sexy shrimp eating corals?

[schipwreck]

Iv recently gotten a trio of the "sexies", i sadly caught them in the act of eating a portion of my birdsnest coral today. Anyone else had a similar experience? The tank is only an 8 gallon, i have some zoas and a couple other things. I dont want to have to get rid of them, they are so cute.

[tahoe61]

Yep, after two years of good behavior they started eating my zoanthids. Hard little suckers to catch, good luck to you.

[Kataro]

give em each a pellet everyday or so... I just let mine pick at a large acropora colony... they usually alternate between corals eating a lil polyps here and there... then give it time to heal before coming back

[mscarpena]

But he only has an 8 gallon tank so they is not much to choose from on the menu. I'd get rid of them if they are eating your corals.

[reefalex9]

try to feed them more often, they shall be polite

[mndfreeze]

Are you POSITIVE they are eating the coral and not just picking at it? I have 3 in a 14G nano with a ton of various corals. They are always walking around picking at various things and even when I starve the tank for 3 days they dont touch my zooa's, lps or sps.

One thing I have noticed though, is if I put in some cyclopeeze or other fina particled food they will LOOK like they are picking at my corals, but all they are doing is picking the tiny itty bitty particles from off the coral. I've seen what looked l ike one eating a polyp many times only to see the coral untouched after the sexy wanders to another spot.

I think they get a bad rap because of what it looks like. Just like how bristleworms get blamed for killing stuff when all they are doing is eating decaying matter.

But give them a sinking pellet each if you think they are not getting enough food and being driven to taste coral.

[mmm67]

I never knew that they ate coral very good to know

[mndfreeze]

Like I said, I personally don't think they do except MAYBE in rare cases and scenarios. I.e. starving. But they sure LOOK like they do. Mine pick all day long at all my corals, but never seen damage once.

[PSU21Reef]

Mine do the same thing mndfreeze said, they pick at stuff around the coral but don't actually hurt the coral. Mine are also really easy to catch because they will eat mysis shrimp or chopped shrimp directly from my hand. If you do have to catch it you can also try sucking it up in a turkey baster. One got into the back of my nano and that was how I got him out. I didn't think he would fit but he did and it didn't injure him in any way.

[Guygettnby]

i have never actually seen them eating any corals. i have seen them picking at multiple corals but never really eating or killing them. what else do you have in the tank besides the corals and sexy shrimp??

are you feeding the tank enough to were they get some food?

[silberspieler]

i have never actually seen them eating any corals. i have seen them picking at multiple corals but never really eating or killing them.

True.

[ilovesoda]

Are you POSITIVE they are eating the coral and not just picking at it? I have 3 in a 14G nano with a ton of various corals. They are always walking around picking at various things and even when I starve the tank for 3 days they dont touch my zooa's, lps or sps.

One thing I have noticed though, is if I put in some cyclopeeze or other fina particled food they will LOOK like they are picking at my corals, but all they are doing is picking the tiny itty bitty particles from off the coral. I've seen what looked l ike one eating a polyp many times only to see the coral untouched after the sexy wanders to another spot.

I think they get a bad rap because of what it looks like. Just like how bristleworms get blamed for killing stuff when all they are doing is eating decaying matter.

But give them a sinking pellet each if you think they are not getting enough food and being driven to taste coral.

My trio of sexies lately has been mauling my corals. First they decided to take out a new acan I got. I returned the acan. Then they started to eat a brain coral that has been there longer than the sexies. Tomorrow the sexies shall be returned, maybe for a cleaner shrimp.

Too bad though, I love sexy shrimp.

[Jeremy1988]

Are you POSITIVE they are eating the coral and not just picking at it? I have 3 in a 14G nano with a ton of various corals. They are always walking around picking at various things and even when I starve the tank for 3 days they dont touch my zooa's, lps or sps.

One thing I have noticed though, is if I put in some cyclopeeze or other fina particled food they will LOOK like they are picking at my corals, but all they are doing is picking the tiny itty bitty particles from off the coral. I've seen what looked l ike one eating a polyp many times only to see the coral untouched after the sexy wanders to another spot.

I think they get a bad rap because of what it looks like. Just like how bristleworms get blamed for killing stuff when all they are doing is eating decaying matter.

But give them a sinking pellet each if you think they are not getting enough food and being driven to taste coral.

Yeah...so my situation is I had a hammer coral in some heavy water flow...well I think it squeezed up because of dead tissue and the sexy shrimp are eating that...not necessarily eating the coral itself...are you kind of on track with that as well. I watch them sitting on the bunched up coral...they dont look like there ripping away shreds of it...just kinda nipping at small things. Almost as if they sort of want to host in it but its just not nearly big enough, its a small frag.

[Jeremy1988]

Yep, after two years of good behavior they started eating my zoanthids. Hard little suckers to catch, good luck to you.

Yeah I'v notice that my 5 sexy shrimp irritate and or "eat" my coral as well...the pellets help tremendously though!

[nmotz]

I have absolutely seen sexy shrimp eating the polyps of birdsnest corals. In my tank, I watched a couple of them pluck several bare spots on the branches. I thought at first that they were just "picking" but they weren't. The coral eventually recovers but it takes a while.

I actually think most types of shrimps will probably eat coral if hungry enough. Making sure there is plenty of excess food lying around is important if you have shrimp of any kind IMO.

[Jeremy1988]

Yeah I agree with you...IMO sinking pellets is the tricks...I'll sprinkle a little in thruout the day and at night. Just like 5 or 6 small pellets they will find them. Plus my fish seem to not care much for the pellets so its not like they get eaten up before the shrimp find them. I even sprinkle a few at night as well just to help them stay away from the corals at night. Seems to be working great, and I think as long as you dont over feed already and just use common sense with the pellet feeding you wont pollute your tank. I dont with mine at least.