Peppermint shrimp

[mr_X]

peppermint shrimp are supposed to eat aptasia, so does that mean that they will bother a LTA?

 

[cbrand]

the only bother i have ever noticed between my lta and pep. shrimp is him stealing food from the lta? i have read that that is completely "normal" interaction although in the wild it may starve the lta to death.

 

[SnowManSnow]

If you have a clown in there they will normally keep them off the anemone.. just my experience.

B

 

[Anonymous]

A peppermint shrimp shouldn't bother an LTA, but there's also no guarantee it will eat aptasias either.

 

[Anonymous]

Mine used to pick on Zoas all the time, they did wonders on aptasia.

Shrimp have very short lifespans FWIW.
Try some - they will not bother an LTA forever!

 

[mr_X]

i just didn't want my LTA stressed. he's got enough on his plate living under the same roof as me :twisted:

 

[Anonymous]

Pep shrimp are easy to catch too (if they stress your LTA).

Just stick your arm in the tank, and the shrimp latch on to clean you.
It is kind of creepy of you ask me.

 

[acroman]

A peppermint shrimp shouldn't bother an LTA, but there's also no guarantee it will eat aptasias either.

depends on the species and geographic source. the peppermint shrimp genus was recently changed from 2 poorly described species that sometimes were the same, to 5 or 6 species. recent genetic work has also shown that shrimp from the east coast of florida are genetically different than those from the keys. one of the new species resides only in tube-sponges, which make collecting easier, but that species may not eat aiptasia as well as shrimp from places that aiptasia grows.

 

[Anonymous]

So what you're saying is....there's no guarantee that his peppermint shrimp will eat aiptasias?

 

[mr_X]

ah..actually..the peppermint shrimp hangs out with the anemone. no troubles at all.

 

[sihaya]

A peppermint shrimp shouldn't bother an LTA, but there's also no guarantee it will eat aptasias either.

Ditto. That's why I have about 12 of them. You have to increase your odds if you want to get any that eat aptasia.

 

[shavo]

So the difference of the 5 or 6 variations of the shrimp is that a form of evolution from natural habitat? just curious