Cleaner shrimp

Cleaner shrimp is a common name for a number of swimming decapod crustaceans that clean other organisms of parasites.

The shrimp also eat the mucus and parasites around the wounds of injured fish, which reduces infections and helps healing.

The action of cleansing further aids the health of client fish by reducing their stress levels.

Shrimp of the genus Urocaridella are often cryptic or live in caves on the reef and are not associated commensally with other animals.

[4] To avoid competition with other cleaners during the day, the shrimp Urocaridella antonbruunii was observed cleaning a sleeping fish at night.