strange, anyone know? unusual
- Thread starter fox1135
- Start date
kjr_trig
Active Member
Originally Posted by fox1135
http:///forum/post/2713736
my peppermint shrimp is attacking my flordia condi. what is that about? can my shrimp really hurt it? or will my condi eat the shrimp?
You may have better luck in the reef forum....If most of the people that frequent the Aggressive forum put a Peppermint Shrimp in our tanks, it would be fish food in less than a second.
http:///forum/post/2713736
my peppermint shrimp is attacking my flordia condi. what is that about? can my shrimp really hurt it? or will my condi eat the shrimp?
You may have better luck in the reef forum....If most of the people that frequent the Aggressive forum put a Peppermint Shrimp in our tanks, it would be fish food in less than a second.
perfectdark
Active Member
Most likely scavenging food from its tentacles although it doesnt appear to look like it. The food particles are small pods and microfauna that are easily caught and easily stolen. HTH
aquaknight
Active Member
Look/research into whether you truly have a peppermint shrimp, or a camel shrimp, which very closely mimics the peppermint, and are often sold under the "peppermint" name at retailers. Camels are not-reef safe and are known to eat corals. I suspect if you don't have corals, he might try his luck with the condi.
If you want to purchase a Peppermint Shrimp to take care of aiptasia in your tropical reef tank, make sure you are actually getting L. wurdemanni.
Peppermint Shrimp (Lysmata wurdemanni) are common additions to marine aquaria as a result of their interesting behavior, sociability and their reputation for hunting aiptasia. They are also a reef-safe shrimp. Peppermint Shrimp are relatively inexpensive (usually less than $10 and considerably less if you buy more than one at a time) and readily available online or at the local fish store. Unfortunately, the so-called Peppermint Shrimp is often confused with several similar looking ornamental shrimp species, and this confusion can lead to major headaches, as these Peppermint Shrimp imposters are NOT reef safe. Here’s what you need to know about the real Peppermint Shrimp—L. wurdemanni.
Although the name Peppermint Shrimp is by far the most common name in the hobby for L. wurdemanni, you may see this shrimp called the Caribbean Cleaner Shrimp or the Candy Cane shrimp. L. wurdemanni is a crustacean belonging to the class Crustacea. It is also a cleaner shrimp, although it tends to spend more time scavenging in the aquarium rather than cleaning its tankmates. L. wurdemanni is an attractive, striped (sometimes called veined) shrimp seldom exceeding two inches in length. The body color can range from red to orange-yellow to opaque with longitudinal dark red stripes. Although frequently called a Caribbean Cleaner Shrimp, L. wurdemanni is found in the Atlantic as far north as New Jersey.
More likely than seeing a Peppermint Shrimp for sale as a Caribbean Cleaner Shrimp or a Candy Cane shrimp, you will see other species of shrimp sold as Peppermint Shrimp. This is one reason it is so important to:
Use the scientific name when ordering this shrimp, and
Know how to tell the difference between L. wurdemanni and the closely related species often sold as L. wurdemanni.
The most common L. wurdemanni imposters are Rhynchocinetes durbanensis, R. uritai and L. californica. Here is a brief description of each of the imposters:
R. durbanensis – Commonly known as the Camelback Shrimp, Camel Shrimp or Dancing Shrimp, R. durbanensis is from the Indo-Pacific and is NOT a cleaner shrimp. You may see it advertised as the Candy Shrimp or, of course, the Peppermint Shrimp. Sometimes it is also called the Hinged-Beak Shrimp, referring to its hinged beak or rostrum. R. durbanensis is patterned with red and white stripes (similar to some specimens of the species L. wurdemanni), but this ornamental shrimp is not reef-safe like the true Peppermint Shrimp, which will seldom harass any corals or anemones beyond aiptasia. R. durbanensis will eat aiptasia, but it may very well eat your soft corals also. This shrimp can be easily identified by the obvious “camel hump” on its back.
R. uritai – Commonly called the Camel Shrimp or Camelback Shrimp, like R. durbanensis, R. uritai is an Indo-Pacific shrimp and is also NOT cleaner shrimp. While very similar to R. durbanensis, R. uritai does not have the same pronounced beak and white streaking that R. durbanensis has. In addition, the coloration of R. uritai is somewhat duller. Further, R. uritai, unlike R. durbanensis, is currently known to be native only to Japan and Korea. Finally, the beak on R. durbanensis has 9-10 teeth along the top, whereas R. uritai only has 7-8 teeth. Like R. durbanensis, R. uritai will eat aiptasia but may very well eat your soft corals too.
L. californica –Commonly called the Lined Shrimp, the Red Rock Shrimp or the Catalina Cleaner Shrimp, L. californica is from the Eastern Pacific along the southern coast of the United States. Although similar in appearance to L. wurdemanni, L. californica is a temperate species and, therefore, inappropriate for the tropical reef tank.
If you want to purchase a Peppermint Shrimp to take care of aiptasia in your tropical reef tank, make sure you are actually getting L. wurdemanni.
If you want to purchase a Peppermint Shrimp to take care of aiptasia in your tropical reef tank, make sure you are actually getting L. wurdemanni.
Peppermint Shrimp (Lysmata wurdemanni) are common additions to marine aquaria as a result of their interesting behavior, sociability and their reputation for hunting aiptasia. They are also a reef-safe shrimp. Peppermint Shrimp are relatively inexpensive (usually less than $10 and considerably less if you buy more than one at a time) and readily available online or at the local fish store. Unfortunately, the so-called Peppermint Shrimp is often confused with several similar looking ornamental shrimp species, and this confusion can lead to major headaches, as these Peppermint Shrimp imposters are NOT reef safe. Here’s what you need to know about the real Peppermint Shrimp—L. wurdemanni.
