peppermint shrimp and rbta!!!

[kevin21]

hey,
i need some quick feedback.
i just put in an rbta. it found a good place and settled down but then my pepprmint shrimp ran right over to it and started pulling at the tentacles and wont leave it alone. the rbta has moved to a different spot but still is being attacted by them. i dont see any tentacles flying or anything but are they damaging the rbta?

what should i do?

thanks

 

[sz2121]

I saw one person put a large basket over the anemone, similar to eggcrate but much thinner almost like a plastic produce basket until it became comfortable with its new home. In my tank I would just push the my cleaner away from it till the anemone got accustomed and then soon enough the first time the cleaner tried to mess with it and got stuck it learned its lesson and hasnt come near it since. Just try to keep the shrimp away for a couple days till the anemone can start to better defend itself. But this is just my limited experience.

 

[unimike]

I do have a peppermint and BTA, and the little guy does not bother it and chills in his little cave.

 

[55semireef]

I had a similar experience with my Condy and my Coral Banded Shrimp. But I had my Condy in there before my CB shrimp was in. When the lights off the first day, my CB came right out walking around the Liverock and found the Condy. He started picking at it but got stung a bit and never touched it again.

 

[ficklefins]

I've had two different peppermint shrimps pull and snip off a BTAs tenticles. On the first occasion this behavior stopped after I introduced a maroon clown to the tank. The second time (different shrimp and anemone ) I didn't want to risk it so I took the shrimp back to the store.

 

[55semireef]

Don't maroon dig a lot and become real aggressive ficklefins?

 

[ficklefins]

Yes they can be very territorial. My maroon at that time wasn't a biter, but she liked to smack me with her tail. She would also fan the sand around the base of the anemone. But my favorite thing was her desire to move small rocks and frags I placed near the anemone. She would push the small rock down, pick it up with her mouth and move it away from the anemone. One day I decided to wedge a frag near the anemone. I sure did get a good laugh watching her try and push that rock out of place. I didn't want to stress her too much so I moved it later.

 

[55semireef]

I would be hesitant to get a maroon just bc of all the digging. Do they ever stop?

 

[malate]

When they are comfartable and its clean enough for them then they stop. But if something falls in that area or if it gets "dirty" again they'll shift and move sand again. They're clean freaks!