Shrimp territoriality Questions

Bagabaga · 03/29/2015, 05:49 PM

i bought a gold coral banded shrimp 2 months ago. Acclimation went great. In went the shrimp and I have not seen it since. I got a picture from my wife 3 weeks after he was in and it showed antennae tips behind some rock. Another 3 weeks go by and I thought I saw its corpse stuck in the current on a rock. Turns out to be a molting.

My question is how likely is it that it's still in there alive? It's been 2 weeks since the molting. No other shrimp but there is a Purple Dottyback (Pseudochromis porphyreus) in the tank as well. A supposed antenna sighting yesterday but can't be positive (son saw it while I was at work)

Can I get a cleaner or blood shrimp as well? Tank is 55 gallons with 60 pounds rock.

I have corals as well and a maxima clam.

Thanks in advance!

Betta132 · 03/29/2015, 08:34 PM

The coral banded will probably kill the dottyback, if possible, and will most likely attack the cleaner shrimp. They're opportunistic, aggressive, and large.

Calappidae · 03/29/2015, 11:58 PM

Actually I'm more concerned vice versa as dottybacks are pretty nasty to shrimp.

Bagabaga · 03/30/2015, 05:23 AM

The shrimp was small sized when it went in, which is why I never see it I guess I was more thinking if I haven't seen any signs should I assume it's gone? Or assume it's hiding in the rock still?

150Ron · 03/30/2015, 09:59 AM

I would assume its still alive. They are agressive to other shrimp for sure. Mine has a hate on for my blood shrimp but hes not fast enough. If there are plenty of spaces for other shrimp to hide and bolt they should be ok but one slip up and its feeding time. I have a 150 with one CBS one blood shrimp and a peppermint shrimp. The CBS is the only aggressor but he is awesome and my girlfriends favorite critter.

Bagabaga · 03/30/2015, 10:03 AM

I'm jealous I never ever see it

Bagabaga · 03/30/2015, 06:00 PM

Well after a couple months I finally spotted the shrimp in the tank. He's made a home under a center piece of rock against the back glass. I can see antenna and claw tips moving around back there. Very difficult to even see those parts. Is it true these shrimp are sensitive to corals? Could that be why it made a home back there?

Calappidae · 03/30/2015, 07:18 PM

They live in overhangs or caves. If you lack overhangs/caves (that aren't preoccupied) he'll find the darkest location to remain hidden under.

Bagabaga · 03/30/2015, 08:06 PM

Maybe so... There are plenty of caves I just noticed they mostly face the back glass. And ledges are a little minuscule. I want it to come out and play I just don't know how to get it out there. I wish it felt more comfortable to roam about. Could the dottyback be intimidating it? I don't see the fish being aggressive or even near that area of the tank most of the time.

Calappidae · 03/30/2015, 08:31 PM

It's hard to really say.

Honestly you're not going to get the "come out and play" behavior with these kinds of shrimp. They kinda like the isolation where they cannot be watched, they leave their antenna visible to fish to advertise a cleaning station, and they clean the fish barlying leaving their station.

Skunk cleaners are a little more active in that regard, you can even get them to clean your hand, they seem to be more "bubbly" in personallity looking for their customers.. CBS, fires, etc on the other hand are pretty reclusive. My fire shrimp I see once a month if lucky, I just know he's alive and that's it.

The dottyback could be intimidating it, but personally, I think it'd be more vice versa as CBS are very intimidating with their large claws. If the shrimp has been coexisting with the dottyback this long then it's fine. Just take note that if the shrimp has the chance, they will grab a sick, slow, or sleeping fish when underfed. Results vary from indivigual to indivigual but now you can't say you weren't made aware of the risk.

Dottybacks are just generally mean to shrimp and small inverts.. some can eat a mantis shrimp in live rock. Never owned one, just read up on them and didn't like what I read for the most part but there might be exaggeration there.

Bagabaga · 03/31/2015, 05:15 AM

I thank you for your expertise. I'll keep an eye on the interactions and make sure I don't add any more inhabitants until I make a calculated decision.

03/29/2015, 05:49 PM	#1
Bagabaga Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 517	Shrimp territoriality Questions i bought a gold coral banded shrimp 2 months ago. Acclimation went great. In went the shrimp and I have not seen it since. I got a picture from my wife 3 weeks after he was in and it showed antennae tips behind some rock. Another 3 weeks go by and I thought I saw its corpse stuck in the current on a rock. Turns out to be a molting. My question is how likely is it that it's still in there alive? It's been 2 weeks since the molting. No other shrimp but there is a Purple Dottyback (Pseudochromis porphyreus) in the tank as well. A supposed antenna sighting yesterday but can't be positive (son saw it while I was at work) Can I get a cleaner or blood shrimp as well? Tank is 55 gallons with 60 pounds rock. I have corals as well and a maxima clam. Thanks in advance!

