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View Full Version : cleanershrimp/wrasse eats??

rsantangelo3@co
03/02/2009, 07:02 PM
Ordering a trio of each and was wondering if these guys will eat flat worms or even parasitic worms if there are 1 or 2 on a fish. From my prior post with my emperor appearing to have worm like flats on his eyes, was hoping these guys can do the trick?? All info will help.
rsantangelo3@co
03/03/2009, 06:48 AM
anybody?
StayPuft
03/03/2009, 09:30 AM
I have cleaner shrimp and wrasse but I can't answer your question since none of my fish ever had worms. I can tell you they pick parasites like ich off fish, so maybe they pick worms too.
DamnPepShrimp
03/03/2009, 12:20 PM
I've heard cleaner shrimp/wrasse will not pick of parasites (definitely not worms) but they merely pick off dead skin etc. They will not help with ich breakouts or any disease. The only way to do that is proper QT, there is no way around it.
StayPuft
03/03/2009, 01:16 PM
That is incorrect. They pick off parasites and while they don't eliminate ich, they are very helpful.
rsantangelo3@co
03/03/2009, 02:08 PM
I agree- Everything I read says dead skin and parasite.
DamnPepShrimp
03/03/2009, 09:10 PM
I've heard it is a myth about parasites. Most parasites ate embedded in the skin, where the cleaner can't get. Even if it does pick if some parasites, it won't put a dent in an ich problem and is mainly for show/interaction, that is why I have them.
StayPuft
03/03/2009, 10:17 PM
Yeah, like I said, it won't get rid of ich for you. But it picks off parasites which makes the fish feel better, that's a big help right there. These cleaners have a purpose in the ocean and that is to clean fish, which is why you see the fish actually go up to these shrimp.
DamnPepShrimp
03/03/2009, 10:51 PM
I did a little bit of research and found some sources (nothing set in stone) say that cleaner shrimp won't eat ich, since its embedded in the skin and too small for the fish. While it while eat larger parasites like flukes etc. Don't know what is true or not, but I guess it all comes down to it won't do a thing for an ich outbreak. Still cool to watch the interaction though. And like you said, it makes the fish hopefully feel better, hopefully boosting their immune systems to fight off the ich themselves.