Which shrimp and fan snail to choose

[seldin]

I would like to have some information to add to my knowledge base.

My converted 55 gallon reef tank from FOWLR has the following fish:

1 maroon clown
1 black tailed humbug damsel
1 blue damsel ( very tiny)
1 orange spotted shrimp goby
1 cleaner shrimp

and some large turbo snails.

My display tank is setup with a bunch of coral frags both hard and soft.

In the future, I also want add a clam. I will have to be picky, as 1 of my damsels is very small ( less than an inch ).

Can I get a peppermint shrimp or other shrimp that will go with the cleaner shrimp and also a feather duster worm. I want to make sure that the new shrimp and feather duster, will not add to my bio load for nitrates.

I want to also make sure, any new additions, will not touch my corals.

Not looking to make purchase for a while. Just trying to gain more insight.

Thanks much,

 

[Tennyson]

Sure! You may notice though that once your cleaner shrimp gets bigger, it will bully any other smaller shrimp. Peppermints aren't known to pick at feather dusters, and a peppermint should be ok in your tank. And feather dusters and peppermints don't add any nitrates, or as much as fish do, you shouldn't have to worry.

And all shrimp will walk over corals, but not mean to be harmful to it (excluding non reef safe shrimp). By peppermints, coral banded and skunk cleaner and anemone shrimp all walk over my corals and don't harm them at all, except for when my anemone shrimps get hungry and decide to have a midnight snack of xenia.

 

[seldin]

Tennyson,

I have Xenia, so I will not get the anemone shrimp.

Thank you for your feedback.

 

[lancer99]

Hmmm...I have a glass anemone shrimp (Periclimenes brevicarpalis) who hosts in my Xenia. Have never seen him pick at them or observed any damage. The worst that happens is that the Xenia closes for a few seconds when he decides to crawl over the polyps instead of hanging out around the base (where he spends 99% of his time).

-R

 

[Tennyson]

yeah well mine don't host anything, they are urocaridella and swim around all the time. They need to be fed often to avoid them eating my xenia, but when they are well fed they are ok, you could get a different species of anemone shrimp, I wouldn't suggest urocaridella.