Freshwater Cleaner Shrimp? Pics

[three-fingers]

As I was watching my shrimp today I noticed my big male bamboo shrimp clamber down from his perch in the filter flow and up to a couple of young cherry shrimp. He spread out the movable little cover bits that go over part of his antenna (which I've not seen the bamboo shrimp do, but other shrimp do when cleaning themselves), and the cherry shrimp climbed all over him cleaning the algae (of which there is quite a bit on his carapace). Over about 10 mins more climbed on too.

Just thought that was very interesting behaviour, considering that bamboo shrimp and cherry shrimp come from the same area of the world, I wonder if they share habitats and if this occurs in nature.
I've seen my red nose shrimp clean the female bamboo shrimp before too, but in that case the red nose shrimp just swam right up to the bamboo shrimp.

Has anyone else seen any behaviour like this before?

Heres some pics, excuse the poor quality, macro lens is top on the christmas list .

Cropped:

Red nose:

 

[bae1994]

thered nose one is a pinocio shrimp or so ive read

 

[TylerFerretLord]

I've never heard anything about this. Really fascinating.

Makes me want to get some bamboo shrimp ahead of schedule now.

 

[malakye]

Amazing pictures. Never seen anything like it before. Mind saying that I hadnt realised how big bamboo shrimps were until I saw yours lol.

 

[iSnail]

Very interesting pictures three-fingers Your bamboo shrimp lifting his "flaps" up for cleaning amazes me

I don't have any filter shrimps but I often see my cherries cleaning one another. Usually a smaller shrimp sitting on top of a larger shrimp plucking things off it's head.

 

[three-fingers]

Thanks for the feedback .
My male did it again yesterday, I've noticed some staghorn algae growing on his legs, maybe that's what he's trying to get rid of . The shrimp wont eat that though, I really need to sort the plants out in that tank and get rid of the algae.

thered nose one is a pinocio shrimp or so ive read

Yep, always see them as red-nose shrimp round here though .

Amazing pictures. Never seen anything like it before. Mind saying that I hadnt realised how big bamboo shrimps were until I saw yours lol.

Cheers, got mine when they were a lot smaller, most of the time they are smaller at the lfs.
I'd love to get a Cameroon armoured shrimp, but not sure how the male bamboo would react.

 

[Liam]

Thanks for showing that, very interesting, I have never seen the Bamboo cooperate with the cherry, the cherry shrimp and other dwarf shrimp do clean the fan shrimps, The Cameroon and Bamboo shrimp dont pay any attention to each other, bigger shrimp will push the smaller ones out of the favourite feeding spots.

 

[Craster]

I'd love to get a Cameroon armoured shrimp, but not sure how the male bamboo would react.

They are incredibly placid, and look amazing when feeding. Mine shares his hole with lots of other shrimp and isn't in the least bit bothered.

 

[keenonfish]

Well I know what shrimp to get for my tank now...

You may be interested to know that when I was in wales last summer I put my foot in a rock pool looking for a critter I had seen. After some time, I noticed a tickling sensation on my feet / toes - You might have guessed by now there were loads of shrimp cleaning my feet!!!

I guess it must be a shrimp thing in the wild!

 

[three-fingers]

Thanks for the info guys .

Will snap up a camaroon armoured shrimp as soon as I see one .

 

[~T~]

I had this happen but my bamboo shrimp was on his way out