Peppermint shrimp eating frogspawn?!?

[michaelabellz]

This just happened to me too. I bought a new teal frogspawn and some torches. The next morning, the frogspawn was destroyed by a shrimp. I pulled it and put it in my frag tank but I don't think it's going to make it.

Aw that’s annoying sorry to hear that. I know how it is to see a coral unhealthy. I hope the best for you and your coral! What did you do with the peppermint shrimp?

 

[RedReefer]

My clean up crew is all snails. No crabs or shrimp. Don’t trust anything with claws!

 

[hey_hey_heeyyyyyy!]

Aw that’s annoying sorry to hear that. I know how it is to see a coral unhealthy. I hope the best for you and your coral! What did you do with the peppermint shrimp?

He's still in the display tank. I may be playing with fire but so far so good. As long as everything goes well, I'll let the shrimp stay in there until they die and then just never replace them.

 

[MohrReefs]

He's still in the display tank. I may be playing with fire but so far so good. As long as everything goes well, I'll let the shrimp stay in there until they die and then just never replace them.

Could be a couple years lol...

 

[Macbalacano]

inverted bottle trap is how I caught my first ones!

I got one again to deal with aiptasia. He's been a model citizen so far, but the moment he isn't hes outta there!

I have 2 cleaner shrimp, 2 fire/blood shrimp, and this 1 peppermint in a 34g display. I have noticed that the more I feed them, the much better behaved they are. Personally, I think feeding the tank more overall will have better results and prevent bad behaviour as long as you can export the nutrients out.

Just my 2 cents!

 

[wonroc]

Grill that shrimp!

 

[Razorp]

I just caught my cleaner shrimp in a trap made from a water bottle. The little devil was eating one of my anemones. Ill never have a skunk cleaner or peppermint shrimp again lol.

 

[jztalon95]

I’ve never heard of a peppermint shrimp eating frogspawn or any coral for that matter but I just added a frogspawn to my tank after acclimating for 2 hours and as soon as I put it in my peppermint shrimp went straight towards it and started picking off the tips and eating it while some just float away into the tank. Right away I scared away the shrimp and pulled my frogspawn away from him. After doing some research I’ve found out that a lot of people have had the same problem, I find it quite weird that peppermint shrimps are considered “reef safe” but multiple people have had peppermints devour their frogspawn along with favias and other corals.
will be putting my peppermint shrimp in my refugium. Definitely don’t think they are reef safe. Or definitely compatible with caution.

Great idea! I will definitely try that when feeding tomorrow Thank you for all the help.

I’ve never heard of a peppermint shrimp eating frogspawn or any coral for that matter but I just added a frogspawn to my tank after acclimating for 2 hours and as soon as I put it in my peppermint shrimp went straight towards it and started picking off the tips and eating it while some just float away into the tank. Right away I scared away the shrimp and pulled my frogspawn away from him. After doing some research I’ve found out that a lot of people have had the same problem, I find it quite weird that peppermint shrimps are considered “reef safe” but multiple people have had peppermints devour their frogspawn along with favias and other corals.
will be putting my peppermint shrimp in my refugium. Definitely don’t think they are reef safe. Or definitely compatible with caution.

I’ve had a long-spined sea urchin munch on random corals... especially gsp’s. A lot of stores sell them as “reef safe” but IMO, that’s not the case. I have two peppermints in my tank and now I’m paranoid... lol. I’ll definitely be on the look out... thanks for your post!

 

[tnewell]

My 2nd peppermint shrimp was an a$$hole, ate my button scoly and my acan. Lfs told me when I went to go trade him in for a new one, “never had a peppermint touch acans or scolys, you sure your right?” .,. Uh yeah, watched him pull every single tentacle off my acan head.

 

[Macbalacano]

My 2nd peppermint shrimp was an a$$hole, ate my button scoly and my acan. Lfs told me when I went to go trade him in for a new one, “never had a peppermint touch acans or scolys, you sure your right?” .,. Uh yeah, watched him pull every single tentacle off my acan head.

typical LFS response!

 

[Uncle99]

My 2nd peppermint shrimp was an a$$hole, ate my button scoly and my acan. Lfs told me when I went to go trade him in for a new one, “never had a peppermint touch acans or scolys, you sure your right?” .,. Uh yeah, watched him pull every single tentacle off my acan head.

But they will be happy to sell you another and as a special bonus, hermit crabs.
May go after any LPS and your prized Nems not out of scope.

 

[tnewell]

typical LFS response!

Right?!?

 

[Hermie]

I can't get mad at them especially after completely eradicating Aiptasia from my tank. It's my own fault not theirs.

 

[rhostam]

I had this happen, too. My tank just received its first coral and the "peppermint shrimp" started to pick at it in the evening. Only it, though. I introduced three frags: a micromussa, a maze brain, and a toadstool. I shooed them away dismissing them as curious. By the morning, however, the micromussa was devoured. It is possible that it is completely retracted, but I doubt it given how vibrant and healthy the others look.

I was surprised. The "peppermint shrimp" always seemed to keep to their cave and eat algae, left-overs, seaweed, etc. Also, my LFS insisted they were reef safe. But I failed to ask which they were. There are two primarily sold as "peppermint shrimp" one of which is "definitely" not the reef safe while the other much more so (though experiences vary).

Lysmata Boggessi aka Atlantic Peppermint Shrimp = NOT SAFE

Lysmata Wurdemanni = REEF SAFE (mostly)

Apparently, misidentification is common even for LFS and even in spite of some clear markings.

So, my question to this forum was going to be "what type of corals might be safe from the 'peppermint shrimp' I now appear to keep (lysmata boggessi)?"

But it is sounding like its possible none-are, and it just depends on whether they need to scavenge around or not.

My toadstool appears unharmed or uninteresting to them as is the maze brain.

 

[Reeferbadness]

I have a cleaner shrimp, and I personally cannot wait for it to perish one day. I have to feed it before I feed any corals or it will literally pry their mouths open and reached deep into the corals for food.

My cleaner shrimp does the same thing with my rainbow chalice when i feed it reef roids - bugger is super aggressive