What do cleaner shrimp eat?

Cleaner shrimp eat parasites, fungi, and bacteria off the skin and gills of fish, acting as a cleaning service for their aquatic counterparts. They are often territorial, setting up "cleaning stations" where fish can come and be groomed. When a fish approaches a cleaning station, the cleaner shrimp will often wave their antennae to signal their readiness. It is common for multiple cleaner shrimp to work together to clean a single fish. This partnership benefits the fish by removing harmful organisms that could otherwise cause disease or infection, while the shrimp receive a reliable food source.