Commensal acro shrimp!?

salty child 79 · 02/03/2009, 09:30 PM

Anyone know what this is. I spotted it on an acro so I figured I would see if anyone else has seen one. It doesn't seem to bother the acro's. I'll will get more pics in the morning.

billyWhite · 02/03/2009, 11:24 PM

I don't know anything about that shrimp but I wish I had one - really cool

swhaley40 · 02/04/2009, 11:50 AM

I have some sort of shrimp that came in my birds nest colony...looks and sounds like a pistol shrimp. Seems to be harmless, not bothering the birds nest or the crabs hosting the birds nest.

bwest · 02/04/2009, 01:37 PM

I posted about this type of shrimp over a year ago, and nobody really knew much about it.

I had an acro colony that slowly started to die from the base up, and when breaking it apart to try and save what I could, I found one of these guys. I'm not sure if the slow die off was due to AEFW or this shrimp. I didn't know much about flatworms at the time and think that was probably it. But on the other hand, the claws on the shrimp do look small enough to dig into the polyps of an acro.

Here's the colony that I found it in

And here are some pictures of the shrimp (For size reference, they were taken inside of a sports drink bottle cap ~2" in diameter)

Maxi · 02/04/2009, 01:49 PM

Don't know. Looks safe to me though.

southstar066 · 02/04/2009, 01:53 PM

Very nice find, looks pretty cool if it does turn out to be safe.

x2uranium · 02/04/2009, 02:00 PM

I had one that looked exactly like him.. I nabbed him with a net off the rock, examined him. didnt look harmful threw him back in. Havent seen it since, must be about 4 months since this happened.

gsoaxionsk8 · 02/04/2009, 02:50 PM

dang that thumbtack is almost as big as that albino lobster beside it

kingsland · 02/04/2009, 06:47 PM

I had one that looked very similar to yours. It was identified on another forum as a Coralliocaris graminea. It is a commensal shrimp and safe for the coral. I put mine back in the SPS colony.

bwest · 02/04/2009, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by kingsland
I had one that looked very similar to yours. It was identified on another forum as a Coralliocaris graminea. It is a commensal shrimp and safe for the coral. I put mine back in the SPS colony.

Nice. Thanks for the ID kingsland. Like I said, mine was a year ago in a past tank, and had no idea if it was harmful, so I decided to get rid of it. I figured better safe than sorry, but if I see one again, I'll be sure to keep it.

southstar066 · 02/04/2009, 08:37 PM

Found this article on them.
Green Coral Shrimp
Coralliocaris graminea
Family Palaemonidae

This shrimp (length 1-2cm) is an obligate on Pocillopora. Their two pincers have been modified such that they can produce a successive series of clicks when disturbed, like snapping shrimps.

snorvich · 02/04/2009, 08:48 PM

How does one get them?

bwest · 02/04/2009, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by snorvich
How does one get them?

If you're asking where to get them, I have no idea.

But my guess is they're similar to a small acro crab that hitchhikes in on coral that are taken from the ocean...most likely the maricultured corals.

adtravels · 02/04/2009, 10:05 PM

they are safe, they are pistiol shrimp and they come on wild or maricultured colonies.

reefer31 · 02/06/2009, 12:52 AM

I had 2 in a mariculture coral that I got about a year ago now. The tank crashed and killed everything so I lost them

. Anyways, I got a box of maricultured sps from java about 7-8 months ago and on one of the corals there is a shrimp. It doesnt look like the ones that you guys have in your tanks or the ones I had before but its a sweet looking shrimp..doesnt seem to harm anything so far. Mine looks more like a normal shrimp than lobster style if that makes sense!?

bwest · 02/06/2009, 12:54 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by reefer31
I had 2 in a mariculture coral that I got about a year ago now. The tank crashed and killed everything so I lost them . Anyways, I got a box of maricultured sps from java about 7-8 months ago and on one of the corals there is a shrimp. It doesnt look like the ones that you guys have in your tanks or the ones I had before but its a sweet looking shrimp..doesnt seem to harm anything so far. Mine looks more like a normal shrimp than lobster style if that makes sense!?

