L. wurdemanni F

FAQs about Peppermint Shrimp, Lysmata wurdemanni

Related Articles: Hippolytid Cleaner Shrimp, A Few Common Shrimps for the Marine Aquarium by James W. Fatherree,

Peppermint Shrimps and Hydrozoans 10/13/12
Hey guys,
<Hello Chris>
A few weeks ago I bought 3 Peppermint shrimp, as I was killing off more Aiptasia than I used to (I know there's mixed reviews on their usefulness, but I thought I'd give them a go, as an added bonus, my 4 year old loves shrimp, though, of course, he rarely sees them as they spend most of their time in the rock-work). About 6 days after introducing them to my display tank the little Aiptasia "saplings" I'd left for them had disappeared.
"Ah ha", thought I, "handy little guys".
<Handy and efficient as well although they tend to ignore the larger Aiptasia.>
In the process of checking around for any Aiptasia they might have missed, I noticed the 3 hydrozoans I had been procrastinating removing (as it would involve removing rock-work) were missing in action, too. Have you ever heard of Peppermint shrimp consuming them as well?
<Quite common but an often overlooked fact.>
No idea if this is common, but I thought I would share with the crew and community at large.
Thanks, as always,
Chris
<Thanks for sharing>
<Jordan>

broken web link 6/19/12
Hi,
I was just checking around various sites that have a link to one of our books and discovered that the link to "How To Raise & Train Your Peppermint Shrimp" by April Kirkendoll (listed on your links page as "Raising
Peppermint Shrimp") has a very old URL which is no longer working.
The updated URL for the newest edition of the book is _www.LysmataPublishing.com/shrimp.html_
(http://www.LysmataPublishing.com/shrimp.html)
Thank you,
Sydney Collier
Sales Manager, Lysmata Publishing
_www.LysmataPublishing.com_ (http://www.LysmataPublishing.com)
Re: broken web link 6/19/12
Hi,
 The bad link is listed as "Raising Peppermint Shrimp" under the "Publications" section of your helpful weblinks page. About 10 down from the top of the list.
_http://www.wetwebmedia.com/WWMAdminSubWebIndex/general_links_pg.htm_
(http://www.wetwebmedia.com/WWMAdminSubWebIndex/general_links_pg.htm )
The updated link would be for that listing is:
_www.LysmataPublishing.com/shrimp.html_
(http://www.LysmataPublishing.com/shrimp.html )
<Ahh, thank you. Will fix on the morrow. BobF>
Thanks again,
Sydney Collier

Lysmata wurdemanni ID 6/1/12
Can you please confirm or deny that this is indeed a Lysmata wurdemanni?
<Confirmed.>
Since I have gotten this shrimp I have lost six fish.
<The shrimp played no part in the deaths.>
Some of them I can not find in the tank at all and others I have found him eating?
<Shrimp eat decaying material- it's what they do.>
I don't want an ammonia problem to start because of unfound decaying fish and while moving rocks to find their bodies the shrimp will try to attack our hands.
<More cleaning than attacking.>
The shrimp seems darker red than other I have seen or had. Also his markings seem slightly different than other pictures I have looked up for comparison. Your site is a wealth of knowledge I have found to be vital and I thank you all for that.
<Always good to hear.>
Jenni
<Jordan>

Lysmata wurdemanni's killer/Shrimp Compatibility 1/24/12
Hi Crew!
I'm from Italy so pardon me for my English...
<Much better than from many English speaking queriors.>
I'm trying to win the war against the Aiptasia (Glass Anemones) that infested my LR/LPS/SPS/Fish 60g tank.
I've tried different solutions (Red-Sea AiptasiaX, Salifert one, vinegar, etc..) without success.
I've bought 4 Lysmata wurdemanni but after 3 weeks they suddenly disappeared. One of them I saw in the claws of my Stenopus hispidus, but I really don't know if the Stenopus killed the wurdemanni or someone else in the tank did the job and the Stenopus simply had the lunch.. :(
<The Coral Banded Shrimp is aggressive toward other shrimp including it's own kind unless a mated pair.>
Before introducing other, and so expensive, wurdemanni I was wondering which tank inhabitant(s) take out from the tank to avoid the wurdemanni to be killed again.
The tank inhabitants are:
1 Halichoeres Hortulanus - Checkerboard Wrasse (15 cm)
<Larger specimens have been known to attack/eat shrimp.>
1 Lo Vulpinus (12 cm)
4 Amphiprion Ocellaris (from 3 to 7 cm)
3 Chromis Viridis (3/4 cm)
2 Pseudanthias squamipinnis (4/5 cm)
1 Zebrasoma flavescens (7 cm)
1 Paracanthurus Hepatus (6 cm)
1 Stenopus Hispidus (6 cm - only the body)

