Cleaner Shrimp Question, FW   3/28/07
Hi Crew,  I've written two or three times previously regarding my 150 gal planted tank.  It used to house 2 large pond fish, then I realized I just couldn't keep up with their messiness.  Last summer I gave away the pond fish and added tropical fish and plants.  The tank is stocked with a red-tailed shark, 7 gold barbs, 9 SAEs, 6 Otocinclus and 11 kuhli loaches.  About a month ago I added 3 algae eating shrimp, one pretty good sized and 2 smaller.  Since they immediately went into hiding I almost forgot they were in there.  Till about a week ago.  I've tried hard not to overfeed the fish so once a day I give them Hikari micropellets and I toss in one sinking wafer.  Once or twice a week I supplement their diet with frozen brine shrimp or blood worms.  Anyway, last week after I tossed in the wafer,  the larger of the shrimp scurried out of hiding and snatched it away.
<Heee. Typical>
He/she scurried back into hiding leaving the loaches searching for the wafer.  I thought it was pretty funny and threw in another wafer for the loaches.  The same thing has happened every feeding since.  As soon as I throw in the wafer the shrimp appears and makes off with it.  However,  I started wondering if that was defeating the whole purpose of having algae-eating shrimp.  Would it be better to stop feeding wafers and just feed more micropellets, or just let the shrimp have the wafers?
<Mmm, I would keep proffering the wafers... these shrimp are not really "cleaner uppers" in captive systems>
I used to break up the wafers but then the barbs would grab the pieces and the loaches were left searching for the wafer.   I know this is kind of a silly problem, but I'd like to make the best decision possible.  Thanks a lot,  Kerry
<Perhaps a wafer placed at both ends of the system at the same time... will grant all a bit? "Just one thin little wafer..." This last for Graham and his Monty Python fix! Bob Fenner>