demise of peppermint shrimp

[coral_watch5]

I have too many glass anenomes (apistasia ?) and I bought a peppermint shrimp to try and control them. I have never had one before. I saw him for a day or so but then I haven't seen him for a week or so. I am trying to figure out what did him in before trying with another one. I have 3 ocellaris clowns, 1 yellow tang, 1 orchid dottyback, a few blue leg hermit crabs, and lots of snails. Are peppermint shrimp hardy? From what I saw, he seemed to be very quick - hanging out within the crevices of the live rock. My only guess is that the orchid dottyback did him in or maybe I didn't acclimate him well enough. Also, would a peppermint shrimp be a threat to my corals (hammer, frogspawn, torch, galaxy)?

Thanks for your help.

 

[MikeS]

He may just be hiding in the rocks...peppermints are generally nocturnal and hide during the day. Try catching a peek of him at night...

As for threats to corals, yes, they often develop a taste for coral, usually things like yellow polyps and zoos end up on the menu...

MikeS

 

[plack]

I had one that was sooo stupid it always went into the overflow box, over and over until I put a proper screen in (hard to find the right one ).
Try adding a shrimp pellet on the bottom in front where you can see him if he is still there i'd bet that would get him out

 

[MikeS]

yes, they are pretty good at getting into strange places and hiding out...the last peppermint shrimp I had managed to hide out from me for several months....I thought it was long dead, but one day it magically re-appeared in the tank, I have no idea where it was hiding...

MikeS

 

[coral_watch5]

Thanks for your help. If my peppermint shrimp isn't dead, then he isn't doing too well on the glass anenomes, which are still in abundance. I would rather have glass anenomes then have my LPS picked on - so maybe I won't get another peppermint shrimp.

 

[reefaddict]

peppermint shrimp

I have had one shrimp go missing for 4 months in my 125. i was sure it was eaten by a lionfish but 2 weeks ago it showed up under a pagoda cup coral where it used to hang out. if you have a lot of hiding places, it still might be alive.

 

[specsgirl]

Not all peppermits have the acquired taste for the glass anenomes. Ususally the ones that you find have a taste for your other corals also have the taste for anenomes. Also the peppermints also will hide out while molting until their shell grows back and hardens. You will frequently see them gone for a week or so at a time during these times. Good luck and if your shrimp is an anenome eating dud, try joes juice.

 

[MikeS]

Specs has a good point on the shrimp...often they are not a real reliable method of aptasia control. That combined with the fact that they often develop a taste for coral polyps is the reason I no longer employ their services in my tank. Lemon juice in a small hypo is the method I use now for aptasia removal...

MikeS

 

[reefaddict]

peppermint

maybe i am a little sadistic but nothing works like #1 b-ionic in a hypo. it practically kills on contact and because it turns white upon contact with water, it is easier to see where you are injecting it .