Shrimp death mystery

[Spiffyguy]

dum dum dum dum.......A peppermint shrimp died in a tank full of likely suspects. Witnesses saw the corpse being consumed by memebers of the Bristle Worm gang. At least 30 memebers torn the body pleopod from pleopod....were they the killers? Was it someone else? The peppermint shrimp population wants justice!!


So are bristleworms fast/strong enough to take down a healthy shrimp? I caught the carnage last night. At least 40 worms were destroying the evidence. I can only assume it was the oldest shrimp and perhaps he died of old age and the worms were just cleaning up. I am sure it was not a molt since I have no visual on the 3rd shrimp at feeding time. They never miss feeding.

 

[capncapo]

Absolutely not!

Bristleworms have no way of catching prey. They eat only the dead and dying.

They have no teeth so unless they mobbed the shrimp and it sat there being gummed to death ( maybe the shrimp wanted to commit suicide )..... no chance!

 

[Spiffyguy]

That is what I thought but based on the feeding PILE I saw last night I think I need to buy a 6 line wrasse or something that can snack on them. I have ALOT of them lol. The whole rock was covered.

 

[hagfish]

Why get rid of them? This is exactly why they are useful. If the shrimp was dead under 50 lbs of rock and you had never found him you still wouldn't have much to worry about because the worms would take care of it.

 

[Spiffyguy]

It is just the sheer volume of worms. I have worms on the rock during the day. They are not shy and there is no predators. you can take any inch of the tank, rock or sand, and you are sure to find them lol.

 

[capncapo]

There is only one reason for your population of bristleworms to be thriving ..... they have PLENTY to eat.

If you get rid of them what will eat what they currently are?

 

[Spiffyguy]

yeah I know. I over feed a bit. I have been cutting back though. If only they eat aptasia.

 

[capncapo]

Cutting back on food is all you need to do.

The population is self-regulating. Less food ....fewer bristleworms.

 

[mjpelikan]

If you are looking for a six line, I will have one for sale in about 2 months - if it is still alive after quarenteen!

 

[Dert42]

wow! way to make it sound desireable!

 

[mjpelikan]

hee hee, hey I am just practicing full disclosure... and after QT, and the multiple dips, there should be no problem!

 

[Spiffyguy]

lol I will probably hold off. There is a lot of worms but I don't really have the room for another fish. Curse this small tank. I need a bigger tank...so I can have more worms oh and more aptasia.

 

[DrBDC]

I wish I had some bristle worms still. I had a copperband until it was gang attacked one day by 2 domino damsels but he cleaned out every aip and bristleworm I had.

 

[Spiffyguy]

if you need some I will be more than happy to catch some. pretty much I call and they come out. They are trained well.