Cleaner Shrimp MIA?

[mandyplo]

Have had the guy for MONTHS... This is only a 55gallon tank, Saw him yesterday morning happy as can be eating like a champ as always, all of a sudden today hes just GONE? He molted on monday and he was definitely still alive in the tank when we pulled his shedded skin out.... Where on earth is he? Just fed everyone and he was no where to be seen this is very unusual

Other Livestock in the tank:
2 Clarkii clowns
1 Fire shrimp
1 Blue Chromis
1 Yellow Watchmen Goby
1 Arrow Crab
Various hermit crabs 1 emerald crab, snails.
1 Pipe organ, 1 Birdsnest and 1 Digitata coral.

There are no anemones in here for him to get sucked into and disappear either.... I have no suspicions/theories as to what could have caused him to vanish.

Where is he :( I loved him he was so entertaining and loved to clean my hand when I was messing around in the tank :( Do they just randomly disappear at times like this?

We searched all over the floor around the tank thinking he could have gotten out, he didn't get sucked in the skimmer, not hiding behind the heater or power heads or filter.... Very very very odd and sad :(

Edit: Sorry just realized I should have posted this under Marine Fish

[reefgirl189]

I had a cleaner shrimp go missing just a few months ago. He was gone for about a week, nowhere to be found. I looked in my overflows and around every rock that I could. No idea where he was hiding but he showed up again like nothing ever happened. Perhaps yours just went on a vacation like mine did. From what I understand they like to be secluded while they lay eggs.

[mandyplo]

Oooo this would make sense. There are PLENTY of hiding places in my rockwork but he's never gone into hiding before. He's always been swimming about the tank, and takes residence on his one little piece of rock at the front of the tank for bedtime, that's why I'm so alarmed. I hope he shows up I feel like my cat or dog has gone missing its so sad! I'm all worried about him. (Or her if its laying eggs :O! )

[daplatapus]

Yeah, mine easily disappears for a couple days, especially after molting until his shell hardens up again.

[mytank90]

try shinning a red light into tank a few hours after main lights go off .the red light does not bother your fish and you might see your shrimp .i thought both my cleaner shrimp where dead because had not seen them in 5 months .last night useing red light i saw them

[mandyplo]

By red light do you mean something like a laser pointer? I can try this out :)

[mandyplo]

WTF!!!!!! So I know what happened to my cleaner... I just walked into my room to find my two clarkii clowns DEVOURING my fire shrimp!!!!

I thought clarkiis were only aggressive towards other fish? I've need heard of them being aggressive towards shrimp let alone fully EATING THEM!? My entire fire shrimps tail is eaten off I have him in a bag floating in the tank. I don't have a spare or quarantine tank so I'm going out right now to buy a breeding trap to put him in for now and see if he lives, I doubt it and don't think they're capable of regeneration but maybe his tail might heal over. Idk...

So sad I'm still shocked that my clowns were behind it. I'm rehoming the clowns no question because I plan to put coral and other fish in my tank and god only knows what they'll develop appetites for then...

I never suspected it to be my clowns because they've been in the tank with the shrimp for 2 months now but I just realized the cleaner was eaten right after he molted (so he was soft and vulnerable). My fire shrimp molted yesterday so they went after him right away. Damn I'm ****ed!!! My poor shrimp I've had them for almost a year! Friggin clowns come into the picture 2 months ago and this probably explains my missing blue chromis too I havent seen him in about a month either.

anyone else ever hear of this happening with clarkiis? This is just my luck.

[mytank90]

bye red light i am useing a battery operated light thats for a bike