A Warning About Blood Red Fire Shrimp

LobsterOfJustice

LobsterOfJustice

Recovering Detritophobe
I have had a pair of blood red fire shrimp in my tank for a few months now. I was told they were very shy and cryptic and would hardly ever be seen.

The night I introduced the pair my cleaner shrimp disappeared. I then ordered a pair of cleaners, but the fire shrimp were so aggressive and territorial the cleaner shrimp were exhiled to the top of the tank in the corner made by the overflow... the cleaner shrimp never left this place. A week ago I came home to find my blood reds eating a cleaner shrimp. Today I noticed my last of three cleaners is missing.

I have also observed one of these shrimp reach in through my goby's gills to pull food out of it's mouth. These shrimp chase my gobies and mandarin away from "their areas" and are extremely aggressive towards my smaller fish... I'm not worried they would go as far as killing my gobies but I have noticed ripped fins.

I just want my experience to get out there. I had always heard they were shy and peaceful, but my experience has been the opposite. Despite their aggression I still like them. They approach me when i put my hand in the tank and check out everything I am doing. They always have to clean anything I put into the tank (including superglue on frags... that was pretty funny). I have observed them doing cleaning behavior with the fish but they seem a little rough with the smaller fish.
 
I've had a Blood Shrimp for the past year or more. And I almost never see it. If I look at night, angling my head just right to see past some rockwork and aim the flashlight at just the perfect spot, I might see its antennae and a bit of its body. :rolleyes:

It hasn't bothered any Peppermint, Skunk Cleaner, or Harlequin shrimp.

It cleans the gills of my Copperband butterfly fish, much to my shock. It stretches them out so far you'd think it would hurt, but the CBB keeps going back for more.

As always, YMMV. ;)
 
What does ymmv mean?

I was wondering if my experience may be because i have a pair... perhaps they feel more confident. However, they do not hang out together as a pair, each one has it's own side of the tank.
 
I have three and have had the same three for a couple of years. They never went after any of my other shrimp(three peppermints and three skunk cleaners).

Do remember that all shrimp are scavengers. so if something dies they will jump on it to eat it.

The only shrimp I have really seen agressive tendancies are coral banded.
 
Your Mileage May Vary?

My old fire shrimp was ALWAYS out.. He would always climb over my hand and come out onto the rock when I walked by the tank.
 
I never had a problem with the 2 I had. I also had 2 skunks, 3 peps, and a pistol. They really never went at each other unless food was getting handed out. Everyone just learned to wait for their round.
 
I have two housed with a cleaner, several sexies, an anemone and Pettersons :D They all seem to get along, and have been for 2 years now. I've kept fire shrimp for years, your expirience is a new one on me.
 
I have 1 fire and one cleaner, they'll sometimes tagteam my coral beauty given the chance. I've never seen them fight, and during the day they sit mere inches apart and never seem to even acknowledge eachother.
 
I put a fire shrimp in last Saturday and have not seen him since! I think he molted on the first night since I saw a shed head and antennae as well as a piece of shed body (question - when these shrimp shed thier main body is it kinda pink and shows the the white spots?)

How the hell do I draw him out to make sure it is still alive? Is it normal to not be able to find them?
 
They usually molt when introdused to a new enviroment, Put some food in there close to them and they will come to eat. Eventually they become less shy. Myne comes out when he sees me now.
As far as attacking other shrimp species sounds unlikely to me, i have cleaners and peppermint, never had a problem. Sure you dont have a mantis in there?
 
I've had mine since over 2 years now and i rarely see him out. never attacked any of my other shrimps but yes he is a bit protective of his territory. rarely comes out when lights are on. somtimes at night i would find him out. also he does come out when i'm feeding the tank.
 
I hear you about the aggressive CBS. Mine was no problem when she was small, but now she's full grown and a total B____. Also almost impossible to catch. If I wasn't too lazy to tear my tank down again she would be out of the tank and headed to a meeting with Mr. Sledgehammer (JK- I don't throw away easy store credit like that.)
 
Well i had a skunk along with two Peppermint Shrimp. One day i picked up another skunk and a fire. Long story short, the smaller newly added skunk lasted a couple of days and havent seen my peppermint shrimp since. My fire shrimp is Always out, and does clean my tang a lot. The two shrimps are close in size and they dont fight, only during feeding, and its over food not really with each other. I really like the fire, just wish he didnt kill my other shrimp.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7556780#post7556780 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
I've had a Blood Shrimp for the past year or more. And I almost never see it. If I look at night, angling my head just right to see past some rockwork and aim the flashlight at just the perfect spot, I might see its antennae and a bit of its body. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
LOL :lol: Maybe you could post some pics :D I had the same experience - won't be shelling out cash again for another of those beauties!
 
My two blood red fire shrimp are always out together. They are aggresive just like the first guy reported and bug my rose red anemone so badly when I feed him that I've given up feeding him. No other shrimps though, so I don't know about predatory nature, but they certainly aren't shy or hiding in the rocks.
 
New to all this, but started with a pair of these guys because of striking colours. One is slightly larger and quite aggressive. The smaller has taken to hiding by the filters until feeding time, and it looks like he has lost the tip of one leg (not sure if the big one is responsible, but...)

Actually a bit concerned aabout the missing leg as it has discoloured a bit at the stump. Anyone know anything about shrimp healing?
 
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