Peppermint Shrimp

yannifish

yannifish

Active Member
I have a 55g tank, with two occelaris clowns, a peppermint shrimp, an emerald crab, one hermit, and a bunch of snails. I have a royal gramma in quarantine, and plan on adding a flame angel. I have a couple questions concerning the peppermint shrimp.
Would it be better to add a few more peppermints, or a skunk cleaner shrimp? I personally would prefer a cleaner shrimp, but would more peppermints be more entertaining/beneficial?

Also, should I worry about the current shrimp having issues with other shrimp added to the tank?
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Originally Posted by yannifish
http:///forum/post/3202476
I have a 55g tank, with two occelaris clowns, a peppermint shrimp, an emerald crab, one hermit, and a bunch of snails. I have a royal gramma in quarantine, and plan on adding a flame angel. I have a couple questions concerning the peppermint shrimp.
Would it be better to add a few more peppermints, or a skunk cleaner shrimp? I personally would prefer a cleaner shrimp, but would more peppermints be more entertaining/beneficial?

Also, should I worry about the current shrimp having issues with other shrimp added to the tank?
Your peppermints are entertaining? I barely ever see mine.
Anyways, a cleaner shrimp, especially the Skunk Cleaner Shrimp are far more beneficial and a lot more active (unless you have a lazy pair, like my current two
) Even my lazy two cleaners are active in cleaning my fish though.
Fire Shrimp is a decent choice, although I've never seen mine clean a fish. From what I've witnessed, FS are better cleaners of left over fish food, mine scours the sand after a feeding.
Skunks won't bother Peppermints. Fire Shrimp are 50/50 on whether they will or not. CBS usually bother the peppermints and eventually try to eat them.
 
yannifish

yannifish

Active Member
Yes, I think my Peppermint is quite entertaining, but then again I've never owned any other shrimp. He is out quite a bit. Eats any uneated food as well. I think I will get a skunk cleaner. Will a pair do ok in the tank with the pep? Also, do I have to buy them as a pair?
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Originally Posted by yannifish
http:///forum/post/3203136
Yes, I think my Peppermint is quite entertaining, but then again I've never owned any other shrimp. He is out quite a bit. Eats any uneated food as well. I think I will get a skunk cleaner. Will a pair do ok in the tank with the pep? Also, do I have to buy them as a pair?
I would do a pair. And no, you don't have to buy them as a pair, they don't fight. They're a very docile invert. They'll leave the peppermints alone as well.
 
yannifish

yannifish

Active Member
Originally Posted by BTLDreef
http:///forum/post/3203307
I would do a pair. And no, you don't have to buy them as a pair, they don't fight. They're a very docile invert. They'll leave the peppermints alone as well.
Cool!
Thanks!
 
dingus890

dingus890

Member
My skunk cleaner fights with my peppermint shrimp at times when it gets to close to his "cleaning station". I added the peppermint after him tho. You should be fine adding the cleaner after the peppermint

If it was me I would get a skunk cleaner and maybe 2 more peppermints. Groups of shrimp are awesome..haha There such entertaining creatures. My cleaner climbs on my arm when I am cleaning the tank...lol I may add a fire shrimp soon. They are really cool too.
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
Peppermint Cleaner Shrimp are nocturnal by nature. As you have discovered, if you feed them during the day they adapt and become a lot more social. They are even more social if you begin to hand feed them.
If it were me I would never keep a single Cleaner Shrimp. They do so much better in pairs or groups so get at least one more peppermint. An additional 2 or 3 is also good.
After that, if you also like Skunk Cleaners, go ahead and get 2 or more Skunk Cleaners to accent the Peppermint Cleaners.
 
J

jstdv8

Guest
gah, i had 3 peps in a 55 gal that was just holding rocks in it. i could see all the way around the tank and still never saw them. i thought they died and ate each otehr or something. when I pulled out all of the rock, there they were. I only have 1 now, I thought he was MIA in the sump until i pulled out rocks in there and found him. I put him in my DT, go figure, never see him.
 
yannifish

yannifish

Active Member
Originally Posted by dingus890
http:///forum/post/3205040
My skunk cleaner fights with my peppermint shrimp at times when it gets to close to his "cleaning station". I added the peppermint after him tho. You should be fine adding the cleaner after the peppermint

If it was me I would get a skunk cleaner and maybe 2 more peppermints. Groups of shrimp are awesome..haha There such entertaining creatures. My cleaner climbs on my arm when I am cleaning the tank...lol I may add a fire shrimp soon. They are really cool too.
Thanks! My Peppermint is always on my hand and arm.
Originally Posted by Bang Guy
http:///forum/post/3205061
Peppermint Cleaner Shrimp are nocturnal by nature. As you have discovered, if you feed them during the day they adapt and become a lot more social. They are even more social if you begin to hand feed them.
If it were me I would never keep a single Cleaner Shrimp. They do so much better in pairs or groups so get at least one more peppermint. An additional 2 or 3 is also good.
After that, if you also like Skunk Cleaners, go ahead and get 2 or more Skunk Cleaners to accent the Peppermint Cleaners.
Yes, at first I never saw mine, but it is almost always out now.
So you think I would be alright adding two more Peppermints, plus a couple Skunk Cleaners? I think that would look great. I have two rock piles, so maybe they would both just pick their own respective piles.
That would look very nice. I'll have to make sure they get food though, but I don't think shrimp have problems in this area!

