Cleaner Shrimp Cleaning Lionfish!!
- Thread starter boulderman1
- Start date
because the lionfish recognizes that the fish is doing it a service of picking off parasites and other unwanted things. it recognizes it by the markings on it's back which are also similar to a neon goby or a cleaning wrasse which have the same function in nature. it is also hypothesized that they release some oil and the fish can pick it up by their sense of smell.
not all fish will let themselves be cleaned, especialy if they are captive raised. but even sometimes in aquariums a fish such as a lionfish or ell or evena puffer will let themselves be cleaned, but not always.
Just make sure you feed the lion fish on the regular! It's true that in general they won't eat a cleaner ,"This doesn't stand as a warranty 
"
Just make sure you do feed hime at least every three or four days to avoid expensive meals.
cheers
Max
"Just make sure you do feed hime at least every three or four days to avoid expensive meals.
cheers
Max
Max is right, as long as the lion is well fed AND the shrimp is introduced before the Lion they will coexist just fine, but the second that Lion gets hungry (which happens quite regularily) all bets are off! Hope this helps!
The shrimp is introduced before the lion? Just wanted to confirm this. For some reason, I would have thought introducing the Lion first and training the lion to accept non-live foods would be better. (You're probably right, I'm a total newb, just trying to figure this out.)
~Snowy :dog:
i honestly dont think it matters too much, but i can see how it will help. that way., the lioin will be used to the shrimp by the time it is aclimated and starts eating compared to you dropping it in the tank during feeding time. lol