Coral Banded Shrimp
<Ryan with you today>
I just purchased a coral banded shrimp. He doing okay except one of his "boxing" arms fell off is this normal? <Normal for a stressed shrimp.  It will grow back if given time and proper conditions.> I also have a dwarf hawkfish and a six line wrasse with him is this alright? <Hawkfish may eat him someday...may be a long shot> I'm aware that the hawkfish might try and eat him but the shrimp seems pretty capable of defending himself.<Yes>  also will the CBS set up cleaning stations? <No, they do not clean in captivity.> sorry but one last question. can I purchase fire shrimp or other coral banded and put them in there with him? <If you're in the 100 gallon range, go for it.  I'd skip it with a smaller tank, as there isn't enough territory.>
thanks a lot  <No problem! Ryan>
Tristan

Legless Shrimp
<Hi Christina, Scott F. with you today>
I noticed on your website, that you answered some marine questions.  I wasn't sure if you still answered them, or if this was the place to do it.
<Yeah, I've been known to do them on occasion. heh! heh!>
I am a very worried about my coral banded shrimp.  I have had him for a few years.  He is very big and beautiful. I just woke up to find him with what I think is a bad molt.  He is missing all of his legs, and his two large pinchers.  All he has are his two tiny grabber pinchers.  I'm concerned, since he has no claws and no legs!  I've read through your FAQ, and saw that missing claws are common, but how about their legs?  He is just essentially sitting on the bottom of my tank.  Any advice??  Thank you soooo much.
<Well, definitely sounds like something went wrong during the molting process, or that somebody decided to pick on him.  Do you have any other inhabitants in your tank?  These animals have very good regenerative abilities, but he will need to be kept where he can be undisturbed by other tankmates during this process.  If you have an isolation container, like a breeding trap, or some other place where you can keep him protected within the confines of the tank, this will help greatly.  Make sure that the water conditions are excellent and that you supply him with enough quality food and I'm sure he will make a full recovery in time.  Best of Luck!  Regards, Scott F.>

Shrimp Questions  7/10/03
Hi, I have a 75 gallon saltwater fish only tank.<Hey, Phil w/ ya tonight!>  I have been thinking of adding a pair of some type of cleaner shrimp.<Good plan, one question.  What else is in the tank?  Some fish find shrimp a $$$ treat.>  I have read that some clean parasites off fish, thus curing ich.  But wouldn't the parasites that are in a cyst at the bottom of the tank still have to be dealt with? <If a fish is kept in a QT for the normal 4 weeks and is FW dipped it should be ICH free.  Say somehow a few parasites do get in.  The cleaner shrimp finishes them off.  Of course not all cleaner shrimp do open "cleaning stations".  Mine won't even attempt to clean fish, appears he missed the memo :) >   Also, please tell  me which type of shrimp would be the most beneficial in keeping my substrate clean.  Would it be the skunk type? <This is a toughie only because I don't know what else is in the tank.  A shrimp might make a quick snack for someone.  Depending on your bio-load there may be a fish better suited for the job.>
Thank You, James <No problem, please get back w/ me so I can help you more.  Phil>

- Invert Questions -
I have recently acquired 3 x 1cm red hermit crabs as well as a banded harlequin shrimp. <I am not familiar with this common name - it sounds to me like you either have a "coral banded shrimp" or a "harlequin shrimp".> I was given the idea that they play the role of scavenging in the aquarium and feed on the leftovers on the substrate. Is this true?
<Well, again, not knowing for certain which shrimp you have there... harlequin shrimps are not viable clean-up crew members - they only eat seastars. The coral banded shrimp on the other hand is an opportunistic feeder and will go after most anything, including other shrimp.>
However, the 3 crabs have buried themselves deep into the substrate and the banded shrimp has been hiding in the cave. I am worried that they may starve to death as they do not come out to eat during feeding. Is their behavior normal? <Hard to say.>
I have a cleaner shrimp as well and have seen the banded shrimp use its claws to fight with the cleaner shrimp. Is this normal? <Yes, if this is a coral banded shrimp.> How can I prevent it? <Keep one or the other, and provide more cover [places to hide] in the tank.>
I have a 5 ft tank and tried to release the banded shrimp far away from the cleaner shrimp but it just swims to the left where the cleaner shrimp is.
Appreciate your assistance.
Regards
Edwin
<Cheers, J -- >

- Peppermint Shrimp -
Will the peppermint shrimp get along with my cleaner shrimp (Lysmata amboinensis). I've heard where they will do battle and sometimes kill a different species, and will it bother the polyps or another anemone if I decide to put one in as a host for my clowns? <I think the wurdemanni will do fine with your cleaner shrimp provided your system is large enough - after the Aiptasia has been eliminated, just make sure the shrimp get fed, and you'll avoid most problems. Cheers, J -- >

