Bob replies...

Dear Rencia,

Thanks for your email, and yes, these small shrimp, about 1 inch (2.5 cm), Gnathophyllum americanum, also called Striped Harlequin Shrimp are becoming more popular in the trade. They hail from the Indo-West Pacific and are found living with seastars, urchins, and cucumbers. They, like true Harlequin Shrimp will feed on the legs of starfish/seastars, however, they also feed upon regular aquarium meaty foods making it far easier to maintain them. But this is the first time I've heard of them 'cleaning' fish, as does the common Scarlet Cleaner/White-striped/Skunk Shrimp Lysmata amboinensis.

Thanks for your input and will note that cleaning aspect on my website.

Cheers

Bob