who the murderer?

[zorden]

my two 2inch cleaner shrimp died overnight.

shells scattered all over the tank..

is it a Mantis shrimp..

but my fishes and hermit crab (0.75inch) still okay..

[diabolus]

did you try looking for the CS again?

he might have molted.

[hotlemond]

sometimes after molting they hide away for a while cos they are at thier most venurable. give it a few days and see how it goes.

Some anemone, predator fish will eat them too. mantis/big crab?? then you are in trouble.

[zorden]

so far no big fishes...my 2 inch yellow tank is the biggest..

so far...no clicking sound.

but my hermit crab and blood shrimp doing fine

[Rex Ng]

I heard from 1 lfs that once cleaner shrimp grows big, they will start attacking fishes and do not "clean" anymore.. how true?

[salivateforme]

I heard from 1 lfs that once cleaner shrimp grows big, they will start attacking fishes and do not "clean" anymore.. how true?

I think almost all shrimps are opportunistic predators.

[neokn]

I think almost all shrimps are opportunistic predators.

I wouldn't call them opportunistic predators cause I never encounter them attacking my LS but they are definitely opportunistic feeders.

After awhile the LS in your tank will have almost zero parasites for CS to clean thus most of the time CS will feed on your food for the fishes. Also the LS must be big enough for them to clean cause if they are smaller than the CS then they will feel threaten. That's my personal experience with the 2 x XL size CS I own perviously. My CS will jump onto newly intrloduce LS to clean them like the CS in the moview Finding Nemo.

After molting, Cs will hide for at least 2 days before they re-appear again unless it's a pair or there is no other predator fish in your tank.