Jumping Blennies and Nasty Little Shrimp!
Hi Crew,
<Scott F. with you today>
I was hoping you could help me out with a couple of things.
<Sure>
Let me begin,
The Tank is about 8-9 months old.
Spg 1.025
Temp 25-26.5
pH 8.0 - 8.2 (Red Sea)
KH 11 (but cannot keep it @ this - Aquarium Pharm)
Ca 375ppm (Salifert)
Mg Approx 1250ppm (Salifert)
PO4 < 0.25 mg/L (Hagen - lousy test kit)
Ammonia 0
Nitrite     0
Nitrate      < 5ppm
Tank: 30gal (36" X 12" X 16")
Filtration & Circulation: Eheim 2213 Canister Filter running RowaPhos
every 2 weeks and PolyFilter every other 2 weeks
Seaclone Skimmer (drat! should have read wetwebmedia
before hand) produces 1/2 a cup every week (terrible!)
x3 Eheim 150gph powerheads for circulation
Lighting: x4 NO Fluorescents in rain gutter hood with
reflectors (12 hours a day)
1.)The other morning while I was getting dressed for work & watching the tank, I saw my Midas Blenny come swimming up
to the front of the tank.  Then behind it I saw my Peppermint Shrimp chasing it.  The Peppermint Shrimp grabbed the
poor fish by the tail and dragged him under the rockwork.  Sad to
say, by the time I got my hand in the tank to rescue
the blenny he was already dead.  I have since taken the Peppermint
Shrimp back to the LFS.  The question I have is, is this normal
behaviour for a Peppermint Shrimp?  My LFS told me the shrimp was probably starving, however, I have had it in there for about 1/2 a year and he eats whatever I put in the tank (good appetite - he was pig).  Another thing is not to long after I put him in the tank, my 3 mushroom colonies began to melt away (red, blue & green variety).  I have read up on wetwebmedia about Camel-Back Shrimps, and I am pretty sure he was not one of them.  Have you ever come
across this behaviour before?
<I have not personally experienced this with peppermint shrimp (I have with other species, however), but I have seen several friends' tanks who have...It is entirely possible that the shrimp has taken a turn to the "dark side" and become aggressive and destructive...And, I would not rule out the possibility that you have the more destructive variety...There are ways of determining the difference, so do study this, and carefully evaluate potential shrimp purchases in the future>
2.)The second question I have is.  I have begun dosing Seachem Reef
Calcium to enhance my coralline algae growth, however. I still have a fair amount of hair algae in the tank.  Do you think
I should stop using this until my algae subsides as I read this form of organic calcium can fuel algae growth.  I just want to out compete the problem algae with coralline.
<Well, calcium gluconate (the kind of calcium that Reef Calcium is comprised of) has been "implicated" as a contributor to nuisance algae growth by some, but I think that this is overstated, and in the presence of proper nutrient export techniques (i.e.; good water change habits, aggressive protein skimming, and use of chemical media, such as Poly Filter or activated carbon), it is not a huge factor...Revisit your basic husbandry techniques, refine them accordingly, and you should be able to use this stuff without excessive nuisance algae growths. Work that skimmer hard, and keep at those small, frequent water changes, and you'll be fine>
3.)My 2nd Midas Blenny (only 2 days in the tank) jumped out the tank last night.  Luckily, my girlfriend awoke to some
slapping noise, found the fish still alive and quickly put him back
in the tank.  Do Midas Blenny's normally jump out
the water?
<Well, just about any fish can do that, unfortunately-for many different reasons. I have a Hawaiian Flame Wrasse male that "catches air" with amazing regularity...If this becomes a problem for you, you should consider egg crate or other material to serve as a barrier to keep this fish in the tank where he belongs, so as not to become "reef jerky"!>
4.)My tank evaporates about 500ml of water a day. Currently, I am
adding Reef Builder to the top off water one day and then Reef Adv Calcium/Reef Calcium every other day as I top off daily (based on my tests).  My levels all test about right.  Do you think
that this is a decent regime?
<Well, it's important to buffer and add calcium to the tank as per the levels needed. In other words, determine your tank's approximate daily consumption of calcium and buffer based on your testing (which you are doing), and dose it regularly, regardless of how much top off you are doing...You don't want to be at the mercy of your tank's evaporation level to determine how much calcium or buffer that you should add...I think that your regimen is fine...but keep that little thought in mind when using additives...In the end, though, I like your consistent regimen. It  is better than a sporadic and random one...>
Thank you very much for all you help, support and knowledge!!!  It is so very much appreciated!!! Many Thanks & Kind Regards,
Karl McNally (from the UK)
<Your welcome, Karl...Sounds like your tank is doing just fine! Keep up the good work, and be sure to share our experiences with others! Regards, Scott F>

Alas... Shrimps will nibble clams 3/14/03
Hello Bob et al,
<cheers, mate>
My Tridacnid is doing well but for one problem.  It has decided that it likes its placement on my reef and has attempted (a couple times) to attach via its byssal thread/tissues.  Unfortunately, my Lysmata amboinensis feel that this byssal production is a gift from the heavens and pulls it free to dine upon it!!  I've placed small pieces of rubble around the clam's shell, enough to protect it, but not to impede on its ability to open and close at
will, however, the shrimp excavate and harvest with little problem.
Is this going to hurt the clam?  
<unfortunately... many/most shrimp will nibble and eat clams. It is well-documented in popular aquarium literature. A few behave, but most will nibble>
Should I get rid of my efficient cleaner shrimp?  
<yes, indeed... with the clam in residence>
Any advice is greatly appreciated.
PS.. Bob, Anthony, Steven, Jason, David...heck.. all of you are
wonderful.  Thanks for all that you do for this community!
David
<thanks kindly for saying so :) Best regards! Anthony>

- Symbiotic Gobies and Circulation -
Hi Crew!!
<Hello, JasonC here...>
First off, I have been reading TONS on your site and have learned an incredible amount.  I read something today that has me concerned, regarding water flow and soft corals.  I have a small (2-3") brown star polyp colony in my tank.  The water motion in their present location is mostly in one direction.  I can put them almost anywhere in my tank, which would mean potentially less flow but a more changing direction.  I have had this colony about 4 weeks, and they are doing great, even seem to be growing nicely. Do I fix it if it's not broken (move them)? <I would... do consider perhaps another power head in the tank to help stir things up some more - variation in flow is very important for long term success.>
My next question has to do with a Pistol Shrimp - Goby tank I am considering for the office. What is the ideal substrate for burrowing? <Sand.> Best (most likely to bond) Goby? <Chances of getting a non-paired set to "bond" is lower than winning a high-stakes lottery. Unless you obtain both as an existing pair, it's not going to happen. Alpheids are incredibly diverse, and the pairing between the goby and a particular shrimp is very specific. You can't put a random goby and random shrimp together and expect them to get together... unless you get them as a pair via expert collection, even then one or the other probably wouldn't make the trip... it's just not easily feasible.> Because they are both low in the tank suggestions for other occupants? <Based on the size you mention... I wouldn't put anything else in this tank.> What is the best clean up crew for this tank, I know pistol shrimp are formidable hunters? <You would be the best clean-up crew.> Any other sound advice for this concept? <Learn to dive and go see them where they live... not to be crass, but it's just not realistic in a captive system.> BTW, this tank will be a smaller, probably ~20g, and dedicated to this idea.
Thanks again for offering such sound info time after time,
Bill
<Cheers, J -- >

