Peppermint shrimp, which is which or what's wrong

[twiggyb]

I have two peppermint shrimp and one has a black tail and a little black on the body, I know they are hermaphrodites, but I was wondering if one becomes male and female and if color had to do with it or is something wrong with it. It didn't have that dark tail when I bought it. They both seem to be doing fine and eating well. Just curious

 

[Jersey Bounce]

I can't respond to the color differences between the two, but peppermint shrimp are simultaneously both sexes--they're not assigned one or the other biological sex. Therefore, any peppermint shrimp can be a male and a female at the same time, and they can all be carrying eggs/larvae.

(so I don't think that would account for any color differentiation, as I have never seen such on a peppermint shrimp, which would lead me to question whether or not the one with black markings was actually a peppermint shrimp.)

 

[twiggyb]

What would it be then? I know of another shrimp that is mistaken for this species but the markings don't match like that one either. I bought them originally to clean up the half dozen aptasia I could see poppin up and yet did the job quite well and cleared it in a few days

 

[Jersey Bounce]

What would it be then? I know of another shrimp that is mistaken for this species but the markings don't match like that one either. I bought them originally to clean up the half dozen aptasia I could see poppin up and yet did the job quite well and cleared it in a few days

Honestly I have no idea but a decent picture would help in trying to identify it. I'm not familiar with any shrimp other than peps, camels & 'cleaner shrimp.'

 

[twiggyb]

I'll try and snap a pic but how do I post it up here lol.

 

[650-IS350]

google Lysmate wurdemani ( true peppermint shrimp ) hopefully you didn't get a CAMEL SHRIMP.

 

[BeanMachine]

Someone was kind enough to post this link so I will pass it along to you.

http://www.reefcentral.com/wp/?p=411

That should eliminate any confusion you may have.

 

[twiggyb]

google Lysmate wurdemani ( true peppermint shrimp ) hopefully you didn't get a CAMEL SHRIMP.

It's definitly not a camel shrimp. I made ure of that before I went out and purchased them because I wanted to make sure they were gonna eat the aptasia

 

[BeanMachine]

There are two types of Peppermint shrimp if you read the article I posted for you.

Lysmata Widmani (something like that) and Lysmata Californica.

You want Lysmata W for the aiptasia and the most distinguishing feature to tell between the two is the red belt just behind the thorax. They give you an example.

If yours don't have a dark red belt there, you don't have the right type.

 

[twiggyb]

took some pics when I got home tonight and he has the belt behind the thorax. It doesn't seem to be ill or anything, it just has a darkened tail that looks black. I'm gonna try to create a photobucket account so I can post the pics.

 

[twiggyb]

not the right pic, look below

 

[twiggyb]

 

[twiggyb]

my bad, new to the photobucket thing, but this is what heshe looks like, just has a black tail, but the other one doesn't

 

[twiggyb]

 

[twiggyb]

 

[bryan007]

Peppermint shrimp or not

Peppermint shrimp or not

Mine have the same black tail as well but didn't when I bought them. Have three and all doing fine.

Bryan

 

[twiggyb]

How long have you had them in your tank? Mine are fine as well I'm just curious as to why it did this?

 

[arcprolife]

All three of mine have red tails but I have noticed they all eat aptasia. I remember reading somewhere only the true peps will eat aptasia so if both of yours did that may be confirmation.

 

[twiggyb]

Yes they did eat the aptasia, I'm not questioning the species not being peppermint shrimp, I just wanted to know why the tail was red when I bought it and turned black after a while. Stress perhaps? I don't have an answer on why, I may never get one, but as long as the little heshe is doing fine it's all good. Just curious, it gives himher personality lol

 

[homeagain]

I have a peppermint shrimp got it as a hitch hiker but I don't see it much it stays in rock under one of my sebaes is that normal for them to stay hidden like that .I thought it died until I have to move my tank and that is when I found it in the big rock under the sebae