Are all peppermint shrimps the same?

[Len]

I'm admittedly a little lazy to research after an exhausting weekend I plan to buy some Peppermint Shrimps tomorrow to get rid of the few Aiptasia I have. Question is: are all Peppermint Shrimps the same or is there something specific I should be aiming for?

 

[Anonymous]

I have found that peppermints are really hit-or-miss when it comes to Aiptasia. I have been told anecdotally from an unreliable source that it depends on where they are collected (for whatever that is worth ) But I don't know for sure.

 

[Anonymous]

Wow, I can say this to an Admin now:

Try searching this sight

Keith Redfield did an article, or #reef's talk, or had a thread going in the archives or something, just on this subject.

Don't worry, the only reason I remember that far back, is I actually worked for Keith for a spell while he and Bob Mankin shared a warehouse :lol:

 

[Anonymous]

http://www.reefs.org/library/article/ho ... field.html

 

[Len]

I'll search tomorrow ... too tired and lazy today I think a safe plan is to buy an assortment of shrimps from various places. I want these aiptasia gone. They're the last nuisance in my tank except for Valonia which I've always had and can live with.

 

[Anonymous]

We posted at the same time, look at the link provided

 

[Len]

Oh, sweet. Thanks Gresh

 

[Anonymous]

Spawner (RDO member) aka Andy, is an excellent person to talk to about shrimp. PM him with pics or q's, I'm sure he'll help yah out , if he's not busy researching them

 

[Anonymous]

Scientific Name: Lysmata wurdemanni
Family: Crustaceans
Common Names: Peppermint Shrimp
Description:
The Peppermint shrimp is attractively but inconspicuously colored, usually a light pink to red in color. The body has darker small red stripes along its body.

Natural Environment:
Tropical western Atlantic

Care:
Reef Suitability: There are several different types of shrimp sold as "Peppermint" shrimp. The ones illustrated here are the true Lysmata wurdenmanni which are completely reef safe. Other shrimp sold under the same name may not be completely safe in the reef tank. Peppermint shrimp are mostly nocturnal, reclusive, fairly non-descript and their main claim to fame is that they will usually eat the pest anemone Aiptasia. The picture at the bottom shows a Peppermint Shrimp attempting to make a meal out of an dieing clam, but they do not seem to bother healthy clams.

Disposition: Seem to be fairly benign and do not seem to bother the other tank inhabitants (except Aiptasia). They will use their long stiff antennae to ward off curious fish.

Feeding: They spend their night scavenging and will learn to come out during normal feeding times and get their share, but they will always remain fairly wary. They will eat any of the meaty foods offered. Of course, if you have Aiptasia in the tank, you will not want to directly feed them in order to encourage them to eat the pest anemones. The larger shrimp tend to be better predators of Aiptasia than the small ones.

Hardiness: Very hardy. They will frequently breed in the reef tank, but the larvae do not normally survive.

Temperature: Does well within normal reef tank temperature ranges of at least 76-84°F.

Size: Body length of about 2" with antennae that are about the same length.

http://www.reefcorner.com/SpecimenSheet ... shrimp.htm

Not from RDO, but HTH.

 

[Anonymous]

Well there's the Lysmata wundemanni (posted above) also sold as peppermints are Lysmata californica (red rock shrimp) they won't do anything. Not that peppermints are guaranteed either but they're a better bet.

 

[Meloco14]

I have seen an online site selling peppermints but the picture they provided is of camel shrimp. When you purchase be careful to make sure they are peppermints and not camels, which I hear can be problematic in reef tanks.

 

[Anonymous]

I've watched camels catch and eat so many different things, it's truly not funny. I've watched them strip zoa rocks clean, catch neon gobies & eat em, pick acro polyps off, and a bunch of other nasty stuff. Mean critters :twisted: Great food for preditors :lol:

 

[Meloco14]

8O Well there you go. Be sure you aren't mistakenly purchasing camels.

 

[Anonymous]

Len wrote:

They're the last nuisance in my tank except for Valonia

Does this mean that we'll finally be seeing some pictures now?

Louey

 

[Anonymous]

I'm admittedly a little lazy to research after an exhausting weekend I plan to buy some Peppermint Shrimps tomorrow to get rid of the few Aiptasia I have. Question is: are all Peppermint Shrimps the same or is there something specific I should be aiming for?

Yes, hungry ones. :wink:

 

[jschoon]

Let me take this in a slightly different direction if I can. I just got a peppermint shrimp and it (I think) ate my Anemone. We had originally labled it either a curly cue or Aiptasia. Before the shrimp it had 5+ inch long arms. Now they are about an inch long. There are pics in one of my other post. My question here is will the peppermint be ok with a RBTA? I would like to get clowns and host them in a RBTA or something similar.

any thoughts...

 

[Anonymous]

At 5" arm length, IMO it's not a peppermint, but rather a male camel shrimp. IIRC, peppermint arms don't get more then a few inches long. Did it have white pinchers at the end of those long arms?

 

[Anonymous]

I think he meant the anemone had 5" arms before being eaten by the shrimp

 

[Anonymous]

Ah, makes since A PS could definitly eat a curly cue down like that

 

[Len]

I know peoplwe who keep Peppermints with BTAs and larger anemones. I actually think some of these larger anemones could eat the shrimp (carpet anemones would, I'm pretty sure of that).