Peppermint shrimp eating my frogspawn

[Brad Coughlan]

I have had this peppermint for a year with no issues.

Recently I reduced feeding to reduce nitrates, and now I just saw him pull a tenticle off my frogspawn...

What can I do to stop this?

One of the heads that he attacked is barely opening, is there anything I can do to speed up the recovery process?

 

[fish farmer]

I've had similar experience with peppermints...or I assume were peppermints.

First pair I had many years ago were fine until they found out about the food I would give my rock anemone. They would PICK food out of the mouth of the anemone.

I had a couple a few years ago that were pestering my frammer at night...looking for food, since I was direct feeding them occasionally. They were banished to the sump.

My current pair seem ok so far. I don't direct feed chunky food to my hammers anymore, just broadcast feed daily. This pair does seem to be taking care of the aiptasia better. I always have a bottle trap ready in case they misbehave.

 

[Brad Coughlan]

I've had similar experience with peppermints...or I assume were peppermints.

First pair I had many years ago were fine until they found out about the food I would give my rock anemone. They would PICK food out of the mouth of the anemone.

I had a couple a few years ago that were pestering my frammer at night...looking for food, since I was direct feeding them occasionally. They were banished to the sump.

My current pair seem ok so far. I don't direct feed chunky food to my hammers anymore, just broadcast feed daily. This pair does seem to be taking care of the aiptasia better. I always have a bottle trap ready in case they misbehave.

Yeah, my cleaner shrimp always ends up stealing food from my corals but doesnt eat the actual coral

Hopefully, this is why my peppermint did it. Maybe some food landed in the frogspawn and sat there for a few hours and the shrinp got it

 

[Reefer Matt Verified Media Partner]

I’ve had similar experiences with “Peppermint Shrimp” eating coral. Once I got rid (rehomed in friend’s sump) of the wrong species, the one correct species doesn’t harm coral. Here’s a reference.

Peppermint Shrimp Identification

Peppermint shrimp are widely suggested as a reef safe solution for ridding aptasia from a tank. While others say they are coral eating terrors best left to fish only systems. Why the discrepancy in people's experiences? Well, it could be that we're not talking about the same shrimp. There are...

humble.fish

 

[Brad Coughlan]

I’ve had similar experiences with “Peppermint Shrimp” eating coral. Once I got rid (rehomed in friend’s sump) of the wrong species, the one correct species doesn’t harm coral. Here’s a reference.

Peppermint Shrimp Identification

Peppermint shrimp are widely suggested as a reef safe solution for ridding aptasia from a tank. While others say they are coral eating terrors best left to fish only systems. Why the discrepancy in people's experiences? Well, it could be that we're not talking about the same shrimp. There are...

humble.fish

Thanks so much, I'll read this

 

[Brad Coughlan]

I’ve had similar experiences with “Peppermint Shrimp” eating coral. Once I got rid (rehomed in friend’s sump) of the wrong species, the one correct species doesn’t harm coral. Here’s a reference.

Peppermint Shrimp Identification

Peppermint shrimp are widely suggested as a reef safe solution for ridding aptasia from a tank. While others say they are coral eating terrors best left to fish only systems. Why the discrepancy in people's experiences? Well, it could be that we're not talking about the same shrimp. There are...

humble.fish

This is harder to compare than I thought haha,

What is your opinion on the group mines in?

 

[Reefer Matt Verified Media Partner]

This is harder to compare than I thought haha,

What is your opinion on the group mines in?

It looks like this one to me. But not 100% sure.

 

[Brad Coughlan]

It looks like this one to me. But not 100% sure.

Thanks, is this one of the non reef safe ones?

 

[Reefer Matt Verified Media Partner]

Thanks, is this one of the non reef safe ones?

I honestly don’t know. But I will see if I can find anything.

 

[SueAubu]

I could give it a go, although I bought him over a year ago
I might seem silly saying this but it wouldn't be the same without him since he was my first livestock and he's a real character in the tank

I'm not so sure it's a "return", like for your money back. Most chain lfs, even if you bought elsewhere, have a "rescue" where they take your problem child and re-home him- not sell him- but ask the new owner for a donation to the eir foundation. I've done it with a cranky shark.

 

[Brad Coughlan]

I'm not so sure it's a "return", like for your money back. Most chain lfs, even if you bought elsewhere, have a "rescue" where they take your problem child and re-home him- not sell him- but ask the new owner for a donation to the eir foundation. I've done it with a cranky shark.

Yeah I certainly wouldn't expect money back

I'm glad I only have one peppermint

 

[Brad Coughlan]

I honestly don’t know. But I will see if I can find anything.

No worries, thanks for the help

 

[SueAubu]

Sounds like someone’s getting a new tank… and so it begins.

Hahahahaha. Or THIS option. I have a 95 gallon that only houses the very cranky clowns and overgrown damsel fish that don't like anyone but each other. This is the way we end up with a tank in every room in the house ( guilty) ; the addiction that no one ever talks about!

 

[Brad Coughlan]

Hahahahaha. Or THIS option. I have a 95 gallon that only houses the very cranky clowns and overgrown damsel fish that don't like anyone but each other. This is the way we end up with a tank in every room in the house ( guilty) ; the addiction that no one ever talks about!

Yeah, seems like once you get 1 tank, there's no going back

 

[Brad Coughlan]

I honestly don’t know. But I will see if I can find anything.

Good news, I just put more white light on and it looks like it is in the group A, which are the aiptasia eating/non coral eating ones

I'll continue to monitor corals and the shrimp, but hopefully this was just a one off and there is some random reason why he took a chunk off the coral, but not to eat it

 

[CBonito]

Should I remove it? Or is there a way to stop it

Well, you could try a man to man chat with him, but I don't think he's going to understand or care.
If he's got a taste for coral, he's going to keep eating it, so...cocktail anyone?

 

[Brad Coughlan]

Well, you could try a man to man chat with him, but I don't think he's going to understand or care.
If he's got a taste for coral, he's going to keep eating it, so...cocktail anyone?

Wish I could do that

If it comes to the point where he has to be removed, I honestly might setup a small tank for him, sounds stupid I know, but I am attached to this shrimp lol

 

[CBonito]

Wish I could do that

If it comes to the point where he has to be removed, I honestly might setup a small tank for him, sounds stupid I know, but I am attached to this shrimp lol

That's fine. Nothing wrong with that. Maybe you could buy more of them and try breeding them.

"Flame Hawk Feeder Packs! - 20 bucks!"

 

[musel101]

I have never found a way. Had several varieties of them and they all ate coral when they got bigger. Mine usually went for favia and acans. Once they learn it’s food there is no stopping them in my opinion.

 

[Brad Coughlan]

That's fine. Nothing wrong with that. Maybe you could buy more of them and try breeding them.

"Flame Hawk Feeder Packs! - 20 bucks!"

Well yeah that is for sure possible!