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oranje

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grumble.

so i put some brine shrimp in my tank a couple of weeks back, as a tasty treat for my little fishies... and it seems as though this is coming back to haunt me. most of them were eaten, a few weren't... and now, they seem to be multiplying. this normally wouldnt be a problem, except for they absolutely adore my button polyps!

the section of new growth on my button polyps is being devoured! at one point today, there were probably upwards of 20 shrimp, all scurrying around, eating away at the tops of the wee little ones! aaaarg! right now, all ive been doing is blowing them off with a turkey baster, but they keep going back. and its not like their population is so great they're overrunning the tank... they just really like the button polyps.

does anyone know of a creature that will actively seek and destroy these polyp-eating demons?
 

Jawbone

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I dont know why she swallowed the fly.... I guess she'll die.

Seems like your turkey baster could just suck them up and out if there is only 20 of them
 
A

Anonymous

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I know it isn't nice, but this makes me laugh hysterically. I think my suggestion would be a Banggai Cardinal. Mine loved the frozen brine shrimp, but he also chased any of the little dot critters that swam by him too. I also put brine shrimp eggs in my aquarium at one point, and the Banggai got them all before they could mature.
 

Colin Smith

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Erm, couple of questions.

Aren't brine shrimp strictly filter feeders?

And since they have no legs and strictly swim around, how can they scurry?

Are you sure it's brine shrimp? Sounds like you may have something else going on.

--Colin
 
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Anonymous

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Colin Smith

I believe that Brine Shrimp mostly feed on different kinds of algae. I don't believe that they are filter feeders. Perhaps some algae strips might draw them away from the polyps.
 

danmhippo

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I still doubt he is seeing brine shrimps. More likely amphipods. But obviously, his tank is lacking a dominant predator.

What fish do you have in the tank?
 

liquid

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My guess is that it isn't adult brine considering they're filter feeders. If it is brine and they're multiplying like crazy then I'd like to see how it's done b/c it's a major PITA to grow them out to adulthood and keep them alive long term. My guess is some sort of amphipod. Or did you add a couple baby camel shrimp? They'll go after coral.

Shane
 

Chucker

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What I think this really boils down to, is that barring a better description of the critter in question or a photograph, brine are innocent.
 

oranje

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after vigorous sprayings of that area of my polyps yesterday, there are only a few who have taken residence in that area.

as for what they actually are, unless my LFS is selling other creatures as brine shrimp, they're most certainly brine shrimp.

the only fish in the tank are 2 clowns(amphiprion ocellaris), a striped damselfish(dascyllus melanurus), and a redfin flasher wrasse(paracheilinus carpenteri). the damsel is a little bastard, the other three are mighty chill... but none of them seem to notice the shrimpies if they're on the rocks. if they're adrift in the water, they disappear in seconds.

methinks i'll take a quick trip to the lfs and see if they have any cardinals in stock. although i'm a bit weary of this, as ive had less than good success with cardinals in the past.
 

MFisher

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Whoa, Tiger.

They DEFINITELY AREN'T brine shrimp. They won't last trust me. Now don't go out and buy a card (especially if you can't seem to keep 'em) or any other fish for that matter. If they are something that is generally edible your other fish would have mowed them down already.

Without a picture I can only imagine what they might be. Brine shrimp are on a long list of things that don't eat coral.
 

liquid

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Gotta love Google's image search function.
icon_biggrin.gif


This is brine shrimp (aka Artemia):

artemia.jpg


artemia.jpg


Artemia.jpg


ARTEML.jpg


i_artem1.gif


If this is not what your "brine shrimp" look like then your LFS is most CERTAINLY not selling brine shrimp. Look at one carefully under a magnfying glass.

Brine are filter feeders and NOT coral feeders. You've got something else I believe.

Shane
 

danmhippo

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How did you came to the conclusion that they are "eating away at the tops of the wee little ones"?

Maybe what you are observing is in fact the button polyps has captured the creature, whatever it is. BTW, my polyps loves occasional enriched artemia feast!
 

oranje

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i concluded they are eating the polyps as they sit on the edge of the buttons, and create holes in them, which slowly turn white. maybe 5 or so little buttons are almost completely white at this point.

and yes, ive decided these arent brine shrimp. i picked up some brineys from the lfs for my other tank, and theyre similar... but not the same. these guys are all white, but certainly very shrimp-like in appearance.

could it be a swarm of young peppermints? or, if my lfs labeled camelshrimp as peppermints, a swarm of blasted camelshrimp?
 

SPC

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Agent, I was looking at your web site and noticed this was the way you described yourself:
hi. im mike. im essentially pure evil. like, if you took satan, and threw him in a blender, and then dehydrated the satan goo, added nicotine to it, and sold it to school children... thats an insignificant amount of evil as compared to i. hoo haa haa. my page is dark and spooky, does it no reflect the evil?

I think this would be a better discussion than brine shrimp
icon_wink.gif
.
Steve
 

Ben1

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MAybe your evil turned the brine shrimp into hells spawn that eat your corals first, then move on to the fish, then EAT their evil owner!
 

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