My Yellow Tang and Peppermint Shrimp

C

Chronotrigger

New member
I bought a Yellow Tang and a peppermint shrimp from Exotic Aquarium 2 days ago.

I know it's a bad idea, but I added them directly to my tank instead of a quarantine tank since I wasn't sure if my quarantine tank was still cycled.

The problem is I haven't seen the peppermint shrimp since then. I have a ton of live rock. THe guy told me he was supposed to eat several small glass anemones I have (aptasia) but they're still there. How do I know if the little guy is still alive?

My tang is swimming around picking at rocks and seems very well adjusted. Problem is whenever I go to feed my fish whether it be pellets, marine cuisine, or some nori, he runs for the rocks and doesn't come out to eat. By the time he does come out again, the food is long gone. I don't want him to starve to death, what should I do?
 
Stand in front of the tank a lot. When he comes out put a little food in. He will get used to you being there and will actually beg once he is programmed.
As for the shrimp. I got one once and it only came out at night.
 
If the tang is picking at rocks hes eating algea so he wont starve but like was said the more he sees you at the tank the less fear will be related with you being there.
 
I'll soak my food in garlic. I take a little tank water and soak the food with vitamins and garlic, then feed it to the fish. They go crazy for it.
 
What they said, and soak your food in a garlic solution. The peppermint may be shy for a while. Ours were MIA for months, but after they finally chilled out they are out pretty regularly.
 
Through another feeding and he is getting more used to me. But still not able to compete with the others yet.

When you soak your food in garlic, do you mean just mashed up garlic?
 
you can get garlic suplement from any fish store that route might be easier than trying to pulverize garlic.
 
I actually just got 3 YT from exotics last weekend and the same thing happened to me the first couple of days. Don't worry too much but its a good idea to put out some sea wood for them and try the garlic route.

The PS also rarely comes out for me unless lights are off.
 
The tang is just getting used to its surroundings it will come around.. For the shrimp depending on the size you could lose sight of those things for months then see it one night. The bigger the get the more bolder they will be. Also if you add more they get bolder with numbers as well.
 
I look for a thin round rock I can roll nori soaked in garlic around. I rubberband it to the rock and toss it is. The Tangs love it. It won't float away and it gives them a more natural grazing experience. I have three tangs, they go thru a sheet of nori a day. they're all very robust.....Someone called them fat the other day!
 
There are a couple different types of 'peppermint' shrimp found in the market, and not all are created equal regarding their ability to eat aiptasia. The Florida varieties seem to have an appetite for those pesky anemones. Peppermints in general are mostly shy during the day and you won't see too much of them until the lights go out and then they are on the prowl. Also, peppermints will get lazy and prefer a free meal to attacking a glass anemone, so if you feed your tank lots of food, there is a good chance that they will not go after your aiptasia. You might want to look into Joe's Juice to manually remove the aiptasia before they get out of control. ;)
 
Thanks everyone for the responses. I'll have to go find that garlic solution this weekend.

I looked up the joe juice, and any of the lfs sell it for sure? (best prices?)

Also, I've had these anemones for a while. They're not even brown like the ones I see in pics. THey're small haven't grown. Is there a chance they can die off on their own?
 
I added a Flame angel awhile back and he would come out at feeding time because the other fish were obviously feeding on something but the flame didn't see anything it recognized as food (pellets) so it didn't eat. Then I put in some frozen foods and it ate some of that. Within 2 more weeks the flame began eating everything.

I think I have 4 peppermint shrimps. I rarely see them. When I do see them I'm surprised how big and dark red they are compared to the pale little guys that went into the tank. They don't seem able to eat the full-size Aptasia (1.5" in diameter) and for those I use injected kalk paste.
 
Aiptasia can probably live through a nuclear attack, and they will spread no doubt. You are better off getting them while they are still small. Be careful not to manually remove or tear them where pieces are able to break off and float away. I am always amazed on how they are able to regenerate and grow a new anemone from the smallest looking fragment.
 
I have sprayed them with boiling water. I boiled water, and with a syringe stuffed the aipstasia's mouth with boiling water. This has worked for me.
 
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