Peppermint shrimp ate my new Hammer coral... - Page 2

Maverick2009 · 12/17/2009, 10:23 PM

Ive seen them eat through the heads of Seahorses.

jombolo · 05/07/2014, 07:34 AM

i realize this is a pretty old thread....

I added 2 peppermint shrimp to my tank recently and noticed they would both pick at my hammer, torch and bubble tip...didn't really think anything of it, thought they corals would sting them and they would leave them alone. Then i noticed some tentacles missing from my GSP and some really aggressive behavior towards my hammer. Long story short, my gsp frag is dead and my hammer is on its last leg...retracted, i believe due to constant picking from my peppermints. I took them out and gave them to my friend who has aiptasia. Was wondering if people continue to have similar problems with peppermints.

bfin3 · 05/07/2014, 09:22 AM

I had some a couple months back that tore the for our of my clam and killed it. They picked at soft corals too but never did much damage. Luckily I sold them.

MythicalReef · 05/07/2014, 02:49 PM

Peppermint shrimp eat corals. PERIOD. As a new and aspiring Aquarist a few years back my very first livestock purchase was 2 peps (NOT a camel). Did much research because I wanted a reef and read that peps were "reef safe". Well, they are NOT "reef safe".

About 5 months later I decided to buy my first coral. A small green bubble. Was very proud of it. Went to like 5 lfs' to find him that day. Got it home, acclimated him, dipped him... and into the display he went. ....

The next morning I arose to the pure and abject horror that my precious new bubble was damn near picked --->CLEAN<---- son. I could see the tissue of the bubble still undigested in their overstuffed gullet.

Never again. I detest peppermint shrimp.

mcozad829 · 05/07/2014, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MythicalReef

Peppermint shrimp eat corals. PERIOD. As a new and aspiring Aquarist a few years back my very first livestock purchase was 2 peps (NOT a camel). Did much research because I wanted a reef and read that peps were "reef safe". Well, they are NOT "reef safe".

About 5 months later I decided to buy my first coral. A small green bubble. Was very proud of it. Went to like 5 lfs' to find him that day. Got it home, acclimated him, dipped him... and into the display he went. ....

The next morning I arose to the pure and abject horror that my precious new bubble was damn near picked --->CLEAN<---- son. I could see the tissue of the bubble still undigested in their overstuffed gullet.

Never again. I detest peppermint shrimp.

Amen. Had a frogspawn get attacked by one a month ago. Spread the word peppermint shrimp are reef possible not reef safe

NCsReef · 05/18/2014, 07:14 PM

Just got a nice 6" RBTA that finally decided to move to a higher position in my 90. Just caught one of my two peppermints battering and pulling strings of white out from inside the retracted anenome. A friend suggested the shrimp could be after food, but I'm wondering if anyone has lost an anenome to a peppermint? These peppermints are huge - at least 6 inches. I'm worried they've outgrown my 90g reef.

jombolo · 05/18/2014, 08:05 PM

I noticed my peppermints would pick at my bta as well. At first I thought the same the ng about the food. But after they destroyed my hammer, I changed my mind.

jombolo · 05/18/2014, 08:11 PM

Although I guess it might depend on how your bta reacts? Does it close up or is it unphased?

NCsReef · 05/18/2014, 09:11 PM

The RBTA was closed up while the peppermint was on top of it. I chased the shimp away, and it has slowly started to reopen. I can't guard my anenome 24/7 though so I'm really not sure if the peppermints can stay.
I did recently decrease my feedings to combat some red algae, so wondering if it's possible the peppermint decided to attack without the previous overfeeding?

sciencemike · 12/22/2014, 01:36 PM

I know this is an old thread but I figured I would add my 02c.

My peppermint, (full of eggs) went to town on a new rock full of soft corals that I added to my tank. She would tear at them until they would spit up their intestines which would stick to her claws. She would act like it hurt, then run away. Coming back as soon as the goo was cleaned off her pincers. Then start tearing them apart! I tore my tank apart to get her and her 3 friends out of the tank.

I have a 30g Nuvo 3 weeks old.

jombolo · 12/22/2014, 04:49 PM

Yeah, I got rid of my peppermints and now have a skunk cleaner shrimp and have had no problems. Oddly enough, my friend JUST sent me a text, his 3 camel shrimp tore up his hammer, I think they are a bit more questionable than peppermints but they are both a hazard. Strangest thing, I left the dead hammer skeleton in the back of my tank and a few weeks ago I noticed about 10 new hammers growing off the dead skeleton. So if yours dies, leave the skeleton in the back of your tank, you might get lucky

raybyrne67 · 12/22/2014, 06:45 PM

Stick with cleaner shrimp. Never had a problem.

jombolo · 12/22/2014, 07:35 PM

Ditto Ray. I said camel shrimp, but my friend did have peppermints that attacked his frog spawn pretty hard

DaveRaz · 12/22/2014, 07:39 PM

My twin peppermint shrimp have been banished to the sump for eating coral. One was sucked into the protein skimmer intake. Little bastard deserved it. Lol

Fury165 · 12/22/2014, 08:30 PM

I had pepermints go after my Ultra Rock flower Anemones. At first I thought they were going after detritus around the RFA until I actually saw them in the act. I banished them to the frag tank and won't be putting these in any of my tanks in the future.