Re: SPOTTED SHRIMP.
in my last message about the various sea anemones that i sent i was saying that i had successfully kept them before.<Sorry Dave, I did not realize this>> i was asking you if you knew where and how much a spotted cleaner shrimp would cost and what there life span is. many thanks for your help <<I did a quick search here on WWM and did not find any info on life span (Really going to depend on maturity at purchase) see here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/arthropoda/shrimp/cleaner.htm  You might try a google search of Periclimenes yucantanicus  and see what you can find. As far as where, you might want to post a message on the WWM forums here http://www.wetwebfotos.com/talk and see if anyone can give you personal experience with stores in your area Also, many e-tailers that are recommended in the forums. A search of the etailers I use found Periclimenes brevicarpalis for around $10 US Good luck, Don>> Dave

Where Is That Little Shrimp?
Hello:
<Hi there! Scott F. with you!>
Love your site and the helpful information.  My latest problem is this.  I have a 20 gallon "almost" reef setup for my son.  I have a small yellow tang, flame angel, two Ocellaris clowns, a Sally Lightfoot, hermit crabs and snails.  I recently (1 week ago) purchased two Skunk Shrimp.  Almost immediately, one disappeared and I have not seen it since.  In fact, no trace whatsoever.  The other one, although he initially started out in the rock and cleaning the tang, now just hangs out on top of the powerhead or on top of the vegetable clip.  Do you have any idea what could have happened to the first one and is anything wrong with the behavior of the one that I do observe.
Thank you for your response. Scott
<Well, Scott- it's tough to say what happened. Lots of possibilities: It may have died following acclimation, and the remains have been consumed by the other creatures in the tank. The other distinct possibility is that the shrimp may have molted (which does often happen after stressful events like acclimation), and is simply hiding for a while. Hard to say. I'd try to stay positive, and keep a sharp eye out for this little guy. He may just pop up fine in a few days. As far as the behaviour of the other one...It seems relatively normal to me. Shrimp, like other animals, seem to "set up shop" in a specific location, and will generally stay in the same place, or places, for a time. As long as the animal appears healthy, I wouldn't worry. Enjoy! Regards, Scott F>

And Then There Were None... (Missing Shrimp)
I had 4 peppermint shrimp in my 55 gallon reef tank (70 lbs, LR). Tank is about 8 months old. Recently the shrimp have vanished. Since I used to see them feeding daily I know they are not just hiding. Current inhabitants include 1 pygmy angel, 1 flame cardinal, 1 lg. tomato clown, 1 8 line wrasse, 2 large burgundy serpent stars and 2 serpent stars. Any idea who the culprit might be? I suspect it is the burgundy stars, since they have been
in the system the longest and they have gotten quite large. They seem to come out in the open a lot more than they used to.
Thanks, Ken
<Well, Ken- that was my thought, too. There is also the possibility that the shrimp were killed by some sort of environmental shift. Or, they may simply have lived out heir life spans and died...It's possible. Keep an eye on those starfish, and keep searching for the remaining shrimp. Good luck! Regards, Scott F>

Re: sexy shrimp and starfish
Hi, I have a starfish in my tank and I just bought a sexy shrimp. The sexy shrimp is lifting the starfish up and is doing something to it. Will the sexy shrimp hurt the starfish?  
                                        Sean
<Mmm, strange... please see:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/arthropoda/shrimp/cleaner.htm
Is your shrimp a Thor amboinensis? Do you have a sea anemone for it to live with? I don't think it will harm your seastar, but it will likely perish w/o a host anemone. Bob Fenner>

Shrimp cocktail
Hey guys...
<Hey Dave!>
90 gallon saltwater system
90lbs live rock
2 Percula Clowns
1 Pearlscale Butterfly
1 Watchman Goby
1 Fire Goby
1 Pistol Shrimp
1 Coral Banded Shrimp
1 Red White-Striped Shrimp
1 large red emerald crab
1 small green emerald crab (potentially missing in action)
1 small black brittle star
25 Turbo's
45 down to 20 hermit crabs
Temp 77f
Salinity 1.021
pH 8.2
No traces of ammonia, nitrates, nitrites
Questions:
1.  I hadn't seen my small emerald crab for about two-three weeks and then I saw him over two days around Christmas... haven't seen him since. Could/would something eat him?  Or would you think he is perhaps just hanging out at the back of the tank??  If he did perish, would a dead emerald crab deteriorate my water?
<He could be anywhere, dead or alive. Dead in a 90 isn't a huge issue, but you don't want to make a habit of keeping dead stuff around...   What leaps out at me is the Pistol Shrimp, that although I'm sure beautiful, will eat or try to eat about all of his tanks mates if they don't move fast enough or are asleep, even your fish, especially Gobies, etc. I wouldn't doubt that the brittle star and the Emerald Crab were victims as well. If they are well fed sometimes they will leave tankmates alone. See http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/arthropoda/shrimp/shrimp.htm for more info on shrimp. They generally will predate on one another unless well fed.>
2.  My Brittle Star was half eaten (3 out of 5 legs) but seemed to be doing ok when he was at the front of the tank.  Haven't seen him in almost three weeks.  Should I be worried, or do you think he also might be hanging out somewhere that isn't visible?  If he did perish, would he pollute my tank enough to be worried about??  I kinda like the Stars...
<Again, unlikely in a 90, but I would be looking to reduce the number of predators or feed them before they simply eat themselves/each other.>
Based on my current livestock, is there anything that I have that is known to eat them?  Was wanting to get another two or three... but don't want to waste $10 a pop on critter lunches.
<See above, plus Stars need plenty of live rock to do well or they slowly dwindle.>
3.  Pistol Shrimp is eating my hermit crabs... potentially 7 or 8 a month (estimate)...  I know I shouldn't have too many Emerald Crabs... are there other crabs that would be ok with current livestock that the Pistol wouldn't eat?  Halloween Crabs perhaps (look like little red peppers)...
Porcelain Crabs? etc??  Any possibility that my Pistol ate my small green Emerald Crab?
<In order, nope and yep.>
4.  I saw a small sea slug at an aquarium here... are they safe for my tank?  Positives? Negatives?
<Potentially very toxic if incompatible or dies. I would steer clear myself. Some have success and love them. I would search on them at WetWebMedia.com and see what comes up.>
5.  I have read that my Pearlscale Butterfly is suppose to eat small invertebrates??  Is that correct???  I haven't seen him bother any of my snails or crabs, but I do notice him picking at my liverock.  I have read through your liverock section and am no biologist.  In simple terms, what is it that I want to grow on my liverock to produce food??  How can I get more growth on my liverock?  I bought 90lbs of cycled liverock when I setup my tank... Is there anything else I need to do to it???  It was
fully cured, etc...   It has green and purple algae growing on it and even some grass-like stuff that my crabs were eating... (grass is gone now - eaten)...   It seems much easier to read and understand about fish/shrimp/crabs... as opposed to liverock, micro-organisms, etc...
<Alright, the info on your Butterfly is this: Chaetodon xanthurus  Bleeker 1857, the Pearlscale or Yellow-Tail (though it's more orange) Butterflyfish. Tropical western Pacific around the Philippines and Indonesia to Japan. A generalized feeder on benthic invertebrates and algae.  I would take this as small amphipods which live in/on well established live rock and sand. The ideal way to do this is to establish a system for some time (some experts suggest a year or more) to get the populations of these essential food items up to speed before they are used as food. To provide food for your Butterfly I would order some vegetation and pods from one of the better retailers and provide plenty of light for the live rock you have to establish more algae. Perhaps start a refugium if you are so inclined. I would recommend looking up your Butterfly fish on WetWebMedia.com under "Good Butterfly fish".>
Thanks guys, you're awesome...  Everyone that has a saltwater tank or is thinking about it... I have forwarded your site to them and they can't believe how valuable you guys are!!!
Of note, my Cleaner Shrimp and my Coral Banded are surviving quite well together.  Are CB Shrimps blind??  Just curious, because I have seen him lunge a few times at creatures and he has terrible aim! Dave
<Ah...give them time. One will molt and the other will take advantage....  The Coral Banded's are pretty aggressive.  Maybe he was acting in defense, not attacking?  Too many shrimp! This will change, either by you or by them.  Or they need more food....
Hope this helps!  Craig>

