Peppermint Shrimp - Personality

Eric55 · 01/13/2007, 08:12 AM

I just added 6 peppermint shrimp to my 30 gallon Nano tank a few days ago. The shrimp have been hanging out mostly in the crevices/caves of the live rock.

Is there anything I can do to encourage them to walk around the tank, either on the sand or walk over the live rock?

I feel bad for the shrimp; they are curious little guys, but they seem afraid to explore the tank. Is this just their personality?

Thanks for any answers!

Eric

xanthid · 01/13/2007, 09:02 AM

I have 6 in my 150 that do the same thing. The only time they come out fully is when I feed. Funny thing is out of 6 feet of tank space, they all stay in one litttle area where I drop in the food.

It makes a nice display when company come over to look at the tank. Drop in some sinking pellets or squid bits and all 6 smell the food and come out immedietly looking for some.

Octoberfest · 01/13/2007, 09:04 AM

if it's natural for them to hide then it'll be pretty tought to break that.

Paintbug · 01/13/2007, 09:44 AM

you may catch them hanging out some at night, but they dont come out much even then.

tktodd · 01/13/2007, 10:11 AM

Yeah, I have one in my new 10 Gallon nano, and he hangs out behind the live rock and only comes out at feeding time and at night.

vessxpress1 · 01/13/2007, 10:22 AM

I have 4 and mine are out all the time, day and night. I've had them for almost a year now. I wish I would have never gotten them. Don't feel bad for them. They will grow up and be a pain for you. I can't add a lettuce nudi because they tear them apart and eat them immediately. It's hard to target feed because they'll climb all over the coral to get to the food and close it up. I fed my candycanes some pieces of silver side the other night. Pretty much had to feed the shrimp first to get them out of the way. Forgot one and it ran over and ripped the piece of silverside out of the candycane's mouth. Another one finished with it's share and then spent 5 minutes ripping a piece away from one of my serpent stars. He finally got it. They are unbelievably strong. Haven't had any aiptasia problems though.

ACBlinky · 01/13/2007, 10:24 AM

I have a group of three that I almost never see. Sometimes I'll catch a glimpse of one if I'm looking at the tank with a flashlight after lights-out, but otherwise you'd never know they were there. They're keeping the Aiptasia problem under control so I'm very glad I got them, but I would like to see them out and about more. I guess they're just shy by nature.

CMcNeil · 01/13/2007, 10:24 AM

they are shy but if you put your hand near them slowly,they will climb on your hand and start cleaning you.

saltman123 · 01/13/2007, 11:47 AM

Get a Cleaner Shrimp. Mine thinks he is the king of my 12 gallon aquapod entertaining always. He will even come up to your hand if you touch the glass.

Awesome shrimp.

beashay · 01/13/2007, 11:53 AM

So thaaats what happened to my lettuce nudibranch poor little guy. Yep I have four in my 55 gallon and they pretty much huddle together in a cave but do come out when its feeding time and I have got a few of them to come up on my hand. They have been in there oh three months and I could see them coming out more when they get use to things. As for the cleaner shrimp yes they are awesome and mine is not shy at all he loves to climb on my hand and pick, he also thinks he is the king shiznit as well. lol

crpeck · 01/14/2007, 01:56 AM

Be careful what you wish for. They can be shy at first, but when you have a group they will turn into a pack of little dogs when they get bigger and more comfortable. My experience was like vessexpress1. I got so sick of their picking on everthing that I finally trapped them all out and gave them to someone with an aptasia problem.

They do put on a good show for company, though. Like xanthid, we used to drop a shrimp pellet in and watch "Peppermint Smackdown" while they would fight over it. I could swear they would even coordinate and use teamwork to steal food from the Banded Coral shrimp. One or two would taunt the BCS and when he'd drop the pellet to chase them, another Pep would come from behind and steal it.

marcusg17 · 01/14/2007, 02:08 AM

I've had pepperments that are out and eating quite frequently and I've had a group of pepperments that I did not see for 2 or 3 months. They seem much more active at night.

Navyblue · 01/14/2007, 07:35 AM

I used to had them and they would annoyingly climb on my arms when I dip my hands in. I think they might be a bit shy at first, but if you keep them long enough they will come out and roam especially at night.

