Evil Coral Banded Shrimp??

[smmagui]

As I am fairly new to the hobby you may find this to be a stupid question. I have a 20 gallon tank that i was learning with before I moved my tire track eel into a new tank and used the 55 for sw. I bought a "Cleaner Crew" from livetropicals.com great site but did not mention they would be sending a possessed coral banded shrimp.. Anyhow, my question is after seeing Kane as I call him devouring 23 total hermit crabs, and a serpent star (I think the blennie helped on that one) should I a)move him into the new tank when I add the cleaning crew to it in a few weeks> and 2)if they are normally safe and peaceful should I order another with my second crew or avoid them althogther? Thanks for all your help, and I love the site. Great work on it and great advice.

Shawn

[squibley2]

The banded coral shrimp will sometimes make it hard to keep corals as they clean them they can damage the coral and then feed of the coral as it leaks. I would not put one in any tank of mine but that is just my opinion.

[smmagui]

Originally Posted by squibley2

The banded coral shrimp will sometimes make it hard to keep corals as they clean them they can damage the coral and then feed of the coral as it leaks. I would not put one in any tank of mine but that is just my opinion.

For the time being as I still dont know where Im living from year to year(wife and I are far from settled in careers) its going to be a fowlr tank...I was hoping to here your response as Im not a fan of them, butit was new at the time...Thanks alot for responding.

[jhnrb]

Stenopus hispidus - Banded coral shrimp

* Apprx. to 4" long
* Tropical seas
* Min. aquarium size: moderate tanks 50 gal or larger.
*lighting not an issue
* Scavenger. Most meaty foods are fine.
* Agressive, may attack other shrimps and crustaceans. Preys on snails and worms.
* Hardy animal that is often a first invertebrate for many beginning aquarists. It will actively clean fishes, but is a facultative predator on other animals, as well as being a scavenger. Will eat polychaete worms and will sometimes decimate a population of these helpful animals. Tends to be very aggressive toward other crustaceans, and may attack and kill scarlet cleaner shrimps, camelbacks, or hermit crabs. Best kept singly or in mated pairs to avoid deadly battles between individuals. HOPE THIS HELPS A BIT. GOOD LUCK. ( your system is too small for this shrimp so its aggression will be amplified.).

[Ironman]

I agree with jhnrb that your tank is to small anyway. honestly ive had the same coral banded shrimp for 3 years now and havent ever seen him bother anything, I also have two fire shrimp,and two cleaner shrimp and they all leave each other alone, ive never seen him bother my blue leg hermits or snails, however I did add 100 nassarious obsolte snails about a year ago and one by one kept finding them dead, until now I didnt have a clue what happend but maybe the shrimp ate them. anyway I would probly avoid getting another one either way, try getting a fire shrimp or a cleaner shrimp.

[d.french]

some people get lucky with them but i have recently find out that because of my new one i have been losing hermit crabs and all my shrimp like cleaner and peppermints.

[djnzlab1]

HI,
I have only been keeping saltwater a very short time, but have come to the conlusion that many animals are oppertunist feeders and relly primarly on feeding on anything or everything in the tank. My hermits managed to kill a small conch and each other. Its like survivial of the fittest, and I am now watching for a pecking order.
Its like each rock can support a couple citters and any more become food for the stronger.
Fish either school or move in to a cave and fight with everything that comes near their cave, be it blenny, crab, or shrimp.
Its a jungle and crowding and death will result.
Over feeding can also trigger a spike and mortality goes up.
I have put all my new purchases on hold tilll I figure this out..
Doug

[jhnrb]

Good for you doug. always educate on the problem at hand and when ready you will be better able to provide for the animals. congrats on a good decision most are not willing to take. keep us posted.