When cleaner shrimp clean?

[jgoal55]

i was watching one of my cleaner shrimp go to town today on my flame angel....i'd actually never seen that and it was awesome to watch but it got me thinking.....

When the shrimp is cleaning does that necessarily mean that there is some sort of bug/ parasite on the fish? or are they just doing that because I don't have my hand in the tank? (they love to clean my hand)

 

[cdub]

i believe that they are cleaning any dead cells off of the fish, sort of an exfoliation underwater.

 

[xyzpdq0121]

Ya they clean just because. I doubt mine clean my hands because I have Ich! Then again I could! Mine go in spirts about cleaning, I have not seen them clean anything in a few months but I think that is because they are busy spawning!

 

[george]

When I had these in a tank 5 or so years ago, I could put my hand in the tank and they'd pick at my fingers and under my finger nails. It was pretty cool to show people their cleaning in action.

 

[xyzpdq0121]

George;51239 wrote: When I had these in a tank 5 or so years ago, I could put my hand in the tank and they'd pick at my fingers and under my finger nails. It was pretty cool to show people their cleaning in action.

Ya but annoying when you have to do work in your tank!!!

 

[jgoal55]

yeah, they wont leave my hands alone....I guess I dont wash my hands enough or something.....I think my cleaner shrimp are calling me dirty....

 

[wbholwell]

Brandon, how are your baby cleaners doing? Got any for sale yet?

 

[xyzpdq0121]

Nope the baby cleaners did not make it... I need to come up with a seprate culture tank if they are going to have any chance...

 

[wbholwell]

Xyzpdq0121;51352 wrote: Nope the baby cleaners did not make it... I need to come up with a seprate culture tank if they are going to have any chance...

You know, if you can just get a fraction of them to make it to adulthood, you'll be raking in the cash! Even at 1/2 LFS prices, we're still talking 10 to 12 bucks a piece. I'd pay that.

 

[xyzpdq0121]

Don't remind me!!!!

 

[kwl1763]

Ya and if it was that easy lots of people would do it and the price wouldn't be $30 in the LFS! Not impossible but very very very few people who try this are ever successful!

My cleaners (6 of them) clean whever they get a chance, my arms, fish that will stay still long enough, anything. I don't think it has any significance if any parasites are actually there are not. They'll always look for them!