Feeding coral banded shrimp....

[malounsbury]

So, I was reading the descriptions tonight for the CBS', and I noticed that it says you need to feed them daily. I have been feeding mine every other day, but now I know he needs food more often. I have been feeding him Prime Reef, because I was going to use that to feed my fish when I got them. Is this alright to keep feeding him, or would there be something better for him to eat? Just curious as I would like him to get enough food.

 

[gati]

mine just eats whatever is left over from feeding my fish. I've never spot fed mine. now, my brother has one and it likes little pieces of freeze dried shrimps-not an everyday diet, just a treat. kind of funny if you ask me.
i think your CBS will be fine.
I'm from Baltimore too-grew up in Cockeysville and went to Towson University and then moved to NC. I miss it a lot. you go to exotic aquatics??? i like that place.

 

[eoalulavis]

mines done just fine without any spot feeding, just cleans up whatever makes it to the bottom

 

[leboeuf]

I don't feed either of mine, nor have I ever fed CBS. They will scavenge and find food, don't worry

 

[malounsbury]

Alright, I was figuring that he would clean up the flakes I float in the tank.
Yah, I got all the inverts I have in the tank now from Exotic Aquatics. It's a pretty neat place.

 

[euphoria]

I've had mine since August of 2004 and never spotfed it. It's a big bully in the tank, but when I tried a few times to spotfeed it, it just chickens out and goes behind the rocks.
It survives on the leftover pieces floating around on the sandbed and is still alive and doing great AND getting bigger.

 

[ctgretzky9]

I do spot feed mine every once in a while, not as much as I used to. Seems he/she always gets some food to munch on during feeding anyway.
The only warning I have heard/read from informational websites (if you read about them on this site for example in the description) is that if you have an anemone in the tank, make sure your CBS is well fed. They are known to tear up anemones to get to any food it has ingested, though I have never read about it really ever happening to anyone here on the boards or others.
Just keep it in mind though. :thinking:

 

[rossim]

I feed my fish every other day and every now and then he'll come out and pull some shrimp out of the turkey baster. I usually spot feed him when I see him digging into my plates mouth to grab the food that it caught.

 

[puffer32]

I would feed it, since you don't have any fish yet, so no leftovers for him to scavenger.

 

[pyro]

I feed mine about once a week specially. Other than just the leftover fish food, whenever I feed frozen food (about twice a week), I just defrost a small chunk of frozen krill. I pick out the whole chunks of krill, and jsut reach in and hold it above the rock he has his cave under. He comes right out, holds his pincers up and gently takes it, then quickly runs away. I've gotten lightly pinced by him once when i accidently bumped my lights and twitched my hand while he was grabbing it - didn't hurt luckily.
Just a treat, staple food is scavenging.

 

[latino277]

if you have worms in you tank..... He'll be very happy. that usually what they eat in the wild.... along with left overs. Mine seems to find at least one every night. It's fun to watch him try and dig one out of the rocks.

 

[madison]

CBS is a nature predator of bristel worms...they love to dig around and eat out of LR's. Try and take a look next time when your moon lights comes on...they sure are aggressive! but fun to watch
It's also known and I have seen CBS steal food from anemones, plates etc and being aggressive as they are naturally...they damage the victims during the process.
I just pinch off 1/4 to 1/2 a silverside about 1x's a week for my 4inch CBS...caution...they pinch your fingers kinda hard if you are too slow! my CBS usually holds on to the unfinished food for a couple of days and just snack till it's done.

 

[malounsbury]

Cool. I've been throwing in some Prime Reef every other day and he picks that up and eats it. Kinda funny to see him with a big flake in his mouth. lol. I don't think I have any bristle worms yet, as my tank has only been running for a little over 3 weeks with LR in it, just have aragonite in the bottom as my LFS didn't have any loose LS this weekend when I was there. At any rate, at least I know he'll be alright. Once I get my fish in a couple weeks, I'm sure he'll be even better since I'll be feeding them daily.

 

[madison]

You should have lots of fun with the CBS great shrimp!!!
BTW! love the user name! Go anybody but the Yankees!!! over rated and over paid cry babies!!!

 

[mudplayerx]

I wanted to buy a coral banded shrimp to hunt down some polyp-eating saron shrimp I have in my tank. However, I have three anemones. Do you think the CB shrimp would pose a danger to my anemones? My anemones are one of my favorite critters, and I would be highly upset if it hurt them.

 

[madison]

IMO the if the CBS is well fed before you fees yous anemones...it should not "steal" food from them
As far as CBS hunting another shrimp...I dunno...CBS is aggressive when it;s space is threathened...but to go after another species...I think it;s unlikely

 

[madison]

Have you tries the cup method for trying to catch the bugggers? a cup, 45 degree angle up with some "bait" and patience...I caught many hitchiker crabs that way...good luck!