quantity of cleaner shrimp in 75g

[Vince S.]

First of all, let me just say... these invertebrates are so expensive! $24.99 for one! ... sheesh;

But of course, being an idiot I am I want to purchase few of them. They look so impressive in groups at my LFS reef showtank.

My tank is 75 gallons, invertbrates I have currently includes 4 Emerald Crabs, 1 or 2 peppermint ( I rarely see them) and snails/hermit crabs. I read from a book that cleaner shrimps will act shy unless put in groups.

[Aragorn]

I believe 2 should suffice. JMO

[Vince S.]

This might sound selfish but is it possible to exceed the sufficient level? I want to introduce the cleaners for viewing purposes, not cleaning purposes.

I was hoping for possible numbers of 4 or more.

[scubadude]

I would say that it is directly relative to the other fish and inhabitants you have in your tank....if you only have a couple of real small fish in there....like damsels or a blennie or two...then Iwould say go for 4 of them....But I would start with NO MORE than 2 and slowly work your way to 4.....you have to remember you have a bioload limit....if you have tangs in there then they will grow and take up space...or any other big fish....I think Aragorn was just saying two as the norm for max....you may want to get CBS (CoralBandedShrimp) too...I wouldnt go more than 4 total though...ontop of your 2 peppermint....I havent really ever seen them schooling...but I have seen them in close proximity in the wild

[mastaJ]

How much of a bioload do shrimp put on the tank anyway??? I would eventually have six unless there are any downsides that I don't know of...

[David]

My understanding is that Lysmata amboinensis is a very communal shrimp and there is someone on this board who reported keeping 7 or 9 (I think) in one tank. This animal gets pretty big and has a voracious appetite, it can smell food a mile away. They can make it nearly impossible to feed an anemone for instance. I keep two in my 125 and that's plenty for me. Two is enough to get the breeding cycle going, they are prolific and will provide your tank with fresh live plankton every two weeks or so. More than two sounds like a dedicated species tank to me. JMO. BTW, I keep at least one in each of four tanks as I find them to be invaluable for parasite control. Despite what I have read about them getting lazy on a "fast food" diet, mine continue to clean regularly.

[Vince S.]

Their sexes are not determined at birth? So any random chosen shrimps will mate up and produce eggs?

[mastaJ]

Yes its true...They ARE hermaphadytes...just like many other saltwater creatures (such as clowns, not true hermaphadytes i realize) but...2 is all you need for breeding...