Cleaner Shrimp

[RJDENNIS]

I purchased a Cleaner shrimp from Aquatica today and after doing a proper drip acclimation I released it into the tank.
Now it is hours later and it is sitting at the very top of the tank right at the water line.
Any ideas as to why?
My tank is a well established tank (been up for 8 years now) I only have 2 clown fish, a diamond goby, a blue tang, yellow tang and a koran angel and of course the usual clean up crew inhabitants.

 

[#theMatrix]

Dead or alive?

Kill the lights so it ca have a chance to find a rock to hide in if its alive.

 

[RJDENNIS]

Yes it is alive but for some reason hanging out at the top of the tank. My Blues are on now but I will turn them off to see if that helps.

 

[#theMatrix]

It hasnt found the substrate is all. And if anybody picked on it when it was dropped in hell go to the surface.

When i introduced shrimp my fish think its food. So now they only go in at night when lights out. So they have time to find rocks and stuff

 

[jrwoltman]

RJ, don't freak out yet. When I had my 75, my cleaner lived at the top of my tank too. He would clean my hand whenever I fed the tank and would periodically go down and groom the fish, but hung out under the pvc at the top of the waterline that was my return system. The fish innately and instinctively recognized him as a cleaner and all let him be. Good luck!!!

Jim

 

[carpetreef75]

Did he go down to bottom yet ? mine went right to bottom in daytime with lights on and must not have done a good cleaning job cuz after 2 days they devoured him , i have 2 sailfins that give true meaning to the word PRIK they are fed 3XS daily and still knock every snail off the glass and eat them, take food right away from anemones . hope your cleaner does well
Bryan

 

[RJDENNIS]

No, its still sitting at the top of my tank next to the overflow and return now. just fed the tank and it didn't eat either.

 

[madjoe]

Might be getting ready to molt they wont eat til done

 

[RJDENNIS]

Oh my gosh that is it!!!

I just happen to be on the ground playing with my Shepherd pup and looked up at the tank and sure enough I see a skeleton in a rock tunnel.

 

[JustinRHadley]

Its awesome how much knowledge is shared on this forum just from self experiences

 

[RJDENNIS]

6 days now and the shrimp is still hanging out at the top of the tank. Go figure

 

[jrwoltman]

6 days now and the shrimp is still hanging out at the top of the tank. Go figure

I still would not worry about it.

 

[RJDENNIS]

I guess it will just remain at the top of the tank setting up his cleaning station right next to the overflow.
It did molt again also

 

[carpetreef75]

I guess it will just remain at the top of the tank setting up his cleaning station right next to the overflow.
It did molt again also

WOW thats just strange i picked up 2 cleaner shrimp , and 12 peppermint shrimp last friday from Cisco @ Underwater and put them in at 10.00 p.m. when only the moonlights were on and they all went right to the bottom and hangin out in the rockwork and the cleaners got a line of fish like a car wash lol
Bryan

 

[RJDENNIS]

Yea tell me about it, I have no clue as to why it does it but it looks fine and does eat when its feeding time.

 

[carpetreef75]

Yea tell me about it, I have no clue as to why it does it but it looks fine and does eat when its feeding time.

may want to take him back and trade him in for his brother
Bryan

 

[madjoe]

Poor shrimp must take the short bus

 

[RJDENNIS]

I came down this morning and the shrimp was sitting at the top of one of my rock structures and my damn Yellow Tang kept messing with it so up to the top it went again.

 

[carpetreef75]

I came down this morning and the shrimp was sitting at the top of one of my rock structures and my damn Yellow Tang kept messing with it so up to the top it went again.

was the tang messing with it or just wanting to be cleaned ? mine hide in 500 lbs of rockwork and if you see a line of fish you know there open for bizness Ha my red seas would inhale these shrimps if they have a bad day or dont feed em 3Xs a day .. the last cleaner i made the mistake of putting him in while lights were on and he never made it to the rockwork 4 inches out of the net and the desjardinii inhaled the poor guy . BUMMER
Bryan