Peppermint shrimp???

[negia22]

I just finished my cycle a week ago and yesterday afternoon I went to my LFS and bought a peppermint shrimp in a size of like half an inch. He really is so tiny and looks like a baby shrimp.

I acclimated right away and placed on a 28g nano cube with 32 lbs of LR.

Now my problem is how do I get to feed this little thing when I can't even find him from all the rocks and considering his side what to do you think I feed it when I find it???

He's the only one in my tank for right now too with a bunch of little mushrooms, I am still waiting for my CUC in the mail.


thanks for all the help...

[simpp88]

Are you starting off with liverock or deadrock? If using liverock, don't worry too much about it. The shrimp will find plenty to eat. If using all deadrock, you could throw a bit of any type of food in (pellets/flakes). Just a small amount though, don't overdue it.

[negia22]

did a LR, oh ok thats comforting to know.

thanks

[Dexters Reef]

When I drop flake food, pellets, or mysis in my tank, the peppermint comes out swimming for it! You can try target feeding him with a turkey baster the first time or two to show him how yummy the food is, he should be eager to find it after that.

In the meantime, they will pick off stuff from live rock to eat

[Psyops]

That much live rock should be enough food for the little munchkin. Throw a couple of mysis shrimps in there to be sure if you want. Also if you have aptasia, then you really don't have to worry about a food source. Hope this helps.

Alex

[jlymner]

mine come running out when every I feed the fish :-)

[Cymonous]

Mine always stays hiding under my flat top rock. He never comes out when I feed my fish. The only time he really came out when I tried to target feed my starfish with pieces of scallops and he came out and snatched it. He usually just eats off my Live Rocks.

[cloak]

The two peppermint shrimp that I have are almost as fast as my two ocellaris clowns when it comes down to feeding time. When I feed live blackworms, they cover a lot of ground, QUICK! :)

[negia22]

Up to now I still did not see the shrimp though. I have some diatoms on my rocks hopefully it was strolling around last night for food.

Hope that little guy is fine and one day I will be able to see him...

[Zappo]

For shy peppermints it's easiest to feed something that sinks like pellets, and after the lights go out. They get much more brave at night. It won't take long for them to realize that you bring food, and then they'll start turning up during the day at feeding time. Though if you plan to keep corals that need to be fed, you might not want the shrimp getting used to handouts. They're terrible little thieves...

[jctse]

Zappo's got it right. They make it incredible hard to spot feed your corals BUT are really good for exterminating aptasia.

[fishbutt2]

Lysmata not amboinesia right? mine were always coming out to feed for mysis

[cloak]

Zappo's got it right. They make it incredible hard to spot feed your corals BUT are really good for exterminating aptasia.

That's not necessarily true. I have two peppermint shrimp in my 20 gallon tank right now that won't touch the one aiptasia that I can see. This anemone has gotten kind of big over time, but not to long ago I snuck up on it and cut the top off with some scissors. I figured NOW the peppermint shrimp would take care of it. Not so... Here it is almost a month later and the aiptasia looks like nothing has happened. Just as big as before & the peppermint shrimp still won't touch it. Go figure...

[Orm Embar]

What kind of peppermint shrimp do you have? Lysmata wurdemanni eat Aiptasia (sometimes); Rhynchocinetes sp. generally don't that I am aware of.

[Orm Embar]

Just checked - Rhynchocineets sp. can eat Aiptasia, but are not reef safe like the Lysmatas.

[negia22]

I don't know what kind of peppermint shrimp I have though. For now, I am not worried on any aiptasia since I don't have any and hopefully it will stay that way.

I have seen him popped out while I was feeding my mushrooms then in a second he's gone, at least though I saw him alive and healthy.

[negia22]

Oh I saw him cleaning something on one of my corals. I thought he was eating it but it was only cleaning some slimy things.

Here's a picture of him, maybe one can ID what kind of peppermint shrimp this little guy.

http://i591.photobucket.com/albums/ss356/aigen1980/28%20nano%20cube/IMG_4191.jpg

[Orm Embar]

Hard to tell from that photo angle IMHO

[negia22]

shoot, came out this morning and I saw my peppermint dead.

it turned transparent, don't know what happen when I just saw it a day ago cleaning one of my corals.

probably not enough food for him, since I was not feeding anything in the tank. my fishes are still in my QT.

[staindsoul]

that was probably a molt shell. it is probably alive.

[Zappo]

that was probably a molt shell. it is probably alive.

This. Everyone thinks they've lost their shrimp the first time it molts. If the shell is empty, your shrimp is hiding in the tank somewhere while he waits for his new shell to harden.

[ddmiller38]

When I got mine 2 years ago I thought it was lost when I seen his shell. That is until I see him two days later.

[negia22]

I think it is really dead since I saw the whiskers (don't know if that's what you call it) together with the shell.

[ddmiller38]

You will see the whole body. I read somewhere that it scares off any predators while there new shell hardens

[Zappo]

I think it is really dead since I saw the whiskers (don't know if that's what you call it) together with the shell.

When they moult, what they leave behind is basically a full shrimp minus the insides. If you pull it out, it should be pretty obvious if it's just an empty shell or not. This is how they grow, and also how they replace a lost antenna or arm. New growth happens under the hardened shell, and only appears after they moult and grow a new shell.

[negia22]

I thought I lost my little guy, glad to hear he's just growing. No wonder why I took the shell out of the tank, when I touched it, it was empty.

Thought he died, since I saw a whole shrimp body, with its antennae up to his tail.

[steveo9043]

Any update? Have you seen him?

[negia22]

Oh I forgot to give an update. I saw him roaming around, he's alive and kicking...

[nwnugget]

I used to love my shrimp. I have two of this guy.
http://i1327.photobucket.com/albums/u674/nwnugget/P2240005_zps0f3c63ea.jpg
Until last night when I went to introduce a frag of torch coral. One of the shrimp started to tear the coral apart. Now I have to decide, keep the coral or keep the shrimp.

[Reeferz412]

My peppermint shrimp crawls on my hand. He also likes to dig into any cuts i have on my hand. Bravest shrimp I have ever had.

[Cymonous]

When I saw the molt of my shrimp the first time, I actually thought I got another critter. My shrimp is pretty brave. When I use my net to get his molts or other things, he will check out the net and start picking at it.

[Jpresley777]

Found this article I hope it helps .

www.fishlore.com/profile-peppermintshrimp.htm

[negia22]

The little guy is starting to get braver, he comes out now when I feed the corals, he still hides after but at least now I can see him more often...

[negia22]

Update:

My peppermint is really growing quick. I just saw another molt today, will check in a couple of days how big he becomes.

I did not take out the molt this time...