1 Blennius Gattorugine (8 cm)
6 Enctmea <Entacmaea > quadricolor (red BTA)
<Another good possibility, especially with six BTAs present. You did not state your nitrate level and Peppermint shrimp will not tolerate high nitrate levels and do require an iodine/dide supplement.>
I know that the wrasses have shrimps in their diet, but I'm very afraid to take him out from the tank and not be able to see his amazing livery anymore... :(
Could be the Stenopus the wurdemanni's killer instead? In this case, say goodbye to a Stenopus will be not so painful to me.
<I would definitely start by removing this shrimp. The Nudibranch, Berghia verrucornis, is also known
to eat Aiptasia as well as (depending on their eating personalities)
Copperband and Raccoon Butterflyfish, but your tank is a bit small for the later two. You may want to read here as well.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_1/cav1i3/aiptasia_impressions/aiptaisia
_impressions.htm>
Thanks in advance for any suggestion and for the great job all the Crew do.
<You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
Leonardo (Italy)
Re Lysmata Wurdemanni's killer/Shrimp Compatibility <<RMF>> 1/24/12
Thanks a lot for the prompt reply and for the precious suggestions.
<You're welcome.>
So I start with taken the hispidus out of the tank. I didn't understand the relationship between BTA's and nitrates.. :0
<Was relating to the Peppermint Shrimp although BTAs appreciated water low in nitrates.>
In my tank the nitrates are always not-detectable..and the BTA continue splitting.
<Great.>
Do you think that I may leave the wrasse in the tank?
<It's your risk to take. At 15cm (6 inches) in length it would be very well capable
of making a meal out of a Peppermint Shrimp if not well fed. I'd try adding one Peppermint Shrimp and observe. Since shrimp have a hard exoskeleton, I'm not so sure now that a BTA's sting would be powerful enough to kill/stun a shrimp. The shrimp are generally smart enough to avoid these creatures.
I will ask Bob for his valuable input on this.><<From ayer's mail, I see this is a Halichoeres hortulanus... will get bigger and VERY likely consume any shrimp in time. I would not place these together. RMF>>
Regards,
<Ditto. James (Salty Dog)>
Leonardo
Re Lysmata wurdemanni's killer/Shrimp Compatibility 1/26/12
<Hello Leonardo>
This is what I suppose too.
I'll try to catch him and find him another home ;)..
<Good luck.>
Which is, in your experience, the best way to catch an hortulanus?
<I've never tried catching one but using two nets is definitely a plus.
Might want to read here for additional help/ideas.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/netfaqs.htm>
I know he used to sleep in the sand bed...May I try to catch him with a net while he's sleeping?
<Yes, might want to cover the area it sleeps in with a suitable glass/plastic container then hold a cover over the top once he is in the container.>
Any input will be welcome.
Regards,
<Ditto. James (Salty Dog)>
Leonardo
Mail
not so sure now that a BTA's sting would be powerful enough to kill/stun a shrimp. 1/26/12
<Indeed... the sticky, stinging cnidocysts... they are!>
The shrimp are generally smart enough to avoid these creatures.
I will ask Bob for his valuable input on this.><<From ayer's mail, I see this is a Halichoeres hortulanus... will get bigger and VERY likely consume any shrimp in time. I would not place these together. RMF>>
The above is what I was asking for input on. I believe I told the querior about the wrasse eventually making a meal of the shrimp.
Cheers,
James
<And you, B>

