Cleaner Shrimp Questions, Do they really cure Ich?

Discussion in 'Inverts' started by Claic Yuzolt, Nov 16, 2009.

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  1. Claic Yuzolt

    Claic Yuzolt Bubble Tip Anemone

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    I just picked up two cleaner shrimp for my tank, which is actually just finishing its cycle at 4 weeks and doesn't contain any fish.

    Anyway, I tried searching the forums but couldn't find what I was looking for. Do cleaner shrimp actually clean the "ich" off of fish or is that just a rumor. If this is a rumor what is the point of having cleaner shrimp?

    If I have two in my tank should they hang out together or are they mostly creatures who fly solo? Will they mate or is that a rare occurrence?

    I have a Koralia 1 and a Koralia 3 in my tank and causes the Mysis shrimp I sprinkle in to fly all over the place, I know this will be easy for the fish to catch and eat but should I turn them off when feeding so the shrimp get some also or will they eventually just start jumping and swimming for it nce they have gotten use to their new home?

    Thanks a lot!
     
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  3. jakeh24

    jakeh24 Pajama Cardinal

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    as far as cleaning yes they will help keep your fish ich free by eating parasites off of fish.
    not sure about pairs maybe something you could look into.
    and for feeding i would hand feed mine just to make sure he got some with all the fish around.
     
  4. bioreefdude

    bioreefdude Fu Manchu Lion Fish

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    yea they eat parasites but they are not a magic cure for ich healthy fish and good husbandry are the best ways to fight ich
     
  5. Dingo

    Dingo Giant Squid

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    shrimp are hermaphroditic so they will actually fertilize themselves or each other. the two will hang out together...
    and they are fairly finicky once you first get them in the tank... since you are just finishing your cycle be careful of some unexpected spikes in all your levels
     
  6. devlzluv

    devlzluv Ritteri Anemone

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    lmao all my fat shrimp does is eat and attack my puffer (im not kidding about the puffer part). I wish he would attempt to clean my fish cuz my tang will swim right up to him and present himself and nothign happens. I like him cuz apparently he is king of the tank which is crazy and idk how he did it but he runs it.
     
  7. Claic Yuzolt

    Claic Yuzolt Bubble Tip Anemone

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    Sounds awesome, besides the not cleaning part. They've started hanging out together at one end of my tank. It seems like one is braver then the other though because only one of them venture out to the other side.
     
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  9. charlesr1958

    charlesr1958 Flamingo Tongue

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    I seriously doubt that a fish would allow a shrimp (if the shrimp can even do it in the first place) to dig into its skin to remove this protozoan parasite (ich). Keep in mind that the white spots that we see on fish is not the actual parasite but the fishes skin reaction to having something literaly under its skin.

    [​IMG]

    For the sake of arguement, lets say that a shrimp can remove the parasite or some of them, it would still not be a cure as each parasite can reproduce hundreds more through its encystment stage creating a never ending cycle. As with most any of the so called cures or gizmos, they take credit for the parasite seemingly disappearing when in fact, a healthy fish can develop a partial immunity yet the parasite is able to endure by feeding off of the unseen gills of the fish, but should a stress event happen such as the tank becomes over heated or too high in nutrients (examples only) the fish lose their immunity and the parasite becomes visible to us again on the fish, which explains why this parasite seems to never go away or comes back again and again when it actualy never left in the first place.
    There is only way to cure or be rid of this parasite, and that is to break one of its four life cycles. Please see this link for more information.
    Oh, and shrimp (The Carideans) can not fertilize themselves, it still takes a male and female to get the job done. In quite a few species however, a male can make the switch to becoming a female (Protandry).

    Chuck
     
  10. jzenob

    jzenob Coral Banded Shrimp

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    wont cure ich but will help clean them and keep fish happy