Cleaner Shrimp - Life expectancy

Dive_Master · 02-05-2002, 06:53 PM

I had three cleaner shrimp for about a year now and two days ago I noticed that one of them is missing. I have no idea where he is. He's gone. I bought them when they were very small.

I think that he just died and the hermit crabs took care of his body.

Does anyone know what the life expectancy is for cleaner shrimp? I am curious if he died from natural causes or something else cused his death.

Rin · 02-05-2002, 07:07 PM

I have two that I've had for almost a year. The guy before me had them for a year. I don't know how long they've been alive beyond that.

Firefish · 02-05-2002, 07:08 PM

About 2 days if you add a trigger

- sorry...my cleaner was just about 2 years old untill I put my trigger in

He would molt about every 3 weeks.

Iron Crab · 02-05-2002, 07:52 PM

I had mine for about 3 years. He got quite big -then we got hit with a power outage for about 28 hours in about 30 below weather. The shrimp was the only thing I lost in that time.
Once he got big he stopped his cleaning duties, unless there was nothing to clean. ??

David · 02-05-2002, 08:53 PM

"Does anyone know what the life expectancy is for cleaner shrimp?"

I doubt it, but three to five years is probably a pretty good guess.
L. amboinensis are said to be very communal and I have seen large groups together in pictures and public aquaria. 3 or 4, however, is not a large group and the theory of dispersed aggression may come into play here. I had four, housed together in pairs. Had them from 1-1/2 yrs to a few months. When I combined them into one tank , the smaller pair mysteriously died, one in the first hour and the other the next day. That was several months ago and the two remaining shrimp are still fine. Makes you wonder...

My guess is that the two shrimp Dive_Master still has are spawning.

Dive_Master · 02-05-2002, 09:33 PM

My shrimp have been spawing for months. The shrimp are about
2 1/2 ( body only). How big do they grow?

FishKid · 02-05-2002, 09:49 PM

they get to about 12", and turn into voracious predators. id be careful if i were you!

J/K

mine was about that big (hes in fishy heaven now)

mark

mastaJ · 02-06-2002, 06:41 PM

I'm guessing 5-7 yrs life expectancy...longer in the wild.

This is a no-brainer BUT...could he have just molted and is hiding now? It happens...

02-05-2002, 06:53 PM	#1
Dive_Master Citizen Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 214	Cleaner Shrimp - Life expectancy I had three cleaner shrimp for about a year now and two days ago I noticed that one of them is missing. I have no idea where he is. He's gone. I bought them when they were very small. I think that he just died and the hermit crabs took care of his body. Does anyone know what the life expectancy is for cleaner shrimp? I am curious if he died from natural causes or something else cused his death.

02-05-2002, 07:07 PM	#2
Rin Mayor Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Leesburg, GA Posts: 774	I have two that I've had for almost a year. The guy before me had them for a year. I don't know how long they've been alive beyond that. __________________ -Todd

02-05-2002, 07:08 PM	#3
Firefish Mayor Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Douglas, Ma Posts: 775	About 2 days if you add a trigger - sorry...my cleaner was just about 2 years old untill I put my trigger in He would molt about every 3 weeks. __________________ In matters of principle, stand like a rock; in matters of taste, swim with the current. -- Thomas Jefferson

02-06-2002, 06:41 PM	#8
mastaJ Council Join Date: May 2001 Location: Lakeville, MN Posts: 294	I'm guessing 5-7 yrs life expectancy...longer in the wild. This is a no-brainer BUT...could he have just molted and is hiding now? It happens... __________________ -mastaJ

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02-05-2002, 07:52 PM	#4
Iron Crab Council Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: N.W. Pennsylvania, USA Posts: 434	I had mine for about 3 years. He got quite big -then we got hit with a power outage for about 28 hours in about 30 below weather. The shrimp was the only thing I lost in that time. Once he got big he stopped his cleaning duties, unless there was nothing to clean. ??

02-05-2002, 08:53 PM	#5
David Citizen Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: San Diego Posts: 210	"Does anyone know what the life expectancy is for cleaner shrimp?" I doubt it, but three to five years is probably a pretty good guess. L. amboinensis are said to be very communal and I have seen large groups together in pictures and public aquaria. 3 or 4, however, is not a large group and the theory of dispersed aggression may come into play here. I had four, housed together in pairs. Had them from 1-1/2 yrs to a few months. When I combined them into one tank , the smaller pair mysteriously died, one in the first hour and the other the next day. That was several months ago and the two remaining shrimp are still fine. Makes you wonder... My guess is that the two shrimp Dive_Master still has are spawning.

02-05-2002, 09:33 PM	#6
Dive_Master Citizen Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 214	My shrimp have been spawing for months. The shrimp are about 2 1/2 ( body only). How big do they grow?

02-05-2002, 09:49 PM	#7
FishKid Governor Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Holbrook, NewYork, USA Posts: 1,799	they get to about 12", and turn into voracious predators. id be careful if i were you! J/K mine was about that big (hes in fishy heaven now) mark

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