Recently I added a nice size peppermint shrimp, he went into a cave and I didnt
see him for a few days. He would slightly peak his head out at feeding time. But
that was it. Then I added a disc coral and the min it was in the tank, the pepp
came out and got on it. Then he back away back into his cave. Then a day later I
started to noticed my disc coral looked like it had part of it missing? Then last night
when the moonlights were on, I seen the Pepp out attacking one of my
mushrooms. The mushroom was curled inward with the center out and waving in
the water. Im new with mushrooms and this is the first time Ive seen this. The
shrimp backed off and went back into his cave. The mushroom retracted back to
normal and looked very stressed.
I then starting thinking he was not a peppermint but a Dancing Shrimp, known to
eat soft corals. Then this evening a nass snail came out of the sand and was going
by his cave..The shrimp came out and attacked the snail. He tried to pull it into the
cave..but the snail got away. Ive never seen this before! Im thinking thats one
P***off shrimp.
I finally caught him and removed him from the tank. I was able to get a good look
at him. Robert Fenners book has a pic of both side by side. The dancing shrimp has
white lines along his body and a defined beak. But still looks very much like a
Peppermint. Im still convinced this is a Peppermint. Robert Fenners website
wetwebmedia.com says that rarely a peppermint will come along that will also
feed on soft corals.
Im not sure what to do with him.. I have him in a holding container for the
moment.