Peppermint shrimp attacking feather duster!

[wolffvet]

I was watching my tank earlier and i noticed that every now and then my peppermint shrimps would go and pick at my feather duster and make it withdraw into its tube. Then it would not come back out for like 10 minutes. Should I move it somewhere else or are my shrimps going to continually pester it?

 

[zari]

I've heard that peppermint shrimp will eat feather dusters. I put 2 peppermint shrimp in my tank, and within a matter of weeks, I was on a shrimp hunt. I guess if I had an aiptasia outbreak, I would consider putting some back in. But that's the only way!
Zari

 

[fishguy]

The same thing happened to me but instead of my feather dusters getting the harrassment it was my yellow polyps. I put the polyps in the tank and within ten seconds my peppermint had pounced on them. Needless to say I fished the little bugger out and took him back to the pet store where I'm sure he raised mor havoc. Just like above the only way I would add another would be if I had an outbreak of aptasia. Happy fish Keepin'

 

[shootonsite]

Wolffvet,
It's only temporary. After a day or two, he should leave it alone. Same thing happened when I added my X-mas rock. After 3 days, he gave up. Scavengers are opportunistic, but easily discouraged.

 

[wolffvet]

I appreciate the help. The shrimp has not bothered the duster for the last couple of days

 

[karlas]

id keep an eye on them. we added a peppermint to our tank and we just have the small hitchiker dusters. the shrimp went after the dusters and was knocking them down and pulling the worms out and eating them. i tried chasing him but after a few minites he was back at it. finally caught him and he went back to the fs.

 

[nacl-h2o]

Its all a matter of individual food preference with peppermints. They have been found picking at, killing and or eating Aiptasia(good thing), small Curliques, yellow polyps, button polyps, sea mat, sand polyps, hairy mushrooms and feather dusters. And some are kept with these things and never bother them. You never know if your going to get one whos good, one who will pester others just once, one who will pester them on and off, or one who will pester them to death. I think calling them reef safe is hit or miss and they sould realy only be used for savere aiptasia out brake control or in the absense of thr above animals.

 

[wolffvet]

I have like 5 of them. I am thinking about catching them and taking them down to my lfs and trading for something.