Cleaner Shrimp
Shrimp are active, entertaining and easy to keep. They shed their shells as they grow, and afterwards need to hide in the rock until their new shell hardens. Shrimp are highly excitable when food is present, and will do anything to get it. Some species may pester corals by attempting to reach food the coral has eaten. In this situation the shrimp should be provided food first. Large individuals may catch and consume smaller species.
By far our most popular shrimp, this beautiful animal is bright yellow with a broad scarlet band down its back and a stark white stripe through it, giving it another name, the Skunk shrimp. Its long white whiskers communicate to fishes that it may clean them of parasites and old skin. It may not however cure an aquarium of ICH or other parasites; its main benefit is to lower the fishes stress. The Cleaner shrimp is nearly always perched on top of rocks where it can be seen. It is social and may form pairs; all specimens are hermaphrodites. It grows up to 2 inches and is easy to feed on fish food.
