Cleaner Shrimp and Anemones

[Dwayne]

I've had a carpet(haddoni) for about 8 months now. About 6 weeks ago I added a cleaner shrimp to the tank. The cleaner shrimp has now taken-up residence in the anemone. Occasionally, he'll wonder 2-3" away to perform 'cleaning' duties. Then he's right back with the anemone 'grooming' each and every tentacle.

Anyone else have such a relationship? I know anemonefish (clowns) are known for establishing these types of relationships, but I've never heard of cleaner shrimp doing this.

Dwayne

[horge]

One of the most under-relayed aspects of anemone nutrition is how they feed off of small food items they trap with body mucus.

Maybe it's the size of the oral/anal port that has people thinking big chow :) Anyway, I'd suspect your shrimp was just taking advantage of an available food concentrator.

[Dwayne]

Horge, thanks for the reply.

So, would you say this relationship is a 'bad' thing? I haven't noticed any degradation in the anemone, but my understanding is they can be slow to show signs of things going wrong. I do directly feed the anemone.

If it's a bad thing, I could try directly feeding the cleaner shrimp. Maybe he'd be too full to bother with the smaller foods trapped by body mucus.

Thanks again

Dwayne

[rshimek]

Hi Dwayne,

Some of the "cleaner" shrimp found with anemones are apparently "obligately" bound to them. Specifically, in this regard are those in the genus Periclimenes. Most of these found on anemones and corals are transparent with white and purple markings. They often have the white antennae and anterior legs of cleaner shrimp, and actively clean fish.

However, they actively eat their host as well. They may signficantly damage their host over time, particularly in an aquarium where the corals and anemones are often malnourished.

Most of the cleaners we add to our tanks are in the genus Lysmata (scarlet cleaners are either Lysmata amboinensis or L. grabhami, for example). Lysmata seem frequently to eat polyps or polyp parts. Our cleaners will do this as well. I suspect your cleaner is doing as horge indicated and eating mucus and adherent glop, but it may take a tentacle now and then.

This will be no big deal if the anemone is well fed.

Cheers, Ron

[J]

There are shrimp that live in anemones - are there any available in the hobby for a haddoni carpet?

[Dwayne]

Ron,

Thanks for the info.

I'm going to go with the assumption that since this seems to be a Lysmata cleaner, if I keep the anemone fed all will be well.

I still find it strange that I'm feeding the anemone shrimp while a shrimp lives right on top of it.

Dwayne

[horge]

Hmm, yes it does seem a little off-putting :)

[JSC]

My cleaner stays right next to or under my bulb all the time. Never jumps on it though. Seems to know that it is very safe there.

[Anemone of the State]

Mine does the same.