Cleaner Shrimp vs. Fire Shrimp???

KB70 · 04/27/2018, 10:13 PM

I have a 38-gallon reef tank with 60 pounds of live rock. I currently have a scarlet skunk cleaner shrimp and want to add a fire shrimp. Will the two get along, or kill each other?

norfolkgarden · 04/27/2018, 10:23 PM

We have 1 of each in a 75 gallon tank with 200 pounds of live rock. Lots of hiding places and overhangs so they can do their thing hanging upside down.

They don't go near each other or intentionally interact that I've ever noticed.

2 years running.

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KB70 · 04/27/2018, 10:49 PM

Is the fire shrimp as visible as the cleaner shrimp or does he hide most of the time?

norfolkgarden · 04/27/2018, 11:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KB70

Is the fire shrimp as visible as the cleaner shrimp or does he hide most of the time?

More visible. The cleaner shrimp hides a lot more.

The fire shrimp stays inside the cave network at the edge 24/7. Usually visible but shy.

The cleaner shrimp comes out completely but only overnight. (2 or 3am) Seldom see more than antenna.
I sometimes work really bizzare inconsistent hours so occasional I'm getting ready for work in the den with just a nightlight. Just enough to see into the tank.
"Oh good, you're still alive."

We have 1 flame hawkfish and a bonded pair of Longnose hawkfish.
They are the main reason the shrimp are mostly hidden.

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norfolkgarden · 04/27/2018, 11:11 PM

More visible. The cleaner shrimp hides a lot more.

The fire shrimp stays inside the cave network at the edge 24/7. Usually visible but shy.

The cleaner shrimp comes out completely but only overnight. (2 or 3am) Seldom see more than antenna.
I sometimes work really bizzare inconsistent hours so occasional I'm getting ready for work in the den with just a nightlight. Just enough to see into the tank.
"Oh good, you're still alive."

We have 1 flame hawkfish and a bonded pair of Longnose hawkfish.
They are the main reason the shrimp are mostly hidden.

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Crooked Reef · 04/28/2018, 08:14 PM

I have had the opposite experience. My skunk cleaners have always been out more than fire shrimp. I have had multiple over the past 16 years in various tanks. Never any with hawkfish though.

Monkeyfish · 04/30/2018, 12:53 PM

When I had a cleaner, he set up shop on top of a rock and the fish would come to him for a makeover. The fire shrimp was rarely seen.

jd371 · 05/02/2018, 08:42 AM

I have both in my 75g. They pretty much keep to themselves but I've seen one chase the other off if they wander too close to their space.

mndfreeze · 05/02/2018, 09:06 PM

Fire shrimp are definitely a lot more shy. Cleaner shrimp are like little neurotic methheads. Mine would jump on my hand and go nuts cleaning my nails and stuff any time my hands were in the tank. Also would steal food from my LPS corals mouths.

My fire shrimp in my current tank has a little overhang in the back side he sits in, and comes out when I feed and stuff and isn't "scared" of me or anything, but he isn't on that meth pipe either.

04/27/2018, 10:13 PM	#1
KB70 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: Southington, CT Posts: 7	Cleaner Shrimp vs. Fire Shrimp??? I have a 38-gallon reef tank with 60 pounds of live rock. I currently have a scarlet skunk cleaner shrimp and want to add a fire shrimp. Will the two get along, or kill each other?

04/28/2018, 08:14 PM	#6
Crooked Reef Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 1,765	I have had the opposite experience. My skunk cleaners have always been out more than fire shrimp. I have had multiple over the past 16 years in various tanks. Never any with hawkfish though. __________________ “In wine there is wisdom; in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.” - Benjamin Franklin Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef. Biocube 29 lionfish tank. Mantis tank.

04/30/2018, 12:53 PM	#7
Monkeyfish Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Long Island (NY) Posts: 4,077	When I had a cleaner, he set up shop on top of a rock and the fish would come to him for a makeover. The fire shrimp was rarely seen. __________________ Eric "One thing that humbles me deeply is to see that human genius has its limits while human stupidity does not." Current Tank Info: Taking a break

04/27/2018, 10:23 PM	#2
norfolkgarden Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Norfolk, Virginia, USA Posts: 258	We have 1 of each in a 75 gallon tank with 200 pounds of live rock. Lots of hiding places and overhangs so they can do their thing hanging upside down. They don't go near each other or intentionally interact that I've ever noticed. 2 years running. Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

04/27/2018, 10:49 PM	#3
KB70 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: Southington, CT Posts: 7	Is the fire shrimp as visible as the cleaner shrimp or does he hide most of the time?

04/27/2018, 11:11 PM	#5
norfolkgarden Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Norfolk, Virginia, USA Posts: 258	More visible. The cleaner shrimp hides a lot more. The fire shrimp stays inside the cave network at the edge 24/7. Usually visible but shy. The cleaner shrimp comes out completely but only overnight. (2 or 3am) Seldom see more than antenna. I sometimes work really bizzare inconsistent hours so occasional I'm getting ready for work in the den with just a nightlight. Just enough to see into the tank. "Oh good, you're still alive." We have 1 flame hawkfish and a bonded pair of Longnose hawkfish. They are the main reason the shrimp are mostly hidden. Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

05/02/2018, 08:42 AM	#8
jd371 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Long Island Posts: 615	I have both in my 75g. They pretty much keep to themselves but I've seen one chase the other off if they wander too close to their space.

05/02/2018, 09:06 PM	#9
mndfreeze Invert Sexy Time! Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Tempe, AZ Posts: 2,255	Fire shrimp are definitely a lot more shy. Cleaner shrimp are like little neurotic methheads. Mine would jump on my hand and go nuts cleaning my nails and stuff any time my hands were in the tank. Also would steal food from my LPS corals mouths. My fire shrimp in my current tank has a little overhang in the back side he sits in, and comes out when I feed and stuff and isn't "scared" of me or anything, but he isn't on that meth pipe either.