Cleaner Shrimp on the hunt!

[FatChevy]

So yesterday I received more crabs and snails. the cleaner started to "clean". then I noticed that one ripped a snail right out of its shell. so I looked it up and seemed like maybe it was dead and they were getting rid of it. last night my wife noticed that they were cleaning an alive hermit crab. closer observation was they were more then cleaning him. eventually he died as they were ripping him from his home.

 

I've searched all over the internet and everyone says the same thing. its not possible. they don't kill. just clean. heres a video of them almost finishing up ripping the crab out of its shell. fast forward to 0:40. before that they are just dancing on cam..

 

Also any recommendations on good fish food. I'm using flake but I've been reading and people say pellets and freeze dried shrimp. i'm conflicted!

 

[NoobtoSalt]

Maybe the snails and hermits were not doing good and the shrimp decided to move in. It's possible that it could happen.

[Nate213]

Most people that I know use frozen food or DIY food. I have heard it is easier to overfeed and pollute your tank with the concentrated nutrients from the pellet form.

 

Here is an old thread with useful information:

 

http://www.pnwmas.org/forums/showthread.php?2531-Reef-Food

 

 

I personally use a mix of frozen mysis and DIY. I have also used Rod's with good results.

[FatChevy]

What about live mysid shrimp and copepods? would that eliminate the need for frozen and just use flake or pellets after that?

[MVPaquatics]

Those snails and hermits were almost definately on their way out. Cleaner shrimp are not predatory but are opportunistic scavangers. And trust me snails and hermits start to stink before they are actually dead. Same for corals. They were just doing exactly what you wanted them to do, clean.

 

Variety is the spice of life. I feed everything from live, frozen, flake, pellet etc. No single brand or food had everything these fish need AND wil be consumed by all the fish in your tank.