Peppermints MIA

[IslandCrow]

OK, something's taking out my peppermint shrimp while I'm not looking. I first had this happen about a year ago and was never able to explain it, so I tried adding a couple more to my tank a month or two ago, and sure enough, after about a month, they've gone missing. It's possible they're just hiding, but I haven't been able to find them at night either. My other tank inhabitants are a maroon clownfish, a six-line wrasse, a Smith's fanged goby, a black brittle starfish, 2 small bubble tip anemonies (3-4" across), an emerald crab, porcelain crabs, and a host of blue-legged and red-legged hermit crabs. All other inhabitants are herbivores. No other inverts have been dying, but just so no one has to ask, here are my tank parameters:

Ammonia - 0
Nitrites - 0
Nitrates - 0
Phosphates - 0
Calcium - 400-450
Alkalinity - 2.5-3.5
PH - 8.0-8.4 (generally 8.2-8.3)
Salinity - 35ppt
Temp - 78-80

So, any thoughts?

 

[matter1331]

have you tried using a red light at night? This happened in our 215, but after watching for a couple of nights I finally found them. They can be sneaky little guys.

 

[IslandCrow]

Yeah, I use a flashlight with a red lense at least a few times a week at night. I think I enjoy looking at the tank at night almost as much as I do during the daytime. I think it's very unlikely at this point that they're still alive.

 

[matter1331]

how much live rock do you have? If you've got a lot in there you'd be suprised, they can hide pretty well. I agree with you about watching the tank at night, so much cool stuff going on you never get to see during the day.

 

[IslandCrow]

I have quite a bit of live rock, so there's certainly a chance that they're hiding. I've had peppermints disappear on two other occasions, however. That was over a year ago, and I've completely torn down my tank and stood it back up in the interim, so I'm 99.999% sure those guys died, and in turn, it's making me think these have gone the way of the dodo as well.

 

[theeschen]

I have not had good luck with Peppermint Shrimp either. I suspect my Yellow Watchman Goby since he has eaten a hermit crab or two (my wife took a photo, check my gallery.) It is best buds with the Fire Shrimp though so I may be falsely accusing it.