Peppermint shrimp injury? 9/19/11
Hello!
<Hi>
My fiancé© and I have been reading your forums on peppermint shrimp and haven't found anything applicable, so we hope you don't mind that we're asking our own question. Apologies if you had the answer somewhere and we missed it.
<No problem.>
We recently received a hand-me-down 20 gallon tank, and decided to try our hands at a saltwater aquarium (we're starting fish only for now). Neither of us have any experience with fish at all, so we've been trying to read as much as possible, and have been following plenty of advice from our local fish store.
<Ok>
We have spent the last 3+ weeks cycling the water and trying to get all the levels perfect (our tank has 21lbs of live rock to jump start this). We initially dealt with high nitrate and nitrite levels, and a minor Aiptasia issue, but everything cleared up after a 15% water change. Four days ago we finally had everything ready and all of our levels were great, and we added 6 tiny hermit crabs and 2 peppermint shrimp (as we were told these might be a way to ward off possible Aiptasia in the future). We're waiting another week or so before getting our 2 Nano clowns, as we really want to be certain everything is stable before adding more life to the tank.
<Sounds good.>
In the process of getting the shrimp into our tank, one of them decided to jump and landed on the floor outside of the tank (we were not warned they were jumpers!). We scooped him up and got him in the tank as quickly as we could, and so far he's survived, but he doesn't quite seem normal. He doesn't swim around like the other one and most of the time stays in one of holes in the live rock, coming out only to walk around that large piece of rock cleaning/looking for food. We know they are nocturnal, so hiding during the day is to be expected, but even when the lights are off we still haven't seem him venture more than half an inch from his favored hole, while his counterpart swims all over the place and has a blast exploring and bouncing from rock to rock.
We are assuming that he was injured in the jump/fall, but seeing as he hasn't died yet and it's been 4 days, is there anything we can do to help him get better? Or are we really just waiting for him to die?
<Sounds like pretty typical peppermint shrimp behavior to me, I would not be too concerned about it.>
Thank you so much for all of your help!
- Natalie
<Welcome>
<Chris>

Who Is Eating My Peppermint Shrimp? -- 09/16/10
Good evening to all,
<<Afternoon Jeanne>>
I have a mystery that I hope you can solve.
<<I'll try!>>
This aquarium is a 65 gallon Red Sea with lots of corals (nothing difficult: mushrooms, torch and frogspawn, brain corals, lots of zoos)
<<Mmm, okay'¦>>
and I have been dealing with an outbreak of Aiptasia
<>
(It is particularly attacking the zoos.).
<<Just likely more 'susceptible' to the attack/stinging of the Aiptasia versus being specifically 'targeted' re>>
On several occasions, I have purchased peppermint shrimp,
<<More likely 'not' to help than otherwise, in my opinion>>
carefully acclimated them,
<<What does this entail I wonder -- very susceptible to rapid changes in salinity/specific gravity -- 'drip' acclimation is best here>>
watched them ensconced in their cave, eating, etc.
<<Not necessarily an indicator that 'all is well'>>
only to find that after a few days, they have completely vanished.
<<A common tale I think (have seen/heard of such more than a few times)'¦ The possibility of predation aside, any mishandling during collection/shipping/acclimation seems to result in the quick 'disappearance' of these shrimp in the hobbyist's system>>
I do not think it is the purple Firefish, pearly Jawfish or the dispar and tuka Anthias,
<<Agreed -- unless the shrimp were 'very tiny'>>
so here is the list of suspects:
small flame-tipped Tomini tang
Swissguard Basslet
solar fairy wrasse
exquisite fairy wrasse
ornate leopard wrasse
<>
All are between 2 and 3 inches long and I have had them all at least a year. I feed very well and a very varied diet (mostly frozen, some gel).
<<Good to know'¦so many hobbyists 'starve' their fishes in my estimation>>
However, there is no refugium on this tank. There is also a small emerald (Mithrax) crab.
<<A possible culprit here'¦large/larger specimens have been known to attack/eat small fishes>>
The most aggressive fish is the tang, but I am leaning toward the (typically piggy) fairy wrasses.
<<Not out of the question>>
The leopard wrasse is also a dominant fish but has a very small mouth,
<<But can bash about and break up the shrimp for eating if so desired -- though I think it unlikely here (but still dependant on the size of the shrimp)
and is buried at night when the shrimp would be more active.
<<Wouldn't stop it if it decided it wanted the shrimp (you have likely notices the wrasse' 'search and destroy' method of browsing for food during the day>>
I use Joe's Juice but would prefer a more natural solution,
<<Red Sea's Aiptasia-X works very well in my experience>>
especially in the smaller tank.
<<Shouldn't be an issue>>
I don't think the tang would tolerate a copper-banded butterfly.
<<And not a good solution considering your tank size/stocking density>>
(Maybe you can tell me if Professor Plum used a candlestick in the conservatory?)
<<Maybe the Mithrax'¦and not pointing fingers at you (could have occurred anywhere along the 'chain'), but more likely a handling/acclimation issue>>
Thanks for all your help as always,
Jeanne Brown
<<Happy to share'¦ Eric Russell>>
Re: Who Is Eating My Peppermint Shrimp? -- 09/16/10
Thank you for the response.
<<Quite welcome>>
I do drip acclimate and I have other tanks with peppermint, anemone and cleaner shrimp so I am familiar with their care.
<<Excellent>>
They were all about 1" long.
<<Mmm, small indeed'¦ This 'is' desirable considering the short lifespan of these animals (one likes to get'em young), but can be a double-edged sword when trying to introduce them to systems with 'crustacean' predators, even those that normally go for the really small stuff (Mysids, amphipods, the larger copepods) like your fishes. Considering this, along with how well/often you feed your fish and the fact the shrimp weren't attacked/immediately perceived as food upon introduction, I still think it likely the shrimp simply did simply did not survive the whole shipping/handling/acclimation process. Of course, there's the Mithrax to consider too>>
I was interested to learn you do not find them particularly effective for Aiptasia,
<<Not at all, no. There are 'instances' where folks have reported success re, but I find far more often than not they simply do not live up to expectation -- and I find their own opportunistic predatory nature to be of counter-benefit in a reef system>>
and I am encouraged that you don't discourage the use of products rather than a biological solution.
<<Biological solutions are great -- where they work and/or are 'practical' to apply. But in some instances, commercially prepared controls are indeed necessary -- as when attempting to control an outbreak of Aiptasia. The Aiptasia-X works very well (better than any other such product I've seen in more than three decades in the hobby); though as I always state, is still not a panacea. It will need to be applied 'as necessary' to control the nuisance anemones, but it 'is' effective. It will take a little time to rid a large infestation, and do also be aware that short of nuking (bleaching) the tank and rockwork you will have Aiptasia pop up now and again'¦forever -- but give them a shot of the Aiptasia-X when you see them and you will find they 'can be' easily controlled>>
Thanks again for your help.
<<Good Luck! EricR>>

