Will peppermint shrimp eat zoo's?

[plack]

I was thinking of getting some zoo's and I have peppermint shrimp and thought it would not be a problem?

 

[NaH2O]

They most certainly will! My favorite zoos went to the demise of my peppermint shrimp. I watched them nightly tear apart my best colony, after they rid my tank of aiptasia. They haven't touched any other zoos, just the best ones. I did check the zoos to make sure there wasn't something on the rock they were after, and didn't notice anything. I don't know how much they ate vs. how much they just snipped off. I am not a heavy tank feeder, so that may also be a factor. I've talked with a few other hobbyists, none of which have had my problem. *sigh*

 

[CarlaW]

I haven't had any problems with peppermint shrimp eating my zoos. But then again, it doesn't eat any aiptasia either. I'm beginning to think it is a teenager.

 

[cwcross]

I have had no problem with my zooz. However they did eat the 2 most exposed beautiful yellow fan worms of 3 I had and tore the last one up. My cleaner shrimp helped. Luckily one has deep enough hole, he can survive and is recovering. They don't touch the others but for some reason they loved those yellow ones...

Sincerely...C

 

[Anthony Calfo]

I agree with Nikki... know it to be a fact having handled many hundreds of Lysmata in my time. The entire genus is patently unreliable in reef tanks. Some never hurt anything desirable, some are terrible and many nibble occasionally (Tridacnid clams are at great risk too).

A fine creature/genus for the marine aquarium... but risky in reef tanks specifically.

 

[wrightme43]

This is a question related to this. I have heard that there are 4 differnt shrimp that are reffered to as peppermint shrimp. Does it matter which ones you get? I have in a tank in columbia ky 6 of then that never seem to bother anything. Is it just the luck of the draw? Just wondering. Steve

 

[The Claw]

Let me just say, its amazing what people call peppermint shrimps, especially some of the local experts or LFS, to be left unnamed here. What can be said, is what makes them eat Aiptasia is also what makes them capable of eating others under that taxanomical classification.

 

[Anthony Calfo]

no Lysmata (genus) shrimps are totally reef safe... regardless of which are called "peppermint" shrimp

 

[wrightme43]

So then, once again, I have just been amazingly lucky. LOL Thanks Anthony. If I can I will try to remove them. Wish me lots of luck. LOL Steve

 

[plack]

thanks for the info

 

[Angelscrx]

MIne never hurt any of my zoos or polyps. Inknow that people say that if they run out of aiptasia they will move on to polyps and stuff but knock on wood I have never had any problems with aiptasia or my Peppermints. I also have a Skunk Cleaner too and no problems.

 

[TonyMc]

I have a pep that eats apstasia, but has never touched any of my zoos although I did have an emerald crab that ate zoos. I love my peppermint shrimp. He eats right out of fingers.

 

[Anthony Calfo]

even a blind squirrel finds a nut sometimes

 

[blennyluv]

i wondered how they get along with brittle stars?? it seemed the two were fighting over a shrimp pellet last night, i saw the star almost all the way out, ( the damsel was hasseling him) and so i fed hiim a pellet and out comes the shrimp. i could not tell if he was after the star or the pellet. it was kinda dark. fast little bugger, have not added corals yet (this summer i will get the lighting ) so would be nice to know what these little critters will eat, and what they won't
thanks

 

[LakeEd]

While feeding my weekly scallop chunk to my RBTA lastnight, I watched my pepermint shrimp run out from under his rock...across the RBTA... snatch that scallop... and dash back into hiding!!! He doesn't do this at all when I feed my RBTA a slice of squid... or perhaps lastnight he was just hungrier. *Grinz*

It was cute though... "Tiptoe thru the Bubbletip... with scallop" (okay, perhaps I'm not Tiny Tim!!!)

 

[jlehigh]

hehehehe that is funny Ed.

I have 8 peps and no issues for the last 9 months.. They do like the butter clams I throw in the tank for my Copperband butterfly.. go figure they leave my Tridanca Clams alone.

 

[Llarian]

Hmm. That's interesting...

I rather adore shrimp, and plan to have some clams, as well as a couple fleshy corals lower in the tank. What shrimp ARE reef safe? I suppose the Sexy Shrimp is, as its no problem in my soft coral nano, but any of the larger ones?

-Dylan

 

[Anthony Calfo]

Hmmm... its a tough one to sum up in a single text message/e-mail. It took me 50 pages in NMA "Reef Invertebrates" to summarize reef Arthropods

For starters though... form follows function. Tiny pincers are less destructive... larger pincers are more capable. Compare these aspects in Anemone shrimp versus Lysmata. Quite a difference.

And yes... Thor species are indeed fairly well behaved.

best of luck/life.

Anthony

 

[MikeS]

Every peppermint shrimp I've ever tried for aptasia control has sooner or later developed a taste for my softies, the yellow polyps in particular...

IMO shrimp belong on a menu, not in the reef tank.... :badgrin:

MikeS

 

[Llarian]

Hmmm... its a tough one to sum up in a single text message/e-mail. It took me 50 pages in NMA "Reef Invertebrates" to summarize reef Arthropods

Oh, I keep forgetting I have that book sitting on the back of my toilet. Makes great bathroom reading. (That's not an insult).

I'll have to re-read the shrimp section tonight.

Thanks.

-Dylan