Shy pepermint shrimp?

[allendehl]

Hello guys,

First two inhabitants to my tank, a peppermint shrimp and an emerald crab given to me by my LFS as a "Thank you" for me giving them a hitchhiker octopus.

Thing is that the shrimp is super shy, its been 2 days and he is always hidden under the rocks, and not necessarily the live ones. There are a few aptasias I'd like him to pick on but I don't believe he is too excited with the idea.
Is he getting used to the tank first and will come out once he is confi? Will he explore the tank and look for yummy stuff?

Can I feed him something he likes to get it out of his cave?

Thanks!!

 

[MrsReefK]

I have 19 peppermints in my DT, 4 in my lit fuge and 2 in my frag tank. I've never seen a single one in daylight hours except one that my serpent star consumed. (Didn't know they ate shrimp..., apparently mine does).

They come out and feast after lights out. Occasionally during feeding I'll see them at the edge of their "caves" but never fully come out, can only see their silhouette.


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[ReeferNoob4ever]

I have always had very outgoing peps. Once I had one set up a station and eat the ich off my sailfin tang. But usually I will tempt them with food and after a while they will at least hang out in openings in the rocks where I can see them.

 

[allendehl]

I have always had very outgoing peps. Once I had one set up a station and eat the ich off my sailfin tang. But usually I will tempt them with food and after a while they will at least hang out in openings in the rocks where I can see them.

How do you do it?...what kind of food and how you "tempt" them?

 

[ReeferNoob4ever]

I use tongs with freeze dried shrimp sticking out and slowly put it close to the shrimp. Usually they run away the first few times but then after a while they start coming out and then they will just take it right out of the tongs and munch away. It takes patience for sure!

 

[allendehl]

I use tongs with freeze dried shrimp sticking out and slowly put it close to the shrimp. Usually they run away the first few times but then after a while they start coming out and then they will just take it right out of the tongs and munch away. It takes patience for sure!

Aha!!!...wife will love it when I steal the kitchen tongs and her shrimps. I smell a conflicting relationship between them two.

Thank you!...will start training today.

Now, about the aptasias, will him find them himself or can I give him some sort of lead?

 

[mcgyvr]

Don't feed the shrimps if you want them to eat aiptasia..They can/will go after them when they are hungry..
Don't rush them either..
Just let nature happen IMO..

 

[MurphyLong]

When I had peppermint shrimp, they were always hanging upside-down in arches, doing their little "dance."

 

[ReeferNoob4ever]

I agree with Mcgyvr. Let them get hungry and eat your aptasia, then work on feeding them.

 

[MrsReefK]

I agree with Mcgyvr. Let them get hungry and eat your aptasia, then work on feeding them.

+1 mine are making great dents in our aiptasia population. I'm not spot feeding them and wouldn't until its long gone. They're making great headway!


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[allendehl]

+1 mine are making great dents in our aiptasia population. I'm not spot feeding them and wouldn't until its long gone. They're making great headway!


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Do you get to see them doing their work or its just a nigh time shift?

 

[Uncle99]

Yup only see mine occasionally at night, took some time for them to find the aptasia, they do not stray far from their safety so if you only have a few, pick them, just get all of them so they do not spread....nasty little things

 

[Jon0807]

Mine was very shy for a long time. There were times I thought it was dead. When my cleaner shrimp got eaten, I started to see the pep more but would still hide. Then it would come out and start attacking the turkey baster I use to feed the fish.

 

[MrsReefK]

Do you get to see them doing their work or its just a nigh time shift?

Never have seen a single one out! They're doing it late hours in the night.


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