Peppermint Shrimp/Health 2/15/10
Hi,
<Hello Mike>
I have a 150g marine tank, 30g sump, 40g holding tank in line for more capacity, with 1 Yellow Tang, 2 damsels, 1 Chromis, 2 Percula Clowns, 4 Emerald Crabs, 1 sally crab <Sally Lightfoot>, many hermit crabs, and 2 cleaner shrimp (the ones with long white antenna).
<Ah yes, the Longnostrus antenataelus :-)>
My question is every time I add some peppermint shrimp, they die over night. Are the cleaner shrimp killing them?
<Likely the opportunistic feeding Emerald Crabs and/or improper acclimation. Shrimp are very sensitive to abrupt changes in water parameters, and
Emerald Crabs will pose a risk to all ornamental shrimp.>
Temp is 76F, PH 8.3, Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 0. Thanks for any help.
<You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
Mike
Re Peppermint Shrimp/Health And James Who Doesn't Have The Heart To Correct " Longnostrus antenataelus" 2/15/10
Subject: re: peppermint shrimp
How long would you suggest an acclimation period be? I did a drip method for 2 hours.
<That should be fine.>
One of the Longnostrus antenataelus was also bought at the same time and survived after acclimation.
<As mentioned earlier, could be a predatory problem re the Emerald Crab(s), and quite often, shrimps will attempt to molt in a new system and may have gone into hiding until it's new exoskeleton hardens. There is also the likelihood the shrimp may have been in poor health to begin with.>
Thanks,
<You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
Mike

Peppermint shrimp vomited? -- 08/23/09
A couple days ago one of the peppermint shrimp spewed out of it's mouth a cloud of white. Almost reminded me of when my margarita snail released a sperm cloud but, the shrimp cloud though white, was not as much nor as dense.
Yet I did see something. Anyone have knowledge on what it was. The shrimp eat freeze dried Mysis, krill bits or anything else the fish miss plus I give the carnivore invertebrates a silverside about once a week. Karen Campbell
<Got me... perhaps regurgitation as you speculate; maybe even parasitic.
Bob Fenner>
OH BTW I have 2 of the 3 peppermint shrimp carrying eggs. When will these be shed?
<Could be anytime to weeks... See WWM re Lysmata spp. repro.>

