Reef-Safe my eye!

[Reefeross]

Just a warning to softy reefers. I may be a lone, ignorant individual but I was always under the impression that cleaner shrim were reef-safe. Just now I looked over to see that my beautiful, 7'' tall 4'' across toadstool had retracted its polyps for the first time in weeks. Upon closer inspection, my Skunk Cleaner was perched on its underside, and ripping off flesh before shoving it in its mouth. There are now clear patches were the flesh has been consumed. This is the last straw, after it constantly bothered my RBTA and even stole silversides from it. I don't know where this guy is going, but he is going somewhere.

On a side note; Are there ANY interesting non(?) sessile inverts that won't eat my corals? :mad2:

[ek9vboi]

I know, you should give it to me! That or condem it to the fuge! DUM DUM DUMMMMMMMMMM

[Reefeross]

Okay...I'm a bit cooled down now. I haven't seen him touch it for the last two hours. The Sacro looks alright. He backed away after I threw some mysis at him, can't let him get hungry I suppose. I'll watch for a while, if things persist he's gone. I think my RBTA is just closed up in its natural cycle, its eating fine.

[EvilInSin]

was he maybe eating the dead skin on the toadstool? My TS sheds off some dark looking skin from its stalks every few weeks.

[Sk8r]

Fighting Conchs are coral safe. ;)

[Reefeross]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7642722#post7642722 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by EvilInSin
was he maybe eating the dead skin on the toadstool? My TS sheds off some dark looking skin from its stalks every few weeks.


Maybe, he hasn't touched it again.


Yeah Sk8r, Fighting Conchs are awesome...How do those differ from Queen conchs btw?

[IslandCrow]

Fighting conchs are smaller than queen conchs. From what I've read, most aquariums aren't big enough to sustain a full sized queen conch, so fighting conchs are a very good alternative.

Oh, and my cleaner shrimp is a Pain in the. . . as well. He hasn't really nipped at any of my corals, though he's certainly very aggressive when they have food that he wants. I'm probably going to either sell or give mine away very soon. I've never seen him clean one of my fish or clean much of anything that I want him to. He's far to busy stealing everyone else's food.

[reefgeek67]

i agree that he is just cleaning up some shedded tissue.....it seems to be a common practice. i would personally advise you keep the little guy; i have had mine for several years and he has been great......they do like some good food every now and again though!