Shrimp in Clam gills
WWM crew, I hope your New Years is going well!  Please do be careful if you are on the roads this New Years Eve!  
<thanks kindly... Happy New Years!>
I have a quick couple of questions! I have a 5" fat, round T. squamosa. First question - I looked inside his exhalant siphon and lo and behold, there is a shrimp living in there!  It is small, clear with lots of black spots all over it.  I don't know what to think, or do for that matter.  
<I have been e-mailing Daniel Knop (author of Giant Clams) about this recently as it has come up several times. The shrimp does appear to be at least mildly parasitic- feeding on gill tissue in part. Large clams seem to live with this fascinating arthropod with seemingly little or no ill effects. Your call on removal. May I ask you to take some hi-res photos is you have a good digital camera? You can e-mail them here or to me personally at readingtrees@yahoo.com>
Second question - the inhalant siphon is large, and I'm wondering if it is gaping.  I researched clams before purchasing and know that it is very hard to diagnose gaping, as all clams are different.  
<hmmm... still... gaping clams are unmistakable. They are slow to respond and just don't look well. I say if it was gaping, you'd know it!>
The siphon is about 2" long and is normally open to about 1/2" to 5/8" wide.  When it wants to the clam can almost completely close it.  
<a good sign>
Overall the color is great, the clam reacts very quickly and very strongly to literally all stimuli, even if I just turn to peer closer at him he'll often cringe up for a second.  
<excellent>
It is my first clam, so I'm a bit apprehensive.  Much like a new mother I am sure!  
<is this the first time you've been called a mother? <G>>
Thank you for your time yet again! RVM
<Heehee... our great pleasure. Anthony>

Sponge-dwelling shrimp
Hello, I'm doing an essay on Sponge-dwelling shrimp. I cannot find out if all shrimp in the genus Synalpheus are sponge-dwelling.
<No, not all. Please see here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/arthropoda/shrimp/shrimp.htm>
Also, are there any other sponge-dwelling shrimp other genera?
<The plural of genus is genera. And yes, there are other genera, families that live as commensals with sponges. Bob Fenner>
Would be very grateful for a reply. Thank you, Rhian

Candy stripe shrimp
Is Spirulina intended for marine fish a good food for mature candy stripe shrimp?   I am unable to purchase an invertebrate emulsion locally at the moment and need to substitute something else.  Thanks if you can help and thanks if you can't.
<These darn things will eat just about anything! Do you have live rock? These guys will feed daily on critters they find on the rock. I frequently find my scarlet shrimp eating leftovers from the fish feeding. I wouldn't worry too much about this critter...>
Carpe diem.  Hug your lawyer today. >^-^<
<Yeah....Right!>
<Uh Oh....The above information is the express written opinion of the author and Wetwebmedia and friends shall not be held liable for any intentional or accidental damages occurring from the use of this or other information found in this email. HA!  David Dowless>
Dianne E. Thompson-Sheppard, QC

Harlequin shrimp/Emerald crab question
Greetings, JasonC here.
I've not actually heard that Emerald crabs can be a threat to Harlequin Shrimp directly. That being said, there aren't many crabs that can be trusted much farther than you can throw them. They're quite often too opportunistic for their own good, and the well being of other tank inhabitants.
I do know from my own Hymenocera that they will use their flat paddle-like forelegs to wave about and chase off the too-curious.
I would just keep an eye on the crabs.
Good luck,
J --

Camel Shrimp in the Reef
well how can i be sure it will eat corals and also why couldn't i keep it in the refugium
<This species naturally preys on coral in the wild and is well documented in captivity for doing so. A few will not, but most will eventually (brain corals, polyps, etc)... it is not a safe choice in the long run. As far as the refugium goes... if you want your refugium to actually perform as a refugium (producing plankton: worms, larvae, copepods, etc) then you cannot put fish, predatory shrimps or anything else in it that will eat the plankton. Best regards, Anthony>

