can't find cleaner shrimp

[clownfish cj]

I brought home a big portion of my new cuc including 1 cleaner shrimp, 3 emerald crabs, 5 red leg hermits, 5 astrea snails, 15 cerith snails and 10 nassarius snails. Everything seems find except 4 of the ceriths have not moved much and now I can't find my cleaner shrimp. I acclimated them for 1 1/2 hours last night and the cleaner shrimp went in find, the 2 clowns were pretty curious of him and 2 hours later I could still see the cleaner shrimp moving around and now I can't find him at all. Could he be hiding?

 

[ErinCahir]

Absolutely he could be hiding. I wouldn't worry about it too much. Mine would rotate where he would be "stationed". About half the time it was at the back of the tank...

 

[Dana42078]

new to the tank...hiding is pretty much always going to happen...sometimes even a molt....i wouldnt be to worried. Next time you feed your fishies he will prolly come flyin out.

 

[Zissou]

My cleaner shrimp manages to somehow disappear in my 30g tank from time to time, and when he does it's always because he's molting. It's almost always after a water change, or moving some rock around, I.E. it's probably stress.

Being that he just got into a new home, I'd expect him to hide for a bit, he may even be molting. Once he realizes he's in a safe place and that you bring food to the tank, however, he'll be out in the open like it's nobody's business. :mrgreen:

Oh, and as far as the Ceriths, they've been known to park for a few days, especially after a move. I wouldn't worry about them.

 

[SarahSmile]

When I added my cleaner shrimp (2 weeks ago?) he hid for 2 days straight. He was so boring. Then he molted. He hid a few more days and now he is all over the tank. I believe that is normal for them to hide while they get used to their new home.

 

[decafonly]

Agree with all the above. He can get all the food he wants at the bottom of the tank, so for a while there's no reason for him to come out of hiding.

 

[clownfish cj]

Good news, I saw the cleaner shrimp come out last night after the lights went off (except the moon lights). He hasn't come out today yet though. I am very happy I know he is in there!