Originally Posted by Jstdv8
http:///forum/post/3205202
gah, i had 3 peps in a 55 gal that was just holding rocks in it. i could see all the way around the tank and still never saw them. i thought they died and ate each otehr or something. when I pulled out all of the rock, there they were. I only have 1 now, I thought he was MIA in the sump until i pulled out rocks in there and found him. I put him in my DT, go figure, never see him.
They are good at not being found!
 
lmecher

lmecher

Member
I have 7 peppermints in my octopus tank. One spawned the other day. (is it called spawn in shrimp?) So far the octopus ignors them, thought he'd have taken a few by now. Mine are always visable rocking back and forth or looking for food. When I feed the octopus they will try and steel the food or be crawling up my arm, they are pesty but fun to watch. If I find them on sale cheep, I will get a few more, <3 them.
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
The only real bad experience I have had with a peppermint is it eating all of the feather dusters in my tank. Started with larger ones and when those were gone he ate all of the Christmas tree worms out of my Porites rock. Will never have another one because of this. (he went back to the LFS by the way) I have been thinking about a skumk but am so wary of shrimp now. I just couldn't stand losing my coco worm if the shrimp ate it.
 
jackri

jackri

Active Member
I have a 4+ year old coral banded shrimp, added 6 peppermint shrimp, cleaner shrimp, and a fire shrimp.
They ALL got along -- but after a few years the peppermint shrimp died out and my cleaner shrimp lived 2-3 years. I replaced the cleaner shrimp with a new one and he is SOOOO boring. Nothing like the first one that would surf on the top of the surface or climb on your hand.
I've never had a problem with shrimp interacting but I think I'm lucky with the coral banded shrimp I have. Everyone just kind of stays out of his way -- even the tangs but he's never done more than lift his arms up in bluff.
 
wfd1008

wfd1008

Member
The only reason I'll buy another peppermint is to get rid of aptasias. I had three in one tank and they were like a pack of wolves. Snails, crabs, some of my corals, it didn't matter, nothing was safe.
 
dingus890

dingus890

Member
Originally Posted by spanko
http:///forum/post/3206827
The only real bad experience I have had with a peppermint is it eating all of the feather dusters in my tank. Started with larger ones and when those were gone he ate all of the Christmas tree worms out of my Porites rock. Will never have another one because of this. (he went back to the LFS by the way) I have been thinking about a skumk but am so wary of shrimp now. I just couldn't stand losing my coco worm if the shrimp ate it.

I wouldn't add one either Henry. My cleaner shrimp is always trying to get my feather dusters. My peppermint thankfully leaves them alone.
Man I can't imagine how upset you were with a peppermint eating the christmas tree worms
 
yannifish

yannifish

Active Member
Originally Posted by wfd1008
http:///forum/post/3206839
The only reason I'll buy another peppermint is to get rid of aptasias. I had three in one tank and they were like a pack of wolves. Snails, crabs, some of my corals, it didn't matter, nothing was safe.
You must have had camel shrimp. Very destructive, but often sold as peppermint shrimp.
Originally Posted by spanko
http:///forum/post/3206827
The only real bad experience I have had with a peppermint is it eating all of the feather dusters in my tank. Started with larger ones and when those were gone he ate all of the Christmas tree worms out of my Porites rock. Will never have another one because of this. (he went back to the LFS by the way) I have been thinking about a skumk but am so wary of shrimp now. I just couldn't stand losing my coco worm if the shrimp ate it.

I don't have any feather dusters, so I don't think I have to worry about that. I'm sorry to hear about your misfortune though.
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Originally Posted by wfd1008
http:///forum/post/3216683
no, they were peppermint shrimp.
Not to start a war, but are you 100% positive they were nit camel shrimp? Many hobbyists and LFSs confuse the two. Camel shrimp will destroy a tank. While peppermints aren't perfect, I've never heard of or owned one that destroyed a reef tank.
 
wfd1008

wfd1008

Member
I'll say 99&#37;. The first group I had I got from a LFS, the next group I had I ordered here, and they all looked the same.
 
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