Peppermint Shrimp behavior...

[luptinpitman]

3 days ago i dropped 5 peppermint shrimp into my 200gal tank. They immediately disappeared into the over 150lbs of live rock. I have not seen one of them since.
Now, what do these shrimp do? Are they nocturnal. Do they have predators?
Are they vulnerable to any of the following:
Coral Beauty
Long Nose Hawk
Yellow Tail Damsel
Hawiian Scissortail
Sand shifting goby
Red Serpent Star
Green Brittle Star
Coral Banded Shrimp
Cleaner Shrimp
Emperor Fire Shrimp
This is all the live stock I currently have in the tank. Are these shrimp prone to be eaten? Each of them was about an inch and a half long.
Any help appreciated.

 

[discusking]

The thing I would be most worried about eating ur peppermint shrimp would be the long nosed hawk fish b/c it eats shrimp in its natural habbitat. It kills teh shrimp by grasping them and smashing them against a rock until they are nice little morsals.

 

[luptinpitman]

Is it a fair to assume that he killed all 5 in 3 days?
Is it possible that they are just extremely good at hiding?
I have 4 other shrimp, fire/banded/2 cleaner, in the tank. None of them have ever been messed with. Is it safe to assume that if they are fine, then the peppermint's would be fine too?

 

[jim672]

Peppermint shrimp are noturnal. Are you looking for them after "lights out"?
Jim

 

[luptinpitman]

That's the answer I was looking for. I have looked after lights out, but it is difficult to see obviously.
What is the best way of looking for nocturnal critters in the tank? Sneak up and flashlight?

 

[bang guy]

In your list I see two predators. The Green Brittle Star and the CB Shrimp. I doubt they could catch them all in the same month.
Did you acclimate the shrimp? They are very sensitive to osmotic shock.

 

[luptinpitman]

Actually I did not acclimate them. For some reason I thought shrimp did not need to be aclimated. I haven't seen any carcasses on the tank bottom though.
I will try the flashlight tonight and see if I can catch one.
I bought the shrimp to take care of an aiptasia that I found growing on a branching hammer, but so far it looks untouched by the shrimp.
Are the pepperment shrimp troubled by strong water current? I have 4 powerheads in the tank now and the branching hammer is in a pretty high flow area.

 

[bang guy]

If you didn't acclimate them the chances of them surviving are quite small. Your cleanup crew probably just finished the job.

 

[luptinpitman]

Well dammit. I hope they enjoyed their expensive meal
So, while on the topic, what is the best way to acclimate shrimp? Just float the bag in the tank for about 20 minutes?

 

[dreeves]

Could be they are just cruising the sidelines in the back...give it a week or so to see if they emerge...if you do get more...acclimate them...
Peppermints that I have had, and have now are shy at first, as for nocturnal...mine are out all day. They are no longer in a tank with lots of LR, just a few pieces, so they are out and about.

 

[luptinpitman]

I was hoping they were just being shy like my fire shrimp. I don't see him for weeks on end and he is twice the size of the peppermints.
What about the other question? Any info?
"I bought the shrimp to take care of an aiptasia that I found growing on a branching hammer, but so far it looks untouched by the shrimp.
Are the pepperment shrimp troubled by strong water current? I have 4 powerheads in the tank now and the branching hammer is in a pretty high flow area."

 

[jim672]

I have three ph's in my 45 gallon tank and my peppermints didn't seem to mind a bit. Actually, one of the shrimp used a ph as his hiding place for acouple days.
Jim

 

[lobstergrabber]

I won't see my peppermints for a couple of days. But as soon as food is in the tank they usually come running. Try using a flashlight with a red screen over it at night(red auto tape). Things won't spook so fast.
Rich

 

[megadon]

IME the Peppermint shrimp will take a week or so to get used to the new enviorment, mine are always out and are usually the first things I see when looking at the tank. If they survived the lack of acclimation give them some time, they'll come out. As for the Aiptasia, best thing to do is blast one with boiling water, the shrimp will get a taste for them then finish off the rest.

 

[sammystingray]

I never had any that stayed out during the day......within minutes of the lights going out.....they appeared. Rarely ever saw a glimpse during the day.

 

[flydan]

Hey,
I think this has been fairly well covered, but just to throw in my .02, my Coral Beauty chases my Peppermint all over the freaking tank. I finally moved the Peppermint into my refugium just to save the little guy. He's been happy ever since. I've got two Skunk Cleaner shrimp and one Camel Back shrimp that are never bothered, but for some reason the Peppermint just looked like food I guess.
HTH,
Dan'l

 

[overanalyzer]

Originally posted by sammystingray
I never had any that stayed out during the day......within minutes of the lights going out.....they appeared. Rarely ever saw a glimpse during the day.

Interesting - I see several of mine during the day .....I have 6 in a 20 gallon and they are out night and day ....

 

[bang guy]

They are nocturnal by nature as stated above many times. If you target or hand feed them during the day they will quickly adapt to the daylight hours, especially feeding time.
For water current, they can handle a heck of a lot more current than a Hammer Coral can handle.

 

[luptinpitman]

Well, I tried the flashlight trick last night and saw no sign of the 5 I put in the tank. There is a TON of rock for them to hide in though, so I am staying hopeful.
My cleaner shrimp were out and about after lights out though, so apparently the shrimp in my tank prefer the dark hours.
I will try the red light thing and give it some more time before I go get more.
Thanks again everyone.

 

[dreeves]

Hey Sammy...maybe you are just to scary looking for your shrimp...