Attack of the peppemint shrimp

[peef]

Ok so I was at home for lunch today and I noticed one of my peppermint shrimp going to town on my hammer coral. Then another one came over to my zoos and started going at them too

. WTF???? Why would all of a sudden they start trying to eat them? How can I get them out of my tank, I tried to snag the one eating the hammer but they are sneaky and fast. I really don't want them in there and I don't want to have to take my aquascape all apart so what are my options? Thanks to all who help.

 

[farslayer]

Are you sure they're not camel shrimp? They look awful similar.

 

[emm0909]

Time for a

[hr]
gun! Rubberband, Bic pen and a needle should do it!
I just think the mini

[hr]
guns are fun. I would hate to have to use one though.

 

[peef]

Originally Posted by Farslayer
Are you sure they're not camel shrimp? They look awful similar.

Well since you ask no, I just took my LFS's word for it. What will help me tell the difference? They did eat all the aiptasia I had awhile ago.

 

[farslayer]

Originally Posted by peef
Well since you ask no, I just took my LFS's word for it. What will help me tell the difference? They did eat all the aiptasia I had awhile ago.
Rule #1: never trust the LFS

Not always true of course.
Peppermints are clear with thin red stripes, camelbacks have a hump and have big, dark eyes. Go to google image and search for these shrimp, you'll find pics. Also, check on this board, there are plenty of them to be found.

 

[peef]

Well, I do know that mine are clear as I can see there insides. Maybe they were just REALLY hungry. I realized that I was overfeeding and cut back quite alot?!?! Should I actually be giving them food or shouldn't they be happy just cleaning things up?

 

[farslayer]

In general you allow inverts to scavenge, that's their niche in life. However, I've never heard of a peppermint eating coral, save for a camelback misidentified as a peppermint. Take a pic and post it, we'll tell you.

 

[nick76]

Yes a picture will be helpful here, Peppermints do pick and eat some corals. I had mine tear apart a long tentacle plate coral... Other that that they never really bothered anything though.

 

[peef]

I will put up a pic tonight as soon as I am off of work! Thanks for all the help

 

[saltn00b]

hey peef like i said in the other thread , very likely they are camelbacks, use the pics i posted for example.

 

[grabbitt]

Are camelbacks not reef safe?

 

[farslayer]

Originally Posted by GRabbitt
Are camelbacks not reef safe?
Nope.

 

[snakeblitz33]

Peppermint shrimp rarely ever come out during the day. Camelback's do. I would make sure that I didn't get them mixed up.

 

[peef]

So I could not really get a picture but I am sure that they are just under fed peppermint. They hide ALL day and as soon as I gave them the little chunk of food they left everything alone. So I guess you need to feed peppermints a little bit.

 

[big]

I think what others have said may be the case. My Pepps never come out in the day. Here is the Camelback from another site file. Sorry small size file, but it shows the "hump" well.

 

[nick76]

Originally Posted by big
I think what others have said may be the case. My Pepps never come out in the day. Here is the Camelback from another site file. Sorry small size file, but it shows the "hump" well.
I really dont see how one can get the 2 species mixed up lol, they look completly different, but yes that is a cammelback. Their stripes are all funky, looks like a badly wrapped chrismass present.

 

[peef]

Mine are definetly peppermint, has a clear body and fairly constant stripes. Hides all day and LOVES to eat mysis. I really just think that they were like crazy hungry.

 

[tinmanny]

I have a camelback in my reef and when I put a new coral he trys to eat it I just watch him and chase him for about 15 min and he never touches it again some times when I see him too near a coral I go after him and he runs but he was cool and the lfs did not tell me he was not safe so I deal with him but I would not recommend one for a reef
Manny

 

[mudplayerx]

There is no need to kill the shrimp to get rid of them. Simply get a small plastic soda bottle and rinse it out really well with hot water (do not use soap).
Cut the top portion of the bottle off (cutting where the tapered portion meets the wide part of the bottle).
Place a piece of shrimp or other seafood into the bottle and invert the top to where the mouthpiece is inside the bottle. You now have a DIY shrimp trap.
The shrimp should walk into the bottle to get the food, but usually will not be able to locate the small opening to find their way back out.

 

[peef]

Brilliant if I decide to remove them ever this is how I will do it.