Pic?

OrionN · 02/25/2009, 11:58 PM

I got a tiny shrimp in my ORA SPS aquaculture frag. The frag is only 1.5 inches in height and have three branches. I cannot take a picture of this shrimp because it is tiny only about 1/4 inches and all clear. It has tiny claws and looks more like a fresh water glass shrimp but much smaller. I wonder how these shrimp get to these frags. I think they must reproduce by themselves in the propagation tank at ORA. I will keep a close eye on this shrimp and colony. I fraged the colony when I first got it and did not notice the shrimp at the time. The colony is going well with good polyp extension, so I don't think the shrimp bother the colony at all.
I don't think I can take a picture of this guy unless I pull him off of the frag, and I don't want to do this at this time.

Myka · 05/26/2018, 07:40 PM

I have one of these shrimp in an Acro. It is about 1" long from end of pincers to end of tail - maybe a bit longer. It creates a dead patch on the Acro where it sits. Has anyone else noticed this? First time I've had an Acro with a commensal shrimp - I'm surprised the wrasses haven't eaten it.

Piper27 · 05/27/2018, 07:58 AM

Very cool stuff guys, I am interested to see more about these. Never seen one before, suprisingly...

bwest · 05/27/2018, 09:33 AM

Holy cow, a thread that hasn't been touched since 2009 has been revived!

Myka · 05/27/2018, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bwest

Holy cow, a thread that hasn't been touched since 2009 has been revived!

You'd rather a new thread for an old topic?

bwest · 05/27/2018, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Myka

You'd rather a new thread for an old topic?

Nope, I didn’t say that. I was just very surprised to see an email alert saying there was a new reply to a thread I had posted in 9 years ago.

Myka · 05/27/2018, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bwest

Nope, I didn’t say that. I was just very surprised to see an email alert saying there was a new reply to a thread I had posted in 9 years ago.

Oic

ABzReef · 05/29/2018, 02:16 AM

Wow they are tiny!!!! How did you catch it

02/03/2009, 09:30 PM	#1
salty child 79 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: South Florida Posts: 272	Commensal acro shrimp!? Anyone know what this is. I spotted it on an acro so I figured I would see if anyone else has seen one. It doesn't seem to bother the acro's. I'll will get more pics in the morning. __________________ Great tanks don't come from great equipment. They come from great husbandry and great knowledge.

02/04/2009, 01:37 PM	#4
bwest Photo Nut Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Carolina Beach, NC Posts: 844	I posted about this type of shrimp over a year ago, and nobody really knew much about it. I had an acro colony that slowly started to die from the base up, and when breaking it apart to try and save what I could, I found one of these guys. I'm not sure if the slow die off was due to AEFW or this shrimp. I didn't know much about flatworms at the time and think that was probably it. But on the other hand, the claws on the shrimp do look small enough to dig into the polyps of an acro. Here's the colony that I found it in And here are some pictures of the shrimp (For size reference, they were taken inside of a sports drink bottle cap ~2" in diameter) __________________ Brett PADI Divemaster Current Tank Info: Tankless since 2009.

02/04/2009, 08:48 PM	#12
snorvich Team RC member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Outlander Posts: 40,953 Blog Entries: 46	How does one get them? __________________ Warmest regards, ~Steve~

02/25/2009, 11:58 PM	#17
OrionN Moved on Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Coastal Texas Posts: 16,000	I got a tiny shrimp in my ORA SPS aquaculture frag. The frag is only 1.5 inches in height and have three branches. I cannot take a picture of this shrimp because it is tiny only about 1/4 inches and all clear. It has tiny claws and looks more like a fresh water glass shrimp but much smaller. I wonder how these shrimp get to these frags. I think they must reproduce by themselves in the propagation tank at ORA. I will keep a close eye on this shrimp and colony. I fraged the colony when I first got it and did not notice the shrimp at the time. The colony is going well with good polyp extension, so I don't think the shrimp bother the colony at all. I don't think I can take a picture of this guy unless I pull him off of the frag, and I don't want to do this at this time. __________________ Minh My homepage is my album here at Reef Central Current Tank Info: Reboot 320 anemones reef. Angels: Yellow Chest Regal(2), Flame (2). Copperband But. Tangs: Yellow, Purple. Wrasse: about 20 wrasses various species. Anemones: Giantea X4 (Breen, Blue, Purple and Multicolors), Haddoni X1 Red, Magnifica X1 Purpletip

