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Peppermint shrimp

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saltwaterguy112

Are these shrimp reef safe and does anyone have them in there tank now. I see online that they are reef safe but absolutley fish told me that they will pick at the polps and some other coral.
 
C

calaxa

I have them in two systems. In one, I have a pair that decimated my feather dusters but eventually left them alone after finding better foods. I had about 200+ at one point and am now down to about 50 dusters. Eventually, they did eat the one aiptasia I couldn't reach.

In the other system, I have 4. They started to pick on some zoos in first few days but no damage was done. They learned to eat other tidbits.

In both systems, they were originally very shy. They have since become quite bold. The cleaner shrimps will clean me if I put my hand in. The peppermints would actually try to eat my hand. I can feel them digging into me a bit.

All in all, I think they are reef safe IF you keep them satisfied. Like any shrimp, they will be opportunistic.
 
S

saltwaterguy112

Thanks everywhere i look has said that they are reef safe and should not eat any of the corals if they really are the true peppermint. Dont know why they told me they would nip at the polpys and mushrooms.
 
C

calaxa

SWG,

I think if they are hungry enough they might do it. Absolutely Fish is giving you a heads up in case they do develop a taste which is pretty responsible of them. Will they actually bother your corals? Probably not but you never know sometimes.
 
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phish guy

mine have always been fine, but like calaxa said they MAY but its unlikely. sometimes camel shrimp are sold as peppermints, and yes they will eat polyps.
 
C

calaxa

phish guy said:
sometimes camel shrimp are sold as peppermints, and yes they will eat polyps.
Click to expand...

phish guy is correct with this. Make sure you are getting peppermints and not camelback (they have another common name but I can't recall offhand). It happens more often than you think as they do look very similar. Camelbacks are not reef safe.
 
dastrader

dastrader

I put two in my 29 Sunday. (Got them from Ocean Gallery for $2.50 each sale). I am trying to get rid of some aptasia (sp?) So far they have done very little as far as movement but I did notice one aptasia near where the shrimp have settled gone today, so I am keeping my fingers crossed.
 
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RSman

i have 3 pepermint shrimps in my reef tank. never had any problem with them. they are supposed to be good scavangers.
 
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