03/29/2015, 08:34 PM	#2
Betta132 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Posts: 2,239	The coral banded will probably kill the dottyback, if possible, and will most likely attack the cleaner shrimp. They're opportunistic, aggressive, and large. __________________ When you put an animal of any kind in a situation where it can no longer fend for itself, such as an aquarium, it's your job to care for it to the best of your ability. It's that simple.

03/29/2015, 11:58 PM	#3
Calappidae Harlequin Shrimp Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Somewhere Posts: 3,814	Actually I'm more concerned vice versa as dottybacks are pretty nasty to shrimp. __________________ Joe

03/30/2015, 09:59 AM	#5
150Ron Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 117	I would assume its still alive. They are agressive to other shrimp for sure. Mine has a hate on for my blood shrimp but hes not fast enough. If there are plenty of spaces for other shrimp to hide and bolt they should be ok but one slip up and its feeding time. I have a 150 with one CBS one blood shrimp and a peppermint shrimp. The CBS is the only aggressor but he is awesome and my girlfriends favorite critter. __________________ My family asked if I love my aquarium more than them...I have not answered Current Tank Info: 150gal custom reef, 36" Ruby Trigger Sump, Halide/T5 Lights, Reef Octopus 170SSS Skimmer, Reef Octopus 5500 controlable return, Maxspec Gyre xf150, Hydor Koralia Power Head 1150X2

03/30/2015, 07:18 PM	#8
Calappidae Harlequin Shrimp Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Somewhere Posts: 3,814	They live in overhangs or caves. If you lack overhangs/caves (that aren't preoccupied) he'll find the darkest location to remain hidden under. __________________ Joe

03/30/2015, 05:23 AM	#4
Bagabaga Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 517	The shrimp was small sized when it went in, which is why I never see it I guess I was more thinking if I haven't seen any signs should I assume it's gone? Or assume it's hiding in the rock still?

03/30/2015, 10:03 AM	#6
Bagabaga Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 517	I'm jealous I never ever see it

03/30/2015, 06:00 PM	#7
Bagabaga Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 517	Well after a couple months I finally spotted the shrimp in the tank. He's made a home under a center piece of rock against the back glass. I can see antenna and claw tips moving around back there. Very difficult to even see those parts. Is it true these shrimp are sensitive to corals? Could that be why it made a home back there?

03/30/2015, 08:06 PM	#9
Bagabaga Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 517	Maybe so... There are plenty of caves I just noticed they mostly face the back glass. And ledges are a little minuscule. I want it to come out and play I just don't know how to get it out there. I wish it felt more comfortable to roam about. Could the dottyback be intimidating it? I don't see the fish being aggressive or even near that area of the tank most of the time.

03/30/2015, 08:31 PM	#10
Calappidae Harlequin Shrimp Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Somewhere Posts: 3,814	It's hard to really say. Honestly you're not going to get the "come out and play" behavior with these kinds of shrimp. They kinda like the isolation where they cannot be watched, they leave their antenna visible to fish to advertise a cleaning station, and they clean the fish barlying leaving their station. Skunk cleaners are a little more active in that regard, you can even get them to clean your hand, they seem to be more "bubbly" in personallity looking for their customers.. CBS, fires, etc on the other hand are pretty reclusive. My fire shrimp I see once a month if lucky, I just know he's alive and that's it. The dottyback could be intimidating it, but personally, I think it'd be more vice versa as CBS are very intimidating with their large claws. If the shrimp has been coexisting with the dottyback this long then it's fine. Just take note that if the shrimp has the chance, they will grab a sick, slow, or sleeping fish when underfed. Results vary from indivigual to indivigual but now you can't say you weren't made aware of the risk. Dottybacks are just generally mean to shrimp and small inverts.. some can eat a mantis shrimp in live rock. Never owned one, just read up on them and didn't like what I read for the most part but there might be exaggeration there. __________________ Joe

03/31/2015, 05:15 AM	#11
Bagabaga Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 517	I thank you for your expertise. I'll keep an eye on the interactions and make sure I don't add any more inhabitants until I make a calculated decision.