Peppermint Shrimp

[NWBRADSHAW]

I just purchased 2 of these for my 55 galon fowlr. They immediately disappeared into the live rock.

Could I have 3 or 4 of these? The 2 already purchased are each under 3/4 of an inch long.

Any special care that I should be aware of?

 

[Tennyson]

You can have 3-4, and there isn't much special care for them, but if you have alot of fish in the tank, you should add a little extra food so they can eat and scavange.

 

[agentgreen]

I just bought 4 of these guys for my 30G tank yesterday, and like yours, they immediately disappeared into my rockwork.

My LFS didn't even balk at 4 for my tank, so I think in your 55G you could run 4 as well.

 

[CorkPullerPHL]

Just to warn you. . .. I've read that there are many different types of Shrimp labeled as Peppermint Shrimp.

Mine has no fear. He spends much of the day hanging out at the front door to his rock. He eats my other inverts like crazy. 5 Cerith Snails, 1 Nassarius, 1 Margarita and 1 Blue legged Hermit crab. ..the first 2 weeks he was in my 28 gallon. There is now a graveyard of shells in front of his house.

At least the rest of my Blue Legs have gotten to upgrade their home as a result of all this carnage.

So just a heads up, these guys can be ill tempered, with mean appetites.

 

[jbc123]

That doesn't sound like a peppermint shrimp at all.

Mine is completely reclusive. He won't even come out at night if the blue lunar LEDs are on. But he has only been in a week so I am hoping he will adjust. I kinda want another though, at least that way they will mate and feed my tank larva.

 

[rade8em]

Be careful
My Peppermint shrimp I swear rose up from the bowels of Hell.
He attacks my snails and button polyps.
He is very fearless and I removed him and put him in a less populated tank he seems happy in his own domain.

 

[Tennyson]

I agree rade8em is right. My freakin peppermint shrimpS attacked all new corals and slow/filter feeding inverts.

They've attacked so far my newly introduced:
-$100 frogspawn
-Coco worm
-sea hare

there was another coral but i forgot.

 

[gpd124]

The two of mine have been model citizens. Generally they don't come out into the open unless the tank is dark. Usually you can catch a glimpse of them hovering near an opening.

 

[dadonoflaw]

you guys may have camel shrimp not peppermints. they look alike except the camel shrimp has a hump. look closely.

 

[HappySkittles]

pep shrimp can attack polyps too
like zoas
they eat aptasia and like to eat similar things
i think skunk cleaner shrimp are prettier, more active, and highly amusing

and
at least to me
peps and camels look VERY different

 

[Tennyson]

yeah! (what happyskittles said) they barely look anything alike.

But anyway, Skunk cleaners are much nicer and a smarter choice in my opinion unless you rely on them to rid of your aptaisia.
But I must say, its been about 5 months since my pair died, and I kind of miss them even though they mutilated my corals.

 

[PARADISE1]

I have two peppermints- very friendly and very hard workers. When they see a HC (big or small) ... they go in the other direction or retreat to their cave.

They are beautiful and very funny to watch. When I feed the fish, they will hurry and gather the food that floats near the entrance and take it back to their cave. When they catch me looking at them... they will back up or rock back and forth upside down.

Nice addition to the tank!

 

[flipcyd]

I had 7 peppermints in my 60 cube. They were all peaceful, never bothered anything. I could stick my hand in the tank and they could even clean me.

 

[ROB2005]

The peppermints I have in my tank spawn once every month or so. The fish, even if sleeping will wake to dine on this smorgasboard of baby shrimp.

They usually dont bother my inverts or fish mates, but will steal food from my serpent stars

 

[TheMick75]

I've got two peps, had them for about 2 or so months. The first month they hid and would only come out in the dark, and wouldn't venture very far. Now they're out and about most of the time, traveling all over the tank. They're not very aggressive with any of their tank mates, in fact they're pretty aloof and pay no attention to them at all (hermits, snails, emerald crab, feather dusters). The only time i've even seen them pay any attention to another critter was when i fed my emerald crab a piece of krill...one of the pepps tried to steal it from him (unsuccessfully).

 

[LauraCline]

I have an army (12-18) in one of my 90's and they hang out in small groups all over the place. When I only had 1 or 2, the only time I saw them was with a flashlight at night. Mine have eaten every scrap of aiptasia in the tank but they've also killed a sand-sifting star, xenia, and some anthelia. They've never bothered anything else.