Introducing a cleaner shrimp with crosshatch triggers

[dgiller]

Is there any good way to do this. I know Xanthichthys triggers are planktivores but the two I have eat EVERYTHING, even my hand when I am not careful. I am also fairly sure that one of them or both took out a small Longfin (blue-eyed) cardinal that I had. I am hoping to some how introduce the shrimp when it is pitch black so I am sure they are both asleep and hopefully they will realize the use of the cleaner shrimp beyond being a quick meal. But who knows because as far as I am concerned they are the bimbo's of the fish world....beautiful, personable....but dumb as a stump

 

[House of Laughter]

bad idea - unless you add cocktail sauce :thrash:

House

 

[underwatercreations]

bad idea... it'll be chow time for the poor shrimp.

 

[vanceny]

I've heard that you can try to add them after lights out. If you just throw them in the trigger will instinctively snatch it up. If you wait till lights out and then lower them down behind the rocks then it might be ok. The trigger will see the strips and recognize them to be something that will clean them.

I have not tested this theory but I've heard that it can be done.

 

[clamcrazy]

as soon as the triggers see them they are done.

 

[scarf_ace1981]

there's only one way to find out. :thrash:

 

[bad coffee]

expensive snack for the trigger.

 

[SethKim]

I have an 8" blue throat trigger!!! that eats everything including Nori and redleaf lettuce, but he's cool with the shrimp!

question is how big is your tank!

as a cautionary measures, I fed the $$$$ out of my trigger before I put some cleaner shrimps, and it worked!!! my trigger goes for cleaning too! but gets denied by my shrimp!

 

[Pedro]

If you can get the shrimp to touch down on the sand, consider yourself lucky. But we all know that luck runs out, and that will come when the shrimp is spotted. I wouldn't think twice about it, it's a NO NO.

I'm with Jim though, some cocktail sauce sounds good to me.

 

[reefman]

your triggers r lookin forward to it i'm sure :smile::biglaugh: