Peppermint shrimp eating acan??????

[Sir Alex]

A few days ago one of my acans had its tentacles extend more than I had ever seen, so I gave it a fairly large piece of shrimp which was bigger than I though, so the coral didn't end up eating it all. But anyway, for the last two days its been super closed, but I wasn't terribly worried, since this coral has a tenancy for closing randomly. So just a few minuets ago I look and one of peppermint shrimps is sitting on the corals and most of the flesh is gone. Is that why it was so close?? I didn't think peppermint shrimp ate LPS corals???

 

[Northstar24]

There have been some reports of peppermints doing damage to LPS corals, if it was to eat the actual coral or steal food from it I don't know (I dont have any peppermints myself, my Melanurus would make short work of them)

 

[Smitty]

I hope your acan is ok...peppermint shrimp are known to eat dead/dying flesh, but hopefully it was just stealing the food from the coral.

 

[Sir Alex]

The food should be gone by now, and there's definitely less flesh than last time I looked.

I hope your acan is ok...peppermint shrimp are known to eat dead/dying flesh, but hopefully it was just stealing the food from the coral.

The coral looked okay before...

 

[Smitty]

Are you sure it's a peppermint shrimp and not a camel shrimp...they look very similar.

 

[Sir Alex]

Are you sure it's a peppermint shrimp and not a camel shrimp...they look very similar.

Definitely a peppermint...

 

[Smitty]

Yeah, I don't know bro...sorry. I hope the acan recovers.

 

[Samhain]

My peps have attacked my candy cane and my duncan. The duncan just had food ripped out of his mouth, but the candy cane lost a huge section of the side. The coral was perfectly healthy, and has recovered nicely, but if I have a chance to catch those little buggers they are SOOO out of here! I'm having to heavily overfeed the tank to keep those stinkers from nomming my corals again, and it has my phosphates and nitrates up. Phosphates are just detectable, but nitrates are hovering around 5-10, and they so shouldn't be at that level with only 2 fish in the tank. I may get a lion in there temporarily to take care of the shrimp problem, then tuck it into my FOWLR when I get that set up. Stupid pep skrimps! I hope you have luck with your little monster!

 

[Chain]

Yea peppermints can be nasty. I have three in my 29 that used to bite the hell out of me when I put my hands in the tank. They literally drew blood alot. Felt like little hyperdermic needles being stuck into my fingers. They despised me for some reason so I started using my elbow length gloves when working in my tank (definitely recommend this). That ended the painful relationship we shared but they still hop on the gloves and try to figure out a weakness. I call them Earl, Earl, and my other brother Earl. Anyone wants the devils ill give them away free. Should be easy to catch, all I have to do is stick my bare hand in there.