So I got a cleaner shrimp for my tank about a month ago. He appears to be healthy and I can't see anything wrong with him physcially. The problem that I have is that he wont come out from my rocks. He just hides under this little ledge. I've tried turning off all the powerheads for a short time to see if that made a difference and he came out ever so slightly. Recently I picked up 3 peppermint and i'm having the same problem with them. What's the deal? Am I doing something wrong? Is there a way to get them to come out?
Shrimp Hiding
- Thread starter gtoaster
- Start date
Bifferwine
I am a girl
They are shrimp. That's what they do. You're lucky you're seeing the peppermints at all, since they are nocturnal, most people hardly ever get to see them.
What kind of fish do you have? Do any of them go to the cleaner to get cleaned?
What kind of fish do you have? Do any of them go to the cleaner to get cleaned?
dcantucson
Reef pro
My peppermint shrimp stay hidden all the time during the day. Use a pen flashlight and look at night and I bet you'll see them out and about. Cleaner shrimp usually venture out from hiding unless there is something scaring them.
cthegame
Reef enthusiast
+1 all of the above.
In all of my reef experience, i only had 1 social peppermint, the rest have all been in hiding.
In all of my reef experience, i only had 1 social peppermint, the rest have all been in hiding.
yote
In Memoriam
I've got 10 or 12 pepperments and a couple of cleaners in my tank.The cleaners picked a ledge thats in the front,so I can at least see them.The pepperments are never out when the lights are on.
So what your shrimp are doing,is whats natural to em.
So what your shrimp are doing,is whats natural to em.
sen5241b
Reef enthusiast
Maybe they saw a bottle of cocktail sauce nearby.
dcantucson
Reef pro
:lol: :lol: :lol:
SeattleDarko
REEFER
I just saw one of the 3 peppermint shrimps in my tank this weekend before that it was the week I had got them 3 months ago? I have a pistol shrimp too, been even longer since I have seen him. I even sit with the light off and look for them A LOT!
daugherty
part time reefer
turn out the light and after a bit put some food in the tank they will come out
Melosu58
Reef enthusiast
Also in cases of molting they will always hide for a few days so their exoskeleton can harden. IMO dont try to push them out in the opening. They are their for a reason.
not that I'm an expert in this at all! I'm a complete beginner...but my cleaner shrimp was hiding for just about a week after getting him, then all of a sudden he decided to come out and run around the whole place. Not sure if he needed to get acclimated to his new home or he came out to welcome our new clownfish or what it was - but I'm thrilled to see him running around.
parrotchute
DUSTOFF MEDEVAC
+1 James...I never see mine unless there's food out there. Even, then, I barely ever see my pep's, usually it's the blood shrimp.
Once the lights go out, drop a pellet and wait; once they smell it, one might pop out and drag it back under his rock.
Zissou
What about my dynamite?
My peppermints are crazy. I have three of them who hide under the same rock all day, but once food hits the water they forsake their temple and dash out into the open like addicted maniacs. :shock:
winyfrog
Yep!
You are seeing what you should as far as shrimp goes. My cleaner shrimp in my 180 has a ledge that he hangs out on (his cleaning station) he does come out to eat. My peppermints I think they are still there at least I've not seen any aiptasia. I have a pistol shrimp in my nano and I get to see him maybe once a month when his hole is out front.
I have a fire and cleaner in my 850 and sometimes I see there antanae. But I also have triggers in that tank so they stay hidden.
What kind of fish do you have in the tank?
I have a fire and cleaner in my 850 and sometimes I see there antanae. But I also have triggers in that tank so they stay hidden.
What kind of fish do you have in the tank?
Thanks for all the responses! My peppermint shrimp have started coming out a little more and i've noticed that most of the aptasia I had is now gone so they must be coming out at night. I don't have any fish that should be a problem for them I don't think, a couple clowns, a couple chromis, a couple cardinalfish, a foxface and a red tail wrasse.
winyfrog
Yep!
Keep an eye on your red tail wrasse (is he a tamarin), he may start looking to eat your shrimp when he gets older, they like shrimp, crabs and snails.
Hiker4twenty
Reef enthusiast
Some shrimps are just creeps and don't like to show themselves. I've had a fire shrimp and have only saw him a handfull of times since I put him in 2 months ago.
project5k
Reef enthusiast
considering that i have an 18 or so inch long snowflake eel, is there any chance that i can have shrimp in my tank, for any length of time? or will the eel just gobble them up?
Hiker4twenty
Reef enthusiast
If you have some shrimp pellets you might be able to coax them out with that.
