Behaviour
Shrimp of the genus Urocaridella are often cryptic or live in caves on the reef and are not associated commensally with other animals. These shrimp assemble around cleaning stations where up to 25 shrimp live in proximity. When a potential client fish swims close to the cleaning station, several shrimp perform a "rocking dance", which is a side-to-side movement to attract the client. Starved shrimp rock more frequently to remove and ingest the ectoparasites than hunger-satisfied shrimps. The increased frequency of the rocking movement suggests there is competition between the shrimp that need the nutritional aid of the fish and the shrimps that are satisfied.
Read more about this topic: Cleaner Shrimp
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