Peppermint versus Camel Shrimp
i have just found out that peppermint shrimps are the same as dancing shrimps hence the title at the top of the web page peppermint dancing) shrimp also it looks the same as my shrimp
do peppermint shrimps eat corals or not.
<in our first e-mail I gave you a scientific name to coincide with the common name "dancing shrimp" (and for clarification). Most "dancing" shrimp ordered in the trade are Durban species... the camel shrimp. Peppermint shrimp are similar but not quite the same. They are slightly safer for reef aquariums (although they have often been observed nibbling at coral). They also have the benefit in refugiums of breeding frequently and producing many larvae that can feed small fishes and corals. However, they still eat far more good things in refugia than they produce in my opinion. My advice is the same as for camel/Durban/dancing shrimps. Not for reef aquariums. Kindly, Anthony>

Dancing/ Camel Shrimps
I went to the LFS the other day and saw dancing shrimps at quite a low price
<AKA the Durban dancing shrimp... hardy and inexpensive. Lets be sure we are talking about the same "dancing" shrimp though. Please look up: Rhynchocinetes durbanensis>
and they are really cool to watch so i wondered what u think of putting them in my 50 gal reef
<I am very grateful to you for inquiring before buying my friend. Too many get purchased for the average garden reef display and do not fare well or cause trouble>
which has already got a 2 year old cleaner shrimp in and various soft corals a regal tang, pair of Percs and a humbug damsel its water is tip top and there are many places to hide no algae though i don't know if this species need it.
<this species often eats coral and is not recommended here>
Also could one be added to my refugium as well which at the moment only has some Caulerpa in.
<perhaps better to use peppermint shrimp for their inclination to breed and produce eggs as food for corals and fish from the refugium>
Any info which i can find about these creatures would be greatly appreciated and anywhere i can find it from. Cheers
<do use the scientific name above to research this animal here on wetwebmedia.com and beyond. Best regards, Anthony>

Shrimp Cocktail?
Hi all, please bear with me, as I have a few questions...and I'll apologize in advance for taking up your time!
<Please don't apologize! That's what we're here for! Scott F. with you this morning>
First issue:  I rearranged my furniture, exposing one side of my tank that was previously blocked from view.  Lo and behold, there was a large anemone peeking out from a rock.  No, it's not Aiptasia, I've had plenty of those. This anemone appears to be about the same dimensions as a medium-sized E. Quad (foot, oral disc, etc).  It's tentacles appear to be almost bubbled at
>the ends, more like the mouthpiece of a trumpet.  It's color is the odd thing, though.  The tentacles are multicolored, from tan to brownish to purplish, striated in some spots and spotted in others.  He came in on some live rock and has been living in an area with very limited light/water movement for a couple of months, I guess.  Any idea?  I don't have a digital cam to send you a pic.
<Wow- really difficult to determine from here...So many good possibilities. I'd suggest getting a good book on inverts (like the upcoming book from the WWM crew!) to try to make a positive ID on the anemone.>
Second issue:  Ah, the ever beloved Aiptasia. I've decided to go with Peppermints, but have a very large coral banded shrimp (Yngwie).  He'll definitely eat these, won't he?
<I'd say that there is a very good possibility of the peppermints becoming CBS chow!>
I'd move him to my smaller tank, but...that's my "other shrimp" tank.  Don't really know what shrimp these are, just inherited them.  Should I catch them, put them in my main tank, and
move Yngwie to the smaller tank for the time being?  He's kind of hard to get a hand on...
<Well, if you're dead set on using shrimp for Aiptasia control, you need to take actions to protect them from becoming a meal! Be very careful in moving the Yngwie, so as not to injure him>
Third issue:  I recently noticed a group of "white dots" on the face of some new live rock.  Upon further inspection, I see these dots are actually attached to small, dark red, circular creatures.  They only somewhat resemble anemones, as the white dots are attached to very thin tentacles (look like
about the breadth of a hair). These are actually covering a large part of the surface of a couple of rocks.  Good/bad?
<Hmm- again- kind of tough to determine from here. I'll forward to Steve or Anthony in the hopes that they may offer a better suggestion as to what this guy is>
>Thanks again for your help.  I appreciate all the times you've had to calm my nerves!
Jodie
<That's part of the reason we're here, Jodie! Take care!>

The Itchy and Scratchy (Shrimp) Show
After molting a few days ago, one of my scarlet cleaner shrimp looks
like it has mildew on its carapace. The poor baby is scratching itself
just like a dog. I'm thinking about giving it a freshwater or brackish
dip. Any suggestions?
<Yes, to just wait... these animals should never be dipped in freshwater period (very sensitive to osmotic shock), and moving/catching it is too traumatic at this time as well... but the bottom line is that the markings and behavior you relate are typical for having just molted. Patience my friend. Bob Fenner>

Re: step by step acclimation for shrimp
Hey Craig,
I need to ask you if it's possible to e-mail me with a step by step process for acclimating cleaner shrimp or CBS.
Here's my acclimation method:
1. float bag for 15-20 min (livestock from LFS)
2. open bag and add water from tank (1 shot glass) every 10 minutes until volume of water in bag doubles.
3. pour half of the water from bag, then repeat step 2 until volume doubles.
4. release livestock (shrimp dies within 2 hours and some don't survive the acclimation process)
I'm doing this process with the bag afloat in my tank (lights off). The whole process takes me about 2.5-3 hours to complete. What am I doing wrong? Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, copper and PO3 are 0, alk 11, Ca 400-420. Another question. Can I mix cleaner shrimp with 1 CBS......Thanks again....Jun
<I would try to shorten the process time wise, but I really can't see anything wrong with this Jun.  Don't mix a Coral Banded Shrimp with a cleaner, the CBS will eat the cleaner.  Two or more shrimp of the same type require steady feeding to co-habitate...
I tend to think this is fresh high pH water mixing with LFS/shipping water containing wastes, thereby increasing the toxicity of ammonia/wastes in the bag water....thus they don't survive the acclimation.  Remove more of the bag water at first or replace more volume than a shot glass to overcome/dilute this faster. If salinity and temp are close this will help.  Good luck! Craig>