01/13/2007, 08:12 AM	#1
Eric55 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Western Massachusetts Posts: 490	Peppermint Shrimp - Personality I just added 6 peppermint shrimp to my 30 gallon Nano tank a few days ago. The shrimp have been hanging out mostly in the crevices/caves of the live rock. Is there anything I can do to encourage them to walk around the tank, either on the sand or walk over the live rock? I feel bad for the shrimp; they are curious little guys, but they seem afraid to explore the tank. Is this just their personality? Thanks for any answers! Eric

01/13/2007, 09:04 AM	#3
Octoberfest Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: NC Posts: 1,350	if it's natural for them to hide then it'll be pretty tought to break that. __________________ 29 gallon bio-cube with 150w metal halide sunpod fixture, stock 14 gallon bio-cube

01/13/2007, 09:44 AM	#4
Paintbug Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Stoneville, NC Posts: 6,169	you may catch them hanging out some at night, but they dont come out much even then. __________________ Never ask a girl over to see your crabs!! <-Tony-> Current Tank Info: NONE currently

01/13/2007, 10:24 AM	#7
ACBlinky Premium Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Peterborough, ON, Canada Posts: 4,954 Blog Entries: 20	I have a group of three that I almost never see. Sometimes I'll catch a glimpse of one if I'm looking at the tank with a flashlight after lights-out, but otherwise you'd never know they were there. They're keeping the Aiptasia problem under control so I'm very glad I got them, but I would like to see them out and about more. I guess they're just shy by nature. __________________ "The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea." - Isak Dinesen Current Tank Info: 150g mixed reef, 30g sump/refugium, LED lighting, 100lbs LR, coral beauty, flame angel, blue & yellow tangs, gobies, damsels, 6-line wrasse, lawnmower blenny, dottyback, clown pair, rabbitfish, shrimp, crabs, CUC.

01/13/2007, 11:47 AM	#9
saltman123 Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: CT Posts: 1,048	Get a Cleaner Shrimp. Mine thinks he is the king of my 12 gallon aquapod entertaining always. He will even come up to your hand if you touch the glass. Awesome shrimp. __________________ 12 Gallon Aquapod. 4 Gallon Pico-Coming Soon Current Tank Info: 12 Gallon Aquapod

01/13/2007, 09:02 AM	#2
xanthid Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Louisiana Posts: 42	I have 6 in my 150 that do the same thing. The only time they come out fully is when I feed. Funny thing is out of 6 feet of tank space, they all stay in one litttle area where I drop in the food. It makes a nice display when company come over to look at the tank. Drop in some sinking pellets or squid bits and all 6 smell the food and come out immedietly looking for some.

01/13/2007, 10:11 AM	#5
tktodd Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Maryland Posts: 216	Yeah, I have one in my new 10 Gallon nano, and he hangs out behind the live rock and only comes out at feeding time and at night.

01/13/2007, 10:22 AM	#6
vessxpress1 Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: NW IL Posts: 1,603	I have 4 and mine are out all the time, day and night. I've had them for almost a year now. I wish I would have never gotten them. Don't feel bad for them. They will grow up and be a pain for you. I can't add a lettuce nudi because they tear them apart and eat them immediately. It's hard to target feed because they'll climb all over the coral to get to the food and close it up. I fed my candycanes some pieces of silver side the other night. Pretty much had to feed the shrimp first to get them out of the way. Forgot one and it ran over and ripped the piece of silverside out of the candycane's mouth. Another one finished with it's share and then spent 5 minutes ripping a piece away from one of my serpent stars. He finally got it. They are unbelievably strong. Haven't had any aiptasia problems though.

01/13/2007, 10:24 AM	#8
CMcNeil Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: St.Petersburg,Florida Posts: 7,368	they are shy but if you put your hand near them slowly,they will climb on your hand and start cleaning you.

01/13/2007, 11:53 AM	#10
beashay Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Arkansas Posts: 81	So thaaats what happened to my lettuce nudibranch poor little guy. Yep I have four in my 55 gallon and they pretty much huddle together in a cave but do come out when its feeding time and I have got a few of them to come up on my hand. They have been in there oh three months and I could see them coming out more when they get use to things. As for the cleaner shrimp yes they are awesome and mine is not shy at all he loves to climb on my hand and pick, he also thinks he is the king shiznit as well. lol

01/14/2007, 01:56 AM	#11
crpeck Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Clovis, CA Posts: 1,729	Be careful what you wish for. They can be shy at first, but when you have a group they will turn into a pack of little dogs when they get bigger and more comfortable. My experience was like vessexpress1. I got so sick of their picking on everthing that I finally trapped them all out and gave them to someone with an aptasia problem. They do put on a good show for company, though. Like xanthid, we used to drop a shrimp pellet in and watch "Peppermint Smackdown" while they would fight over it. I could swear they would even coordinate and use teamwork to steal food from the Banded Coral shrimp. One or two would taunt the BCS and when he'd drop the pellet to chase them, another Pep would come from behind and steal it. __________________ Cathy Current Tank Info: IM Fusion 40/AI Hydra 26

01/14/2007, 02:08 AM	#12
marcusg17 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: cheyenne Posts: 55	I've had pepperments that are out and eating quite frequently and I've had a group of pepperments that I did not see for 2 or 3 months. They seem much more active at night.

01/14/2007, 07:35 AM	#13
Navyblue Low maintenance first Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 2,790	I used to had them and they would annoyingly climb on my arms when I dip my hands in. I think they might be a bit shy at first, but if you keep them long enough they will come out and roam especially at night.