Peppermint Shrimp 8/10/09
Hey there,
<Elliot>
Beginners panic, I'm sure, but a bit of reassurance from someone who knows better is always good, right?
<Perhaps>
Just cycled my tank (350 litres, 45 kg of cured live rock), so I assumed it was okay to start putting in my cleaner crew. Among these, I decided to buy a couple of peppermint shrimp
<Mmm, not really "cleaners">
- I thought that some growths on the rock may be Aiptasia!
<Ok>
Now - I did a drip method to acclimatize the shrimp. I first left the bag floating in the tank for the temperatures to equalize. Next, I started some of my tank's water syphoning into the bag, using a clamp to get roughly one drip a second. I left this for longer than is needed, a whole four hours
(adverse effects?).
<Mmm, not necessarily>
After this, I netted the shrimp and put it into the tank. Obviously, they disappeared quickly into my live rock, I assumed that this was normal.
However, 2 minutes later, I sat down to have a look at the tank, and saw a shrimp's skeleton floating past in the current. Obviously, I wasn't too pleased, being a beginner I didn't really know what to make of it. I know that shrimp do molt, and wondered if they were perhaps stressed into doing this?
<Maybe a predator... in your live rock>
I also wondered whether (eek!) the shrimp may have died...
<That... or... could be a moult, brought on by stress>
It think it's worth noting that only one shrimp molted - I heard that this was part of mating for peppermints. They had been the only two in the shop's tank for some time, but I would of thought it very unlikely for
mating to be the case, due to the stress of movement and whatnot.
<Doesn't necessarily imply reproduction or even growth>
As for my parameters - SG of 1.024, temp of 26 degrees C, no ammonia is present - or at least not a traceable amount, nitrites and nitrates (I keep getting confused between the two!) are both at what my Red Sea Marine Lab kit says is normal, pH is 8.1 - 8.2 (is that a little on the low side?).
For future reference, when posing questions, what other information is needed?
<Please peruse WWM re... various shrimp group's needs... for these sorts of animals, Ca, Mg, Alkalinity...>
I thought it is too much of a coincidence to be something not worth mentioning, but I could be wrong!
Thanks so much for any help!
Elliot.
<Don't panic! (shades of Doug Adams)... But do keep reading, enjoying. Be chatting, Bob Fenner>

Rose Anemone Being Eaten. BT Anemone Compatibility 4/21/2009
<Hi Toby>
I have had a rose anemone for about six months.
<Bubble Tip Anemone: Entacmaea quadricolor>
I have had no problems with it until about a week ago.
<OK>
It looks like several tentacles have been bitten in half and some cut down to the base. Is something eating it or are the tentacles dying?
<Yes>
Here is a list of what is in my 55 gallon tan:.
2 clown fish,
1 flame angel,
1 skunk clown,
1 bi-color blenny,
1 sand sifting blenny,
1 yellow tang,
3 peppermint shrimp, <Ding... We have a winner>
turbo snails,
red and blue legged crabs.
I have never seen anything bother it.
<You won't, Peppermint shrimp generally will not come out unless it is dark. Peppermint shrimp eat anemones.>
The clown and skunk both occupy it. I also had a sand sifting star fish for months with no problems then almost in a weeks time something nibbles away all its arms. I cant figure it out.
<Difficult to say definitively, but I would suspect the peppermint shrimp here as well, as they are not "reef safe".>
Thanks, any info would be appreciated.
<My pleasure>
Toby
<Mike>