Re: Just wanted to share... Shrinking Shrimp, predatory Brittlestar?
This weekend I purchased four small peppermint shrimp hoping they would clean up some pesky Aiptasia in my tank.  I read all that I could find to try to make sure they would be safe, but alas, they became the most expensive food I've ever put in my tank!  I believe the green brittle star is the culprit.  All of the shrimp were gone within a few hours.  They were fairly small shrimp, but all of my fish are smaller than 3 inches long, so I'm pretty sure the brittle star got them.  My husband keeps trying to convince me that maybe the shrimp are hiding, but my tank is only 55 gallons and I would expect to see at least one of them around feeding time.  Anyway,
I just thought that I would share with other hobbyists that small shrimp are not necessarily safe with a medium to large size brittle star, regardless of what the LFS tells you!  Keep up the good work WWM crew!
<Thanks for the encouragement! It is always possible that the shrimp are hiding. I put a very expensive fire shrimp in my tank on Saturday...haven't seen him since. Shrimp are experts at hiding. Keep watching around feeding time. Best of luck! David>

Throw a Couple of Shrimp On The Barbie?
I have two new cleaner shrimp (Lysmata amboinensis) that are irritating my BTA. They probe its tentacles and walk on the anemone's stalk (it's foot is attached under a ledge and the oral disc hangs out into the light), and generally pick at it. They give it this attention even after being fed. Every time they walk on it, it folds up some, and the tentacles shrink away when whiskers brush against them.
<Very annoying...>
This attention is causing a general shrinking and folding, where before it was open fully and enjoying life. This started as soon as the shrimp started cleaning it. Will the anemone get accustomed to this attention, or should trade the shrimp in?
Tank 29 gallons/2x65W PC lighting/2" Caribbean aragonite/35 lb Fiji rock SG 1.026/Ph 8.2/79 F/CPR BakPak II/Penguin 550 PH/Aquaclear 200 with carbon Livestock: Ocellaris x2/2" Regal tang/Hammer coral/Zebra hermits x10/Scarlet
hermits x12/Trochus x9/Archaster star/Tuxedo urchin/Feather duster
x3/Grn star polyps
<A very frustrating problem, one that I have personal had, and hear about from others often. Unfortunately, I cannot give you any 100% certain answer...Sometimes the coral or anemone gets used to the shrimps' presence, other times it can be a terrible problem. If it were me, I'd give them another few days. If things don't improve for your anemone, I'd find a new home for the shrimp before it gets too bad for your BTA. Good luck! Scott F.>

Sexing Shrimp
Hi, you' all are always very helpful. One of my questions has to do with Skunk Cleaner Shrimp. I have two in my 65 gallon marine/reef tank and their very happy but I don't know which is female, male, or both sexes. At least one is and has been filled with young, green and enlarged rear end and has expelled the young in the tank before. I think the other one does as well but I'm not sure. My question is, do the eggs have to fertilized within the shrimp or outside. Could I maybe have two females and they expel unfertilized young? Thank you for your help,  Tim  
<Please take a look at this article, http://www.breeders-registry.gen.ca.us/Reprints/FAMA/v17_aug94/scarlet.htm. -Steven Pro>

Small Box fish and cleaner shrimp
I saw this cute little fellow at the LFS and he was about a inch long.  He was a yellow spot boxfish!
<Sometimes called a Boston Bean!>
His mouth looked as big as the point on a ball point pen.
Could he harm cleaner shrimp?  ( such a tiny cute little dude)
<Not while he's small>
How fast do the grow?  
<Moderately>
I saw in the general description that they eat anything too slow to get away.
<Eventually this will include cleaner shrimp!>
Is this true of this tiny mouthed box fish? (such a cute little dude)
<Yep!>
I will have a nest of cleaner shrimp.  And that is the only one thing that I'm settled on for stocking the 200plus tank.  So if They grow too fast, or would eat the shrimp at the present size, then I will kiss them good bye!
<There's another problem with this fish. They're not very hardy and are susceptible to parasites such as ich and velvet. If they die they will sometimes release toxin into the water that could take out your whole tank. Ya gotta watch out for the "cute" fish! They can be real trouble!>
Thanks
Keith
<My pleasure. Take a look at the Wetwebmedia website articles and facts to find much more information on this and thousands of other fish. David D.>

