# Reef safe shrimp?



## TBemba (Jan 11, 2010)

Thinking about getting a shrimp for the tank.

What's the scoop on a nice shrimp that won't nip corals?


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## Flexin5 (Nov 12, 2011)

I've never had a skunk cleaner shrimp do anything bad.


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## kies1 (Oct 8, 2009)

Blood shrimp gets my vote


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## Bullet (Apr 19, 2014)

Skunk cleaner and blood shrimp are both good choices 
I have 2 of each in my tanks and I have to say that i prefer the personality of the cleaners. 
The bloods are deep water shrimp and tend to stay out of the light more and are more cryptic in nature than the cleaners


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## TBemba (Jan 11, 2010)

I've read on the net that the blood can sometimes be very territorial. I have yet to read any bad experiences on cleaner except that they will sometimes steal food right out of the mouth of fish via the gills.

I just don't want to get one and then end up having to tear the tank apart to get it out.

I have a blue legged hermit that I'm positive killed the only other one. He also knocks over anything he can. Climb on corals any make them unhappy and push over frags.

I've almost grabbed him out of the tank and chucked him off the balcony many times.

He is currently walking across the toadstool and having the polyps close creating a nice path.


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## Crayon (Apr 13, 2014)

Sexy shrimp!!!! Love them! I had 20 in my small tank, and they disappeared slowly over a month. Realized the basslets were enjoying them as breakfast.
I now have 2 in my 5 gallon tank for over a year, and they don't harm a thing.
The coral banded shrimp can be a flipper.
Peppermints, cleaners and blood don't bother anything, from my experience.


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## goobafish (Jan 27, 2015)

Sexy, Blood, Cleaner, Peppermint are all good.


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## Kweli (Jun 2, 2010)

Sexy Shrimp, in my experience, were not reef safe. I had to remove them from my tank (not easy)

They would nip at some of my other corals... they were hungry... but it was because they always wanted to eat and they stayed in an area of the tank that was difficult to feed......

I would avoid unless you are avid feeder and can keep them happy


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## TBemba (Jan 11, 2010)

Kweli said:


> Sexy Shrimp, in my experience, were not reef safe. I had to remove them from my tank (not easy)
> 
> They would nip at some of my other corals... they were hungry... but it was because they always wanted to eat and they stayed in an area of the tank that was difficult to feed......
> 
> I would avoid unless you are avid feeder and can keep them happy


 I was in Hamilton today and bought two. I guess I'll have to wait and see and hope for the best.

I just saw this post. A little to late


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## Crayon (Apr 13, 2014)

You should not have an issue with sexy shrimp at all. Sometimes it might be possible to mistake cleaning for nipping at corals. Shrimps will pick up detritus and particles that could be in corals, or even try to steal food from corals, which is different than nipping corals.
I had over 20 sexy shrimp in my 30 gallon tank at one time, and they never ate coral flesh. They would walk in them, over them, around them, and they would clean the areas, but they didn't eat the corals.
I have 2 sexy shrimp in a 5 gallon with zoas and an elegance, and I see them frequently hang out in the elegance. They do no harm.


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## TBemba (Jan 11, 2010)

Makes me feel a little less worried.


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## CBART (Mar 23, 2014)

I have had Sexy shrimp for years with no prob. The polyps don't even close when they walk across them, they are so light.


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## Washout (Apr 29, 2014)

Any shrimp I put in my tank is reef safe for about 3 seconds until it gets eaten


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