Although the name Peppermint Shrimp is by far the most common name in the hobby for L. wurdemanni, you may see this shrimp called the Caribbean Cleaner Shrimp or the Candy Cane shrimp. L. wurdemanni is a crustacean belonging to the class Crustacea. It is also a cleaner shrimp, although it tends to spend more time scavenging in the aquarium rather than cleaning its tankmates. L. wurdemanni is an attractive, striped (sometimes called veined) shrimp seldom exceeding two inches in length. The body color can range from red to orange-yellow to opaque with longitudinal dark red stripes. Although frequently called a Caribbean Cleaner Shrimp, L. wurdemanni is found in the Atlantic as far north as New Jersey.
More likely than seeing a Peppermint Shrimp for sale as a Caribbean Cleaner Shrimp or a Candy Cane shrimp, you will see other species of shrimp sold as Peppermint Shrimp. This is one reason it is so important to:
Use the scientific name when ordering this shrimp, and
Know how to tell the difference between L. wurdemanni and the closely related species often sold as L. wurdemanni.
The most common L. wurdemanni imposters are Rhynchocinetes durbanensis, R. uritai and L. californica. Here is a brief description of each of the imposters:
R. durbanensis – Commonly known as the Camelback Shrimp, Camel Shrimp or Dancing Shrimp, R. durbanensis is from the Indo-Pacific and is NOT a cleaner shrimp. You may see it advertised as the Candy Shrimp or, of course, the Peppermint Shrimp. Sometimes it is also called the Hinged-Beak Shrimp, referring to its hinged beak or rostrum. R. durbanensis is patterned with red and white stripes (similar to some specimens of the species L. wurdemanni), but this ornamental shrimp is not reef-safe like the true Peppermint Shrimp, which will seldom harass any corals or anemones beyond aiptasia. R. durbanensis will eat aiptasia, but it may very well eat your soft corals also. This shrimp can be easily identified by the obvious “camel hump” on its back.
R. uritai – Commonly called the Camel Shrimp or Camelback Shrimp, like R. durbanensis, R. uritai is an Indo-Pacific shrimp and is also NOT cleaner shrimp. While very similar to R. durbanensis, R. uritai does not have the same pronounced beak and white streaking that R. durbanensis has. In addition, the coloration of R. uritai is somewhat duller. Further, R. uritai, unlike R. durbanensis, is currently known to be native only to Japan and Korea. Finally, the beak on R. durbanensis has 9-10 teeth along the top, whereas R. uritai only has 7-8 teeth. Like R. durbanensis, R. uritai will eat aiptasia but may very well eat your soft corals too.
L. californica –Commonly called the Lined Shrimp, the Red Rock Shrimp or the Catalina Cleaner Shrimp, L. californica is from the Eastern Pacific along the southern coast of the United States. Although similar in appearance to L. wurdemanni, L. californica is a temperate species and, therefore, inappropriate for the tropical reef tank.
If you want to purchase a Peppermint Shrimp to take care of aiptasia in your tropical reef tank, make sure you are actually getting L. wurdemanni.
lion_crazz
Active Member
Originally Posted by AquaKnight
http:///forum/post/2713996
Look/research into whether you truly have a peppermint shrimp, or a camel shrimp, which very closely mimics the peppermint, and are often sold under the "peppermint" name at retailers. Camels are not-reef safe and are known to eat corals. I suspect if you don't have corals, he might try his luck with the condi.
I agree with this last post. So many times the two get confused and your LFS will mark one as the other.
http:///forum/post/2713996
Look/research into whether you truly have a peppermint shrimp, or a camel shrimp, which very closely mimics the peppermint, and are often sold under the "peppermint" name at retailers. Camels are not-reef safe and are known to eat corals. I suspect if you don't have corals, he might try his luck with the condi.
I agree with this last post. So many times the two get confused and your LFS will mark one as the other.
fox1135
Member
it must be a different shrimp. i looked up peppermint and it does look similar but its displaying different habits. also my recently added longnose hawkfish seems to be fine with it. which is pretty strange, if anyones got an answer for that. now its not a big shrimp but it is about 3/5 as big as the hawk. i thought it could be because the hawk is newly added and i have had my shrimp for about 5 months
perfectdark
Active Member
Originally Posted by lion_crazz
http:///forum/post/2713999
I agree with this last post. So many times the two get confused and your LFS will mark one as the other.
ya good call, I didnt even think about that just assuming the OP knew the diff.
Originally Posted by fox1135
http:///forum/post/2714088
it must be a different shrimp. i looked up peppermint and it does look similar but its displaying different habits. also my recently added longnose hawkfish seems to be fine with it. which is pretty strange, if anyones got an answer for that. now its not a big shrimp but it is about 3/5 as big as the hawk. i thought it could be because the hawk is newly added and i have had my shrimp for about 5 months
Can you get a pic of it?
http:///forum/post/2713999
I agree with this last post. So many times the two get confused and your LFS will mark one as the other.
ya good call, I didnt even think about that just assuming the OP knew the diff.
Originally Posted by fox1135
http:///forum/post/2714088
it must be a different shrimp. i looked up peppermint and it does look similar but its displaying different habits. also my recently added longnose hawkfish seems to be fine with it. which is pretty strange, if anyones got an answer for that. now its not a big shrimp but it is about 3/5 as big as the hawk. i thought it could be because the hawk is newly added and i have had my shrimp for about 5 months
Can you get a pic of it?
perfectdark
Active Member
Im no expert but I dont think thats a camel shrimp.
