Boxer my bottom!

[sinaarrgghh]

The tank at work is now decommissioned. The loss of the corals must have caused other problems as I lost a scooter and a boxer shrimp in quick succession.

I decided to take them home into my storage tank. I know it's dangerously overstocked but I have fitted my weir tonight on the big tank so am hoping to get it all up and running (or at least holding stock) by the end of the weekend.

Anyway to the point of my tale. I did worry about adding the remaining boxer shrimp to the tank as it contains a few cleaner shrimp. I was worried it might attack them. I very slowly drip acclimatised him with some fish over a couple of hours and added him to the tank. Within seconds the two biggest cleaners appeared and attacked him in what was the most brutal few minutes I've ever seen in any tank. Then the two smaller ones appeared and joined in. The poor ****** did'nt stand a chance. I have to admit to being slightly impressed, it was like they'd planned the attack the way they circled him. I'd have tried to save him but it was right at the bottom of the tank under rocks (where the big cleaners rarely bother to go)

Is it normal for cleaners to be like this or do I just have a pair of homicidal ones?

[treeboa]

i watched similar in lilyanns tank the other week, a cleaner she got from tetley, aclimed no probs, then the ones she had already in her tank went for it and killed it as soon as it was put in thier tank, and not smaller than them either

[ROB]

Lost a cleaner the other night not sure what did it there was a small explosion in the corner of the tank a dust cloud and there was the poor ****** laid on it's back still kicking but not well,
so I moved it but the flow took it back to more or less the same place,
and about an hour later bang same thing dust explosion then no sign of my cleaner the only thing in that area are my two boxers they live way up in the rocks at the back out of the way but I do still hear clicking from time to time ? is it Mr Mantis? making a return:eek:,

answers on a postcard to who killed Jaque the shrimp,

[dollydip]

scott i have three cleaners and a boxer the boxer went into the tank last no problems even when the cleaners venture over to were the boxer is he just ignores them he went in last the cleaners never bothered him:D:D:D

[mousehunter22]

Luck of the draw i feel:(

[Macca]

It all depends on the way you introduce new livestock to a tank.

If you acclimate a shrimp then simply drop it into the tank with other shrimps then its curtains.

I once watched an lfs introduce a pistol shrimp into a tank that was the home to a prawn goby. To my horror they simply acclimated the shrimp and then released to the tank. You know what happens next...... The prawn goby eat it. I explained to them that you are simply registering the feeding habit of the goby by dropping in a food source that it can not decifer from as aditional livestock and a future partner.

You must ALWAYS give the new inhabitant a chance by lower the shrimp in by a net to the bottom, allowing in this case the boxer to get its defence position sorted and not trigger the feeding responce from other tank mates.


James

[sinaarrgghh]

It all depends on the way you introduce new livestock to a tank.

If you acclimate a shrimp then simply drop it into the tank with other shrimps then its curtains.

I once watched an lfs introduce a pistol shrimp into a tank that was the home to a prawn goby. To my horror they simply acclimated the shrimp and then released to the tank. You know what happens next...... The prawn goby eat it. I explained to them that you are simply registering the feeding habit of the goby by dropping in a food source that it can not decifer from as aditional livestock and a future partner.

You must ALWAYS give the new inhabitant a chance by lower the shrimp in by a net to the bottom, allowing in this case the boxer to get its defence position sorted and not trigger the feeding responce from other tank mates.


James

Ah I see, I thought it would be ok later on but I did'nt actually put in on the base of the tank. Shame really he was quite an outgoing character for a boxer shrimp.

[Zeus]

It all depends on the way you introduce new livestock to a tank.

If you acclimate a shrimp then simply drop it into the tank with other shrimps then its curtains.

I once watched an lfs introduce a pistol shrimp into a tank that was the home to a prawn goby. To my horror they simply acclimated the shrimp and then released to the tank. You know what happens next...... The prawn goby eat it. I explained to them that you are simply registering the feeding habit of the goby by dropping in a food source that it can not decifer from as aditional livestock and a future partner.

You must ALWAYS give the new inhabitant a chance by lower the shrimp in by a net to the bottom, allowing in this case the boxer to get its defence position sorted and not trigger the feeding responce from other tank mates.


James

Excellent info there James, haven't had any issues like this but will keep your advice in mind next time I introduce Shrimp and other small animals.

Cheers,
Campbell

[moorish]

i think its just luck,same with fish some will attack others when introduced others dont bother.derek

[treeboa]

has this thread name been changed !! sounds a lot worse now than what i thought it said initially :D:D:D