Shrimp, Shrimp, and More Shrimp!
Hey there 'ever-so-helpful' guys.
<Scott F. your guy this afternoon>
I have one Coral Banded Shrimp that sits at the back of my tank sitting upside down under a rock ledge... normal I assume.
<Yep- very natural behavior>
When my tank lights go out he wanders around foraging for a food.  It also appears as though he cleans my 3 butterflies (Aurigas? yellow face, white body, black dot?).
<That's great!>
I noticed the CBS chase around my small newly acquired Mandarin Goby. The Goby used to sleep on the rocks, but now sleeps in a little tunnel that my Pistol Shrimp made.
First question.  Is it odd that my Shrimp Goby, Pistol Shrimp, and
Mandarin Goby would all share the same tunnel system under some liverock in my tank at the same time?  One big happy family?
<Not common, but not totally unusual. Many fish can co-exist in situations like these. That's the beauty of nature, I guess...>
Don't know much about Pistol Shrimps other than he is pretty cool... but is there any chance of him shooting off his gun, stunning the Mandarin Goby and eating him? There has been no concern as of yet, just curious.
<Certainly not impossible, but very unlikely, and I wouldn't be overly concerned about this>
Side note: Pistol Shrimp's name is "Trigger", Mandarin is "Gonzo", and Shrimp Goby is "Moby"... ya I know I am cheesy.
<Nah! We have a frogfish named "Kermit"...So who am I to say anything!>
Second question.  I have read all about how Coral Banded Shrimps not getting along with other shrimps (i.e. tearing them limb from limb). There is a guy working at Big Al's who seems very knowledgeable about salt water aquariums and has a few tanks of his own...  I told him all about what I had read about how CBS reacts to other shrimp, yet he swears up and down that they should be fine together (i.e. a cleaner shrimp or two).
< Several Lysmata cleaner shrimp can get along, sure. But the CBS- not recommended. Strangers will generally fight... Which is not to say that it can't work, but...>
In a 90gallon setup with 90lbs of live rock, plenty of little tunnels, nooks, and caves... I decided to take the chance and see what happens.  It is possible and even common for these two to co-exist peacefully... right? Kinda like 50/50?????  I did notice the CBS chased my Cleaner (on his first night) slowly around the tank bottom last night for a little while.
<Well- keep an eye on this>
I was fully expecting to find CBS with a full belly this morning, but my Cleaner is still wandering around.  As mentioned before, my CBS also chased my mandarin goby around the first night but hasn't touched him since.  Perhaps this is just a message the CBS is portraying??
<Could be a protective gesture, and invitation to be cleaned-or to become dinner! You can't really tell...>
CBS conveniently has chosen a nook at the rear left of my tank leaving over 3/4 of the tank open for carefree Cleaner cruising...   In your opinion is it a big enough system to keep both of them alive?  Will the Cleaner take advantage of all those hiding spots if he is being bothered by CBS?
<I've seen it done- like I stated previously, just keep a close watch on everyone>
I'll keep you posted on the mortality rate of my Cleaner.
<Please do!>
Last Question.  My Cleaner Shrimp had a 'waiting room' full of 2 Butterflies while he was working on the 3rd Butterfly within 10 minutes of introduction to his new environment.  I have never seen a Cleaner Shrimp in action, and I gotta say it is one of the coolest things I have ever seen.
<Cool- and beneficial!>
The Cleaner cleans in a small little cave and reminds me of a massage parlor (hehe).  Fish seem to love it.  My Butterflies almost turn black/grey while they are cleaned... is this normal???
<Probably some kind of natural response- interesting, but no cause for alarm>
Last question, the butterflies sometimes peck at each other... fighting over who is getting cleaned first.  Is this something to be concerned about??
<Not really- there is a social hierarchy with lots of fish, and it comes into play in feeding, breeding, and, as you can see- cleaning!>
I was thinking of getting another Cleaner Shrimp to ease the workload and make my Butterflies happy.
<I'd be cautious about that...>
I think I will wait until my Cleaner has molted at least once to see if he survives the potential wraith of ALI (my CBS). Will Cleaners also clean Clowns, Gobies, Boxfish???  Just curious.
<Possibly- if the fish will let the shrimp approach>
Thanks guys, have a good weekend!! Dave
P.S.  My boxfish is named Rubix (as in the cube).... cool, eh?  Ok, yes I am really cheesy.  Hey, I saw a mature boxfish at Big Al's... those guys get pretty damn big.
<yes they do! Keep up the good work and the interesting observations of your animals! Good luck!>

Refugium, Shrimp, Equipment, etc.
Ok... I got the message about the quarantine tank.  I don't really have the $$$ right now, but I will setup before introducing more fish to my system.  
<Money well spent Dave! You will save the price of the QT many times over in healthy fish.>
With the exception of my Mandarin Goby (and the one night stay of my Dragon Wrasse), all creatures have been in my tank for three weeks this Tuesday.  All of the fish look fine and are feeding well, breathing properly, etc...   Of note... a part of my live rock forms a small cave / cubby hole about 4-5" high and 3-4" deep, my butterflies take turns swimming in there and just hanging out... weird??  
<Normal>
The butterflies look fine, I noticed that when I first turn the lights on in my tank they are almost grey towards their tails, yet after about 30 minutes with the lights on they turn back to a pretty nice white.  Is this a camouflage thing?  
<Yep, normal as well>
One of my butterflies has slight pinkish marks towards its gills that are hardly noticeable... perhaps they were there before... but the other butterflies don't have them.  A sign of disease perhaps? Or will all fish have some sort of small abnormalities??  
<Could be signs of a problem, or an individual thing...keep an eye on them. Pink or red around the gills could be a warning sign.>
Is it best to leave what I have alone in my tank and stick to the quarantine on all additions (<-->obvious).
<Absolutely....the fish you want to get isn't going anywhere! There will still be some left when your tank and other fish are ready.>
About the Coral Banded Shrimp, Big Al's keeps the Corals in with the Cleaners and Peppermint Shrimp at the store... they always seem to have them together.  
<So does Petco and a number of other retailers. They may move through them fast enough or they are overcrowded and stressed enough to not have a problem.  Also, they are most vulnerable after they molt, which also may not happen at the store.>
Will the Coral really feast on Cleaners??  As well, do you think the Cleaners can rid the Butterflies of any skin irritation????
<Yes, and Yes, of various parasites including ick.>
I am getting some white stuff growing on my filter hoses and powerhead in my tank as well as some brownish growth on any appliance part directly under my light source.  Do I just clean this stuff off when it develops? Is that common?
<You can clean this off if you want, it will regrow.  The algae can be scrubbed or scraped off. It's very common.>
Some other stuff that Big Al's told me that I would like your opinion on -  Hey, at what point do you start charging me? hehe...
<In just a moment here...>
I have a canister filter that is good for 150gallons... I was told to clean it about every 3-4 weeks at the time of water changes (was told to do 10-15% water changes monthly).  How exactly does one clean the filter??
<Change 25%. Use the old water to clean the waste and debris from the filter media. If it has carbon rinse new carbon to replace the old.>
  Tell me if I am correct in saying:  Stick the filter 'output' hose (the one that restores the filtered water to the tank) into a bucket to lower my water level (for water change).  Lift the filter pump hose out of the tank so it is sucking air to get rid of the water in the hose so that I can move it without getting water all over the place.  I guess my filter canister should be in a tub for all the water that's gonna come out when I open it, right?  
<Bucket, tub, sink or bathtub. Just hold the hoses higher than the canister. Yes, it can be used as a siphon.>  
I should leave the water in the canister but should rinse my rock off??  Is this correct?   
<If you are referring to the rock filter media, then a couple of five gallon buckets will work. Being careful to keep the media types separate, dump the rock media into the bucket and rinse it out with old tank water (not tap water) so as to preserve the biofiltration. Use this same procedure for all reusable filter media.>
Clean all my hoses and put back into tank after I have filled up my 10-15% with new premixed salt water?
<Aged 12-24 hours, heated, aerated, perhaps buffered water.>
Is there anything else that should be cleaned on a filter?
<The impeller in the pump portion in the top.>
Unfortunately my filter is a German one and there are no English instructions... so I am going by memory from what Big Al's told me. I also have, what I have been told, a really good protein skimmer.  In "Aquariums For Dummies" terms, what exactly does this do?  
<It removes wastes and byproducts.>
I was told I should have it 'skimming' 3-4 days a month and just circulating water the rest of the time.  Is this correct??
<You should have it running and skimming 24/7/365. Your skimmer should always be running and producing dark skimmate (waste).>
I noticed it is collecting some yellowish/brown water in it's receptacle over the past 3 weeks.  Obviously I dump the 'junk' but is there much to cleaning this piece of equipment as well?  Dump the salt water too? rinse with regular cold water and replace in my tank?
<Clean the collection cup and throat daily. The skimmer should be cleaned when making water changes or if it is coated with algae and crud.  Use hot water.>
Oh the novels one could write when they are bored at work.  I appreciate all your help and sorry for the novel, but I am a rookie with lots of questions.  Thankfully, my water tests have been really good.  I have tested every 3 days for first two weeks and will get another test this weekend. Dave
<No problemo Dave, we are all beginners at something!  Craig>

