Peppermint Shrimp

[akhuneteru]

I have a peppermint shrimp that is constantly "cleaning" a dwarf feather duster. The feather duster dropped his crown once already because of the harrasment and finally just grew it back. I think the peppermint shrimp is trying to eat it! Any advice would be great.

 

[promisetbg]

They do eat them..sorry for the bad news.

 

[akhuneteru]

That would explain it. Thanks.

 

[deepsixer]

yeah I saw my camel shrimp today messin with my anemone

 

[akhuneteru]

Ok. I think I might chuck him. I just saw him tear out one of my scarlet hemit crabs and eat him. Yuck! Now I know where they have all been going. Do you think I can live without him? I don't see any bad anemones and I don't plan on adding anymore live rock. I still have my skunk and blood shrimps.

 

[promisetbg]

Sure you can live without him, but how about bringing him back to the store instead of "chucking him". Just use Joe's juice or boiling water if you see aiptasia return. Have you fed him?

 

[akhuneteru]

Of course! I feed all my guys at least twice a day. I have never seen any aiptaisia in my tank, so I don't know if he kept them under control or they were never there in the first place. I have a 55 gallon with:
1 coral beauty
1 long fin fairy wrasse
2 blue reef chromis
2 clownfish
1 serpent sea star
1 fromia sea star
1 sand sifting sea star
about 15 dwarf hermits
about 5 scarlet hermits
1 electric blue hermit crab
1 boxing crab
1 mithrax crab
a bunch of snails
1 hawaiian fan worm
1 dwarf fan worm
1 baby longspined sea urchin I just found today in my live rocks.
I started simple with 2 clippings of star polyps, some zoos, 1 pipe organ and some green ricordea shrooms. I feed them mysis shrimp, marine snow and Marine S pellets. Do you think I should feed them something else? I have only had this tank for 7 months so I am pretty new to saltwater. I had more hermits, but as I said that stinker seems to be eating them. I buy most of my stuff off the internet if I buy in bulk, because it is much cheaper than my local store. It may be the only saltwater store in the area, but the tanks are very clean and well kept. Their prices are CRAZY! I don't know if they will take him back. I guess I could try. I paid $15 for him.

 

[mikeyjer]

My Peppermint never bother anything in my tanks. I have one in my 55 reef and two in my 90 soon to be reef. They come out to beg for food if they're hungry. Mine have never touch any hermits except to clean their outer shell. Are you sure he's not picking up the shedding from the scarlet??? :happyfish

 

[akhuneteru]

Positive. The poor hermit pulled back in his shell twice. Then was trying to crawl away. The peppermint started at the back of the crab, the soft part. He was well behaved until about 3 weeks ago, he just started picking at everything. This morning I caught him trying to take my pipe organ apart. It's really weird to see such a change in personality. All the other guys are doing what they have always done and I haven't changed anything in the tank so I don't get it. I did have a fan worm leave its home and was quickly eaten by the peppermint about 1 month ago. Maybe that may have something to do with it. I dunno.

 

[mikeyjer]

Originally Posted by Akhuneteru
Positive. The poor hermit pulled back in his shell twice. Then was trying to crawl away. The peppermint started at the back of the crab, the soft part. He was well behaved until about 3 weeks ago, he just started picking at everything. This morning I caught him trying to take my pipe organ apart. It's really weird to see such a change in personality. All the other guys are doing what they have always done and I haven't changed anything in the tank so I don't get it. I did have a fan worm leave its home and was quickly eaten by the peppermint about 1 month ago. Maybe that may have something to do with it. I dunno.

That's one bad Peppermint shrimp!!! I know they can go after some corals....But mine seem to be behaving so far and I keep Pipe Organ in my tank as well.... :happyfish

 

[alyssia]

My peppermints are a pain. It's practically impossible to feed my corals mysis because they steal it. When I can catch them they are going in my FOWLR. I have never had one bother my feather dusters though.

 

[alyssia]

Originally Posted by deepsixer
yeah I saw my camel shrimp today messin with my anemone

Camel shrimp are definitely not reef safe.

 

[mikeyjer]

Originally Posted by alyssia
My peppermints are a pain. It's practically impossible to feed my corals mysis because they steal it. When I can catch them they are going in my FOWLR. I have never had one bother my feather dusters though.
I guess my Peppermints are more docile.....They don't steal food from the corals when I feed. I love my Peppermints, they're fun to watch and doesn't bother anything in my tanks. They beg me for food when they're hungry.... :happyfish

 

[alyssia]

Originally Posted by Mikeyjer
I guess my Peppermints are more docile.....They don't steal food from the corals when I feed. I love my Peppermints, they're fun to watch and doesn't bother anything in my tanks. They beg me for food when they're hungry.... :happyfish

Ugh... I wish mine would behave! They are fun to watch (except when they are stealing food from my corals)!
I just thought of something though. I have camel shrimp in my FOWLR. Will the pepps get along with them?

 

[mikeyjer]

Originally Posted by alyssia
Ugh... I wish mine would behave! They are fun to watch (except when they are stealing food from my corals)!
I just thought of something though. I have camel shrimp in my FOWLR. Will the pepps get along with them?
Not really, but people have kept them together just fine.... :happyfish