Grouper w/ cleaner shrimp

[Coral Hind]

Are there any large grouper keepers out there that have a cleaner shrimp in the same tank. I have a 9" Cephalopholis miniata and I was thinking of adding a skunk cleaner to the tank. I know that groupers visit cleaning stations in the wild so I hope it would not just see the new cleaner as a food source. I am only looking for feedback from those that currently have or have tried this combination.

The tank is a 120g frag tank with the Miniatus, a Yellow tang, a large green starfish, 6 emerald crabs and numerous snails and hermits. Below the two eggcrate shelves is live rock forming several over hangs.

[sevendigitcake]

i know with eels, it can work if the shrimp were in first but even then its not 100%. I think if you tried to add the shrimp with the grouper already in the tank, it would be an expensive snack.

[Coral Hind]

Well, so far so good. It has been 2 days and they are getting along just fine. I actually feel sorry for the cleaner shrimp since the grouper will not leave it alone. Where ever the shrimp goes the grouper goes too and it will lay down next to the shrimp, mouth open, just begging to get cleaned.

http://i380.photobucket.com/albums/oo241/CoralHind/120%20gallon/Groupiewithcleaner.jpg

http://i380.photobucket.com/albums/oo241/CoralHind/120%20gallon/gillcleaning.jpg
He loves getting his gills cleaned.

[saltyguy51]

I bought a cleaner for my ray and then the shrimp got mean and had to go

[Coral Hind]

What was the shrimp doing?

[ReefWreak]

That's fantastic the cleaning activity you're seeing in your tank. Really awesome, and thanks for the pics! One of my favorite parts of the IMAX "Coral Reef Adventure" movie was with the cleaner wrasses and the big groupers, but it's cool to see it with shrimp in a home aquarium!

[Mentat]

Congrats and thanks for sharing the pictures.

[saltyguy51]

The shrimp starting pulling the skin around its stinger off and caused a wound.

[EllieSuz]

That is a gorgeous fish and a happy shrimp. Thank you for sharing those wonderful pictures.

[AdamTang]

love seeing that. can't wait to set the new tank up and get a few of them.

[LukFox]

That's amazing :). It's great to see it working with a shrimp. In Hawaii the groupers are always at the cleaner fish stations, but I wasn't sure if they would accept shrimp too.

[jayb12]

i tried one the other day in my tank, every fish lined up to get cleaned as soon as it was dropped in. thought everything was fine, then it got eaten when the lights went out!

[Coral Hind]

I hope that doesn't happen here. So far, so good, 72 hours and all is fine.

[SHOW ANGELS]

I remember introducing a cleaner shrimp in my old tank. Which had a XL panther grouper. That guy inhaled the shrimp in 5 minutes.

[Grouperhead]

Cleaner still around? Love the pics of your miniata.

[Coral Hind]

Yes it is still alive and still cleaning the grouper. It cleans everywhere but around the grouper's face or mouth area. Basically it will not go pass the eyes. I guess it doesn't want to press it's luck just yet.