What exactly is an "ornamental shrimp?"

[Fizz71]

I know it sounds like a stupid question, but what classifies something as an "ornamental shrimp?"

You see alot of sources that say a certain fish "may eat ornamental shrimp." Is that basically ALL of the shrimp in the ornamental fish trade like the Peppermint Shrimp, Banded Coral Shrimp, and Harlequin Shrimp? Or only the smaller ones like the Sexy Anemone Shrimp?

I'm trying to decide if I can add one of these...Australian Dottyback (http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?siteid=21&pCatId=167)...to my stocking list, but I'm planning on having a couple of peppermint shrimp in the tank as well.

Even if this fish won't work for me, I've read other sources on other fish that say the "may" or "will" eat "ornamental shrimp." I just want to make sure I know what they mean by that.

TIA

--Fizz

[MalHavoc]

If you don't want to eat it, it's ornamental :)

[Fizz71]

Well..I don't eat ANY shrimp, although a peppermint shrimp SOUNDS rather tasty. :-)

I had a Bicolor Pseudochromis in my old system, and it never seemed to bother the Banden Coral shrimp I had. Of course the shrimp was a BEAST by the time I got the Bicolor.

So I guess a peppermint shrimp and and australian dottyback might not fly?

[ChasingPuck]

Ornamental is used to indicate that the fish species comes from an area where 'workers', ie, cleaner shrimp, are present, and the fish will likely leave cleaner shrimp alone. However, in th confines of the tank, I would be hesitant in trusting a crustacean eating fish with any shrimp.