How can i stop cleaner shrimp from stealing food from my LPS?

knutcracker · 04-29-2007, 12:14 AM

i will protect the LPS until the whole piece of food gets into the mouth and the mouth closes, but once i look away, the shrimp pokes into the mouth, stretches it open, and grabs the food right out. it is straight up robbery and disturbingly painful to watch. of course, if i have hours to spare i would protect it until the food actually gets digested, but i don't. any suggestions?

***zhenya*** · 04-30-2007, 10:55 AM

Why not squirt some food for the shrimp to keep it occupied? I do it all the time and never see them going after any other food I put in the tank for corals.

knutcracker · 04-30-2007, 03:52 PM

i guess i just have a very belligerent and greedy specimen. he will literally eat till he busts.

mbunakeith · 05-01-2007, 12:32 AM

i had the same problem in my little reef (20L) years ago. i think the best strategy was to give the shrimp a larger piece of food to eat so you could go about feeding the corals. it is tough. i am planning my lps reef now and trying to find a way to get some shrimp and lps to live harmoneously. alot of people have said they dont have an issue with it,but they all seem to have large tanks. hope that helps.

knutcracker · 05-01-2007, 12:50 AM

yea, mine is 26g. i suppose the small size really contributes to the problem. the shrimp really thinks he is the king. just fearless.

returnofsid · 05-01-2007, 02:28 AM

This is a tough issue to fix...lol. My shrimp even steal food from my anemones. I've learned to feed them first and larger food to keep them occupied longer.

fishyface · 05-01-2007, 08:23 PM

cut off the top portion of a large coke bottle and put a few holes for circulation. feed your lps then put the top of the bottle over it so it can dine in comfort and with privacy

. or use one of those plastic strawberry baskets.

mbunakeith · 05-02-2007, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishyface

cut off the top portion of a large coke bottle and put a few holes for circulation. feed your lps then put the top of the bottle over it so it can dine in comfort and with privacy

. or use one of those plastic strawberry baskets.

that is too big of a PITA. i tried that with my last tank. when you have a conopy and lights to move out of the way, it can be a rough routine to have to go though all that a couple times a week. i would rather not have any shrimp. that is good advice for easy-to-access tanks though.

**Minh Nguyen** · 05-03-2007, 08:07 AM

Feed the shrimp first until he bust then fish the coral.
Or else, feed the shrimp to the coral , I mean return the shrip to the LFS, then feed the coral.
I don't have any shrimp in my tank because they eat all my stomatela snails.

04-29-2007, 12:14 AM	#1
knutcracker Citizen Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: USA Posts: 132	How can i stop cleaner shrimp from stealing food from my LPS? i will protect the LPS until the whole piece of food gets into the mouth and the mouth closes, but once i look away, the shrimp pokes into the mouth, stretches it open, and grabs the food right out. it is straight up robbery and disturbingly painful to watch. of course, if i have hours to spare i would protect it until the food actually gets digested, but i don't. any suggestions?

04-30-2007, 10:55 AM	#2
*zhenya* Owner Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: new jersey,usa Posts: 7,844	Re: How can i stop cleaner shrimp from stealing food from my LPS? Why not squirt some food for the shrimp to keep it occupied? I do it all the time and never see them going after any other food I put in the tank for corals. __________________ Kind regards, Gene.

05-01-2007, 12:32 AM	#4
mbunakeith Just Moved In Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: fort collins, colorado Posts: 16	Re: How can i stop cleaner shrimp from stealing food from my LPS? i had the same problem in my little reef (20L) years ago. i think the best strategy was to give the shrimp a larger piece of food to eat so you could go about feeding the corals. it is tough. i am planning my lps reef now and trying to find a way to get some shrimp and lps to live harmoneously. alot of people have said they dont have an issue with it,but they all seem to have large tanks. hope that helps.

05-01-2007, 02:28 AM	#6
returnofsid Tenant Join Date: May 2006 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 99	Re: How can i stop cleaner shrimp from stealing food from my LPS? This is a tough issue to fix...lol. My shrimp even steal food from my anemones. I've learned to feed them first and larger food to keep them occupied longer.

05-01-2007, 08:23 PM	#7
fishyface New in Town Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: surrey,bc Posts: 2	Re: How can i stop cleaner shrimp from stealing food from my LPS? cut off the top portion of a large coke bottle and put a few holes for circulation. feed your lps then put the top of the bottle over it so it can dine in comfort and with privacy. or use one of those plastic strawberry baskets.

04-30-2007, 03:52 PM	#3
knutcracker Citizen Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: USA Posts: 132	i guess i just have a very belligerent and greedy specimen. he will literally eat till he busts.

05-01-2007, 12:50 AM	#5
knutcracker Citizen Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: USA Posts: 132	yea, mine is 26g. i suppose the small size really contributes to the problem. the shrimp really thinks he is the king. just fearless.

05-03-2007, 08:07 AM	#9
Minh Nguyen Contributing Member/Moderator Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Corpus Christi, TX Posts: 675	Re: How can i stop cleaner shrimp from stealing food from my LPS? Feed the shrimp first until he bust then fish the coral. Or else, feed the shrimp to the coral , I mean return the shrip to the LFS, then feed the coral. I don't have any shrimp in my tank because they eat all my stomatela snails. __________________ Minh Visit my tank at: http://berlinmethod.com/minhn/ http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issu...2/aquarium.htm

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