05/18/2014, 08:05 PM	#32
jombolo Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 69	I noticed my peppermints would pick at my bta as well. At first I thought the same the ng about the food. But after they destroyed my hammer, I changed my mind. __________________ 34g Rimless Deep Blue, 15g sump, reef octopus classic 110, smart ato, Rio + 2500 (872gph), percula pair, orchid dottyback, tail spot blenny, emarld, 18 hermits, 5 snails, hitchhiker purple sea urchin,

05/18/2014, 08:11 PM	#33
jombolo Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 69	Although I guess it might depend on how your bta reacts? Does it close up or is it unphased? __________________ 34g Rimless Deep Blue, 15g sump, reef octopus classic 110, smart ato, Rio + 2500 (872gph), percula pair, orchid dottyback, tail spot blenny, emarld, 18 hermits, 5 snails, hitchhiker purple sea urchin,

12/22/2014, 04:49 PM	#36
jombolo Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 69	Yeah, I got rid of my peppermints and now have a skunk cleaner shrimp and have had no problems. Oddly enough, my friend JUST sent me a text, his 3 camel shrimp tore up his hammer, I think they are a bit more questionable than peppermints but they are both a hazard. Strangest thing, I left the dead hammer skeleton in the back of my tank and a few weeks ago I noticed about 10 new hammers growing off the dead skeleton. So if yours dies, leave the skeleton in the back of your tank, you might get lucky __________________ 34g Rimless Deep Blue, 15g sump, reef octopus classic 110, smart ato, Rio + 2500 (872gph), percula pair, orchid dottyback, tail spot blenny, emarld, 18 hermits, 5 snails, hitchhiker purple sea urchin,

12/22/2014, 06:45 PM	#37
raybyrne67 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Albuquerque Posts: 353	Stick with cleaner shrimp. Never had a problem. __________________ Ray, Current Tank Info: 75G, Salinity 1.025, Temp 80.5, Ca 430, Alk 9, Mg 1260, mixed reef, Radion XR30w Gen 2 x2, MP10w ES x2,Vertex 130, Eheim 1260 return, Apex, Tunze ATO

12/22/2014, 07:35 PM	#38
jombolo Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 69	Ditto Ray. I said camel shrimp, but my friend did have peppermints that attacked his frog spawn pretty hard __________________ 34g Rimless Deep Blue, 15g sump, reef octopus classic 110, smart ato, Rio + 2500 (872gph), percula pair, orchid dottyback, tail spot blenny, emarld, 18 hermits, 5 snails, hitchhiker purple sea urchin,

12/17/2009, 10:23 PM	#26
Maverick2009 Moved On Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 427	Ive seen them eat through the heads of Seahorses.

05/07/2014, 07:34 AM	#27
jombolo Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 69	i realize this is a pretty old thread.... I added 2 peppermint shrimp to my tank recently and noticed they would both pick at my hammer, torch and bubble tip...didn't really think anything of it, thought they corals would sting them and they would leave them alone. Then i noticed some tentacles missing from my GSP and some really aggressive behavior towards my hammer. Long story short, my gsp frag is dead and my hammer is on its last leg...retracted, i believe due to constant picking from my peppermints. I took them out and gave them to my friend who has aiptasia. Was wondering if people continue to have similar problems with peppermints.

05/07/2014, 09:22 AM	#28
bfin3 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Bloomington, IL Posts: 417	I had some a couple months back that tore the for our of my clam and killed it. They picked at soft corals too but never did much damage. Luckily I sold them.

05/07/2014, 02:49 PM	#29
MythicalReef Registered Member Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 19	Peppermint shrimp eat corals. PERIOD. As a new and aspiring Aquarist a few years back my very first livestock purchase was 2 peps (NOT a camel). Did much research because I wanted a reef and read that peps were "reef safe". Well, they are NOT "reef safe". About 5 months later I decided to buy my first coral. A small green bubble. Was very proud of it. Went to like 5 lfs' to find him that day. Got it home, acclimated him, dipped him... and into the display he went. .... The next morning I arose to the pure and abject horror that my precious new bubble was damn near picked --->CLEAN<---- son. I could see the tissue of the bubble still undigested in their overstuffed gullet. Never again. I detest peppermint shrimp.

05/18/2014, 07:14 PM	#31
NCsReef Registered Member Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 2	Just got a nice 6" RBTA that finally decided to move to a higher position in my 90. Just caught one of my two peppermints battering and pulling strings of white out from inside the retracted anenome. A friend suggested the shrimp could be after food, but I'm wondering if anyone has lost an anenome to a peppermint? These peppermints are huge - at least 6 inches. I'm worried they've outgrown my 90g reef.

05/18/2014, 09:11 PM	#34
NCsReef Registered Member Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 2	The RBTA was closed up while the peppermint was on top of it. I chased the shimp away, and it has slowly started to reopen. I can't guard my anenome 24/7 though so I'm really not sure if the peppermints can stay. I did recently decrease my feedings to combat some red algae, so wondering if it's possible the peppermint decided to attack without the previous overfeeding?

12/22/2014, 01:36 PM	#35
sciencemike Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 3	I know this is an old thread but I figured I would add my 02c. My peppermint, (full of eggs) went to town on a new rock full of soft corals that I added to my tank. She would tear at them until they would spit up their intestines which would stick to her claws. She would act like it hurt, then run away. Coming back as soon as the goo was cleaned off her pincers. Then start tearing them apart! I tore my tank apart to get her and her 3 friends out of the tank. I have a 30g Nuvo 3 weeks old.

12/22/2014, 07:39 PM	#39
DaveRaz Reef Rookie Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Memphis Posts: 625	My twin peppermint shrimp have been banished to the sump for eating coral. One was sucked into the protein skimmer intake. Little bastard deserved it. Lol

12/22/2014, 08:30 PM	#40
Fury165 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Toronto, ON Posts: 160	I had pepermints go after my Ultra Rock flower Anemones. At first I thought they were going after detritus around the RFA until I actually saw them in the act. I banished them to the frag tank and won't be putting these in any of my tanks in the future.