Shrimp with a BTA

[myram]

I picked up a BTA today and after it was in the tank for about 30 minutes, a couple of my Peppermint Shrimp thought it was feeding time on the BTA. So I trapped them and are going to see if the LFS will take them back for credit. I have since read of many others having the same issue with them.

So, my LFS has a nice Fire Shrimp...............does anyone know if those will do the same thing, or are they truly reef safe? I'd take the Fire Shrimp tomorrow since it's much more colorful and if it will leave the BTA alone.

Thanks,

Steve

 

[Toddrtrex]

Out of the common shrimps, the only ones I have ever had issues with are peppermints, cleaners and fires have been fine for me.

 

[Rippinfrags]

My fire shrimp and cleaner shrimp have bothered my previous bta and my current h. Malu. I have considered getting rid of the shrimp, but they have not done any real damage. My shrimp like to whip there tentacles at the anemone, which causes it to partially deflate. They will also steal food from the anemone, but now I always hand feed the shrimp before I feed my anemone. IMO, I would not keep a fire shrimp or a cleaner shrimp with an anemone, too much work.

 

[Aaarrrggg]

Had a fire and a cleaner with 3 BTAs in a 55g; never caused any problems for me.

 

[myram]

I had 3 Peps in the tank, made the bottle trap and caught 2 within 5 minutes. The 3rd one is a smartass and gets right to the neck of the bottle, then goes back into the rock. He's not bothering with the BTA at all, so it must have been the other 2 I caught that were doing it. I left the trap in the tank all night, and nothing this morning.

So, I'll take the 2 back to the LFS today and see what they'll do for me.

Anyone need some Trigger food??

Steve

 

[royvoss]

i have two blood shrimps, two skunk cleaners, a few pepermints, none have ever bothered with my rbta.

 

[brian762]

Never had an issue with my fire. As stated above my cleaner will jump on my BTA and steal food.

 

[milspec]

I tell people that all the time. They don't believe me because the books say they are reef safe. They think I am confusing camel shrimp with pepps. I have been doing this long enough to know the difference. I have seen them picking on open brain corals a few times in other tanks as well as anemones. I would never put them in a reef tank.

Why would anyone think that a shrimp that will eat anemones that you don't want in your tank will not eat anemones you do want?

I have seen them ripping at tentacles of a Seabay Anemone in my own tank years ago when I didn't know better.
They are NOT reef safe...

If you think they are, just watch at night with a red flashlight for a while.:eek2:

I have seen some people say Fire Shrimp will pick on corals, mostly zoos... But I have never seen them do it. You may want to research it more.
I have never had a problem with cleaner shrimp if you are looking for a Reef Safe shrimp.