Peppermint Shrimp- Bushwhackers?
Hello WetWebMedia Crew!
I wanted to start by saying thanks to Scott for his last comments about my H. chrysus.  I took his advice and closely observed the little devil and found that he was not truly acting belligerent (no where near so much as the damsels I used to have anyway).  This saved me the chore of taking apart my live rock again to fish him out (okay, I couldn't resist).
<Glad that everything worked out!>
But to the point of this e-mail.  I added some button polyps not too long ago, and discovered (horror) the dreaded Aiptasia.  Since the little anemone was in the middle of one of my colonies, I ruled out medicinal treatments and resorted to the next best thing...the peppermint shrimp.  I added three
of the little buggers, and within four hours, although I did not see the picnic, the Aiptasia was gone.  Now they hang out under a rock which until this morning, used to be the home of my juvenile scissortail goby. I became a little worried this morning when I did not see him come out for breakfast.  He may not necessarily be the first one to the table, but he  has never failed to appear.  Then about two hours later, I saw what looked like a Hollywood death scene.  The scissortail, seemingly crawled from under his usual rock (where the peppermints are now residing), and went into a death spasm.  Upon close examination, I did not see any exterior wounds, but it looked like the flesh behind the lower jaw was missing!
<Yuck!>
Now I know the scissortail sleeps on the bottom, and being under the rock where the peppermints have decided to call home, could they have attacked him in his sleep?  Are they known for this kind of behavior?
<Well, they may have a dark side. Also, you might have the Pacific shrimp of the Rhynchocinetes family, which also prey on soft corals, and could possibly do some damage like what you witnessed. Just a possibility. They are a bit different than the true Peppermint shrimp, in that they have a large beak-type structure, called a rostrum. Just a thought.>
I looked through some of your FAQ's and saw a few entries, including one where these little Aiptasia eaters were lumped in with Usama Bin Laden's henchmen.
<But slightly more intelligent than the latter!>
And I am, now, a little worried about my button polyps,
mushrooms, and bubble tip anemone.  Should I be worried and evict these guys?
<Well, once again I will suggest a "wait and observe" tactic. Just because these animals are capable of doing the damage, doesn't mean that they are responsible (they probably are- but you just can't tell!) for what has happened. Keep a close eye out for damage to your corals, and be prepared to remove the shrimp if they are truly the perpetrators. And do verify the species that you have. Finally, look beyond the obvious again. Do you have any other creatures, such as crabs, or mildly predatory fish, which could have been responsible? Don't give up. You'll crack this case!
Thanks for all your help, you guys are great. Sincerely, Mark
<And thanks to YOU, Mark, for stopping by! Regards, Scott F.>

Shrimp, Algae, and More Shrimp!
Mr. Fenner,
< Hello! Scott F. tonight>
I have a few questions about my FOWLR tank. I recently bought my clean up crew, and it included two peppermint shrimp (Lysmata wurdemanni) as well as a scarlet cleaner shrimp (Lysmata debelius) as of now I do not have any fish in the tank, I'm having an algae bloom that includes the Cyano stuff and it has covered the glass and I didn't want to add the fish as of yet. My questions are many so I appreciate your time. First, what do the shrimp eat? 
<Your Lysmata wurdemanni will feed on small crustaceans, worms, etc. This species has been known to eat Aiptasia anemones as well. The L. debelius has similar dietary preferences, sans the Aiptasia>
I'm adding some freeze dried brine shrimp for the time being is that appropriate or do they need more, or will they get their food from scavenging the live rock? 
<A little of both>
Two, today I noticed one of the peppermint shrimp looked a little pale in color, could this be due to my tanks water parameters, or molting? Is molting known to occur more frequently after the "critter" is moved into new quarters, or is it due to stress? 
<Certainly a possibility-good observation>
If the peppermint has molted, that will have been the second animal that molted after being moved into the tank. Three, about my skimmer, which is an AquaC Remora with MJ 1200, do you know how long it will take to fully break in, its been on the tank for only a week now? I think it could be helping with the algae bloom, due to it not removing some of the phosphate products in the water, does this seem possible?
<The skimmer may take a couple of weeks to really "break in", but you need to make sure that it's adjusted for optimum performance. Suggest you talk to Jason Kim at Aqua C. He's a great guy and will be happy to answer questions about his fine skimmers. A skimmer is one of your best assets in the war against nuisance algae, so it is important that it runs at optimum efficiency>
Four, what can I do to lower phosphate levels in my tank to slow down the algae bloom? 
<Keep doing what you're doing-skim aggressively, execute regular water changes, and keep nutrient inputs (i.e; feeding, additives, etc.) to a minimum. This is a normal part of tank start up- lots of nutrients in the water for algae to use>
Lastly, should/can I scrape my glass free of the algae, I know it will probably come back but is that a good thing to do?
<I'd scrape it off if it bothers you. A certain growth of algae is to be expected, though.>
Here are my water parameters:
amm 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 7-10ppm
alk 5.5meq/L
dKH 15.4
Phosphate 0.1-0.25
Calcium 330ppm
Ph 8.0
Lighting - 12hours per day
Temp 78F
thanks for any help you can give
Mike
<Keep working on eliminating excess nutrients- read the resources about algae on the wetwebmedia.com site. You're doing fine. Good luck!>