05/26/2018, 07:40 PM	#18
Myka Reefing since '93 Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: SK, Canada Posts: 2,436	I have one of these shrimp in an Acro. It is about 1" long from end of pincers to end of tail - maybe a bit longer. It creates a dead patch on the Acro where it sits. Has anyone else noticed this? First time I've had an Acro with a commensal shrimp - I'm surprised the wrasses haven't eaten it. __________________ ~ Mindy, SPS addict. Current Tank Info: 69 SPS (73 gal net) established July 1/15. (HBD Canada!) ATB 840, ATI 6-bulb dimmable. Fauna Marin balling lite method.

02/03/2009, 11:24 PM	#2
billyWhite Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Naperville, IL Posts: 103	I don't know anything about that shrimp but I wish I had one - really cool

02/04/2009, 11:50 AM	#3
swhaley40 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Birmingham, AL Posts: 287	I have some sort of shrimp that came in my birds nest colony...looks and sounds like a pistol shrimp. Seems to be harmless, not bothering the birds nest or the crabs hosting the birds nest.

02/04/2009, 01:49 PM	#5
Maxi Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Florida Posts: 1,381	Don't know. Looks safe to me though.

02/04/2009, 01:53 PM	#6
southstar066 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Beech Grove Posts: 437	Very nice find, looks pretty cool if it does turn out to be safe.

02/04/2009, 02:00 PM	#7
x2uranium Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Pittston, PA Posts: 1,257	I had one that looked exactly like him.. I nabbed him with a net off the rock, examined him. didnt look harmful threw him back in. Havent seen it since, must be about 4 months since this happened.

02/04/2009, 02:50 PM	#8
gsoaxionsk8 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 267	dang that thumbtack is almost as big as that albino lobster beside it

02/04/2009, 06:47 PM	#9
kingsland Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Wichita, Kansas Posts: 511	I had one that looked very similar to yours. It was identified on another forum as a Coralliocaris graminea. It is a commensal shrimp and safe for the coral. I put mine back in the SPS colony.

02/04/2009, 08:37 PM	#11
southstar066 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Beech Grove Posts: 437	Found this article on them. Green Coral Shrimp Coralliocaris graminea Family Palaemonidae This shrimp (length 1-2cm) is an obligate on Pocillopora. Their two pincers have been modified such that they can produce a successive series of clicks when disturbed, like snapping shrimps.

02/04/2009, 10:05 PM	#14
adtravels you cant buy blue fingers Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 2,542	they are safe, they are pistiol shrimp and they come on wild or maricultured colonies.

02/06/2009, 12:52 AM	#15
reefer31 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Utah Posts: 561	I had 2 in a mariculture coral that I got about a year ago now. The tank crashed and killed everything so I lost them . Anyways, I got a box of maricultured sps from java about 7-8 months ago and on one of the corals there is a shrimp. It doesnt look like the ones that you guys have in your tanks or the ones I had before but its a sweet looking shrimp..doesnt seem to harm anything so far. Mine looks more like a normal shrimp than lobster style if that makes sense!?

05/27/2018, 07:58 AM	#19
Piper27 I love bengals Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Manassas Virginia Posts: 2,512	Very cool stuff guys, I am interested to see more about these. Never seen one before, suprisingly...

05/27/2018, 09:33 AM	#20
bwest Photo Nut Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Carolina Beach, NC Posts: 844	Holy cow, a thread that hasn't been touched since 2009 has been revived! __________________ Brett PADI Divemaster Current Tank Info: Tankless since 2009.

05/29/2018, 02:16 AM	#24
ABzReef Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2018 Posts: 51	Wow they are tiny!!!! How did you catch it