were getting in a shipment late last night, so, I will be going back there today to see if they have any more (seeing as I was hoping to add at least a pair).

Get this though. So of course yesterday I go back in the fish room at Big Al's and of course the fish grrrrrls back there were acting as if they are paid on commission. The part that really bothers me is, well, these are probably high school age kids and already they have the typical "you know nothing, I must know it better because I work here" attitude. I asked about the order that was coming in, and they said, "oh probably around midnight." I replied (just making conversation), "oh, hee hee, somebody has to work late tonight." This is their response, said with an "all knowingly" kind of tone. "Oh no, we leave the stuff in boxes overnight. It's better for the animals to leave them in the box overnight before taking them out." ... Wha-wha-what????? Um .... Ok, I said to myself .... I am not even going to let myself get dragged into this .... just nod politely, and leave quickly. (This was the same grrrl who asked me, when I was buying my 6 line wrasse a few weeks ago, why live rock would make any difference for the fish. Ohhhhh kayyyyyyyyyy.)

Good grief. :roll:

[Bob I]

Tony, would you check if they get any Roal Gramas for me please. That way I save a trip. :D :D

[Delphinus]

Maybe my question should have been, is it OK to put a scarlet cleaner in with a lawnmower blenny??

The new cleaner has been MIA for at least 36 hours now... Basically I only saw it for a few hours after being put into the tank and I've never seen it since. :(

On a somewhat related rant/whine .... It really is amazing to see what passes for "large" these days. This $30 cleaner was barely larger than the mysis we feed (except that the antennae were much larger of course). So I'm thinking this is not boding too well.

Tank inhabitants (aka "suspects") are: banggai cardinal, lawnmower blenny, 6-line wrasse, and sailfin tang.

[AJ_77]

As to your 6-line, how big is it? Just wondering, the quote is from livequaria.com and reflects some other sources as well.

It will search for live foods in the form of small crustaceans such as pyramidellid snails (clam parasites), urchins, and commensal flatworms. It may even try to attack small ornamental shrimp.


Hopefully your baby shrimp wasn't a shrimp dinner, :shock:
- and is just hiding out, or freaking out a bit.

(AND - I'm stunned at these prices. If there's a few of us who need another shrimp or two, let's get an order together and MO them next time.)

Alan :D

[Delphinus]

Yeah, I had read that too (that was why I asked about the 6-line first).

Ok, admittedly, there ARE a lot of places to hide in this tank (there have been times I haven't even been able to find my new tang), so, a 1" shrimp could easily avoid detection. I just find it odd I haven't even seen a fleeting glimpse in two days. I dunno ... I have a bad feeling about this. I was going to go to LSOH and pick me up two more, but now I'm thinking that's neither in the animals best interests nor mine (at $40 each over at LSOH)...

[AJ_77]

Seriously Tony, canvas the locals for purchasers: the 4+ price for cleaner shrimp at J&L is what, 15 bucks?? Split the shipping and away we go! And they most likely have Bob's Gramma there too.

Count me in for 1 shrimp and a few Nassarius while we're at it! :D

Alan

[Bob I]

I would not mind another shrimp, & yes still looking for a grama. 8) 8)

[Canadian Man]

ooOo and I want 2 cleaner shrimp too.

[sumpfinfishe]

I have a small 6 line and two full grown cleaners, 6 months and no problems!

[Delphinus]

Wellllll ...... hate to say it but I'm pretty sure someone ate my new cleaner. MIA since Wednesday last week, not even a fleeting glimpse.

The problem is, they are so dang TINY to buy these days. It wouldn't take much of a gulp to swallow them whole if they were just a little out of sorts following a tank acclimation (and hence a little slower to escape an opportunisic snatch attempt..). My other cleaner shrimp (in my other tank) is easily 5 times the size of the ones I can go out and buy. I would just move him over, and hope for the best that the increased size means increased odds of not getting gulped, but since I don't know for certain what happened, I couldn't live with myself if I moved the shrimp over just so it can be eaten the first day. :(

Dang it, I've never had a problem with disappearing shrimp before. Did I just get unlucky or is someone in the tank having a penchant for shrimp meat??? It's too bad shrimp taste so good!!!

[christyf5]

Yes, what is going on with the size of inverts these days? The hermit crabs I bought a few months ago were practically microscopic. That didn't slow their voracious appetite for my snails though and all are wearing new homes.
The cleaner/peppermint/camel shrimp I have seen in the past 6 months or so have been absolutely tiny and I'm reluctant to add any to my tank as they just seem too small to survive in there. I don't think I have any predators but at $17.95 a pop for cleaners I don't really know if I want to give any gourmet offerings to anyone in my tank that may have a lust for a tiny innocent cleaner shrimp.

Christy :)

[GinKu]

i got some cleaner shrimp from J&L and they aren't small they are pretty big
i think it's 2 inch or something

[christyf5]

when did you get them? recently??

Christy :)

[Delphinus]

I have to eat crow now, because tonight I got a "fleeting glimpse" of hitherto-MIA cleaner shrimp.

Man, there really are too many dog-gone hidey holes in my tank that inhabitants can go hiding for a week at a time without ever having to come out for food or whatnot ... Oh well.