Peppermint Shrimp and Friend ID Question - 6/21/08 Hi Wet Web Media crew! <Hi there, Allison!> I've searched the site and not come up with an ID for my shrimp larvae. <Sorry about that!> I have Peppermint shrimp and have been attempting to follow April Kirkendall book "How to raise and train your Peppermint shrimp." <Neat! Are you going to get a teeny little whip, like on the cover? Hehee!> So far I get about two weeks and they die, I think I need to be more vigorous with my water quality. <Here are a few links that may help: http://www.marinebreeder.org/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=1275&sid=8c4815b2daa467d53cbb2d1dc1f476b0 http://www.marinebreeder.org/phpbb/viewforum.php?f=85 http://w3.dsi.uanl.mx/publicaciones/maricultura/vi/pdf/A18.pdf > Well, my question about shrimp ID.... Last night I watched my shrimp scoot across the tank and shoot out her babies, <Wheeeee!> ..there were multiple birthing mothers at the same time, got to see one molt and breed, very cool. There were three molts and literally thousands of shrimp, but there were two kinds! <Surprise!> The following photos (I hope you can see them) <I'm sorry to say that I can only see the difference in size.> ..are 1st of the Peppermint shrimp by themselves, the middle picture shows both kinds so you can see the size difference, and the last picture shows my mystery shrimp by themselves. I have 7 Peppermint shrimp in my tank, I had 5 I ordered online and then my husband went to our LFS for the others and they looked a little different, but I can't really see remarkable differences to tell them apart. <Indeed, the Lysmata species commonly called Peppermint shrimp are very similar in appearance. The differences can be small/not obvious at all.> Could some be Lysmata wurdemanni and some L. rathbunae? <Could be, but apparently Lysmata rathbunae tends to live in deeper waters, so what you have is more likely one of several other very similar shallow water species from the western Atlantic. For more information see the following paper. There's an in depth discussion of new species and detailed information/drawings of each: http://decapoda.nhm.org/pdfs/27306/27306.pdf > How do we tell these apart? <See above link.> Wouldn't the larvae look more similar? Could they be Mysis? <They could be, but adult Mysids are much larger than hours old Peppermint/Lysmata larvae and look like this: http://limnology.wisc.edu/personnel/ojensen/mysis.jpeg > I saw one website that had two pictures (of Lysmata rathbunae and L. wurdemanni) and they looked identical, but one (L.R) had a yellow mass toward its cephalothorax <I've seen that as well on the French site. The apparent "mass" is located on top, in the middle. I believe that it's the shrimp's stomach but I'm not sure. It's important to note that the appearance is completely different from the yellowish masses you occasionally see on the *sides* of Lysmata shrimps. These are instead parasitic isopods called Bophyrids and clearly stick out away from the side of the body as a lump. See this link for more photos/info: http://www.qualitymarineusa.com/article.asp?page=feature&id=968EF63B-2D1D-469A-847A-8E8541B12BE4 > (it was hard to read, it was in French and I'm really rusty on that!). I looked at your http://www.wetwebmedia.com/shrimpidfaqs.htm page and can't seem to figure this out... Anyhow, any idea on the babies would be helpful. <Here are a couple of links with different species of Lysmata larvae shown: http://www.meerwasserlarven.de/garnelen/lysmata_rathbunae_engl.htm http://www.meerwasserlarven.de/garnelen/lysmata_bogessi_engl.htm > Can I raise the two types together or should I remove the USOs? <As long as they're not Mysids, and the shrimp are closely related species, I'd think that it would be okay to keep them together. It would make an interesting study. However, if you find out that you do in fact have two different species, you might want to keep them separate to prevent any interbreeding. Here are some helpful links: http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/pfk/pages/item.php?news=494 http://www.marinebreeder.org/phpbb/viewtopic.php?p=1275&sid=8c4815b2daa467d53cbb2d1dc1f476b0 > http://www.marinebreeder.org/phpbb/viewforum.php?f=85 > Thanks so much for all you do to make this hobby easier! Allison <It's a real pleasure. Take care and good luck with your little shrimp babies! --Lynn>

2002-2008, A Neo-con Odyssey... RMF

MY PEPPERMINT SHRIMP HAD BABIES 04/05/2008 Hello Crew <<Hello, Andrew today>> So COOL!.... I like to turn on my blue light late at night to see what is moving around after all the regulars are asleep. I saw what I took at first to be snow but then when I looked closer they moved you can see the tail and tiny legs moving around. they are about 1mil and hang tail up in the water when they are not actively swimming. Looks like some are tiny to small to see detail just moving purposefully and others big enough to see they resemble my shrimp 2 of which had full bellies prior. I have a 65 gal salt reef tank set up in Aug of 07 with 60lbs live rock and 2inch of live sand. I have had very little problems with my tank when I set up. I currently have 3 peppermint shrimp (had since almost day 1) lots of hermit crabs (lost track) snails, med brittle star, 2 emerald crabs, a few mushroom polyps, small frogspawn a few zoos. 1 Goldstripe maroon clown, coral beauty, 6 line wrasse, 2 blue Chromis, 2 small yellow damsels, and a mandarin goby. I partially just wanted to say WOW so COOL. BUT I also wanted to know if there was anyway I could keep some of these babies alive before they become food. I was thinking of setting up a hasty baby tank if they can last until I can pick up a tiny mesh net. But then what do I feed them is it possible to keep some of them.. Whatya think?? <<There is the possibility it could be baby shrimp, could also be pods too. Either way, left in the tank with your stock, they will become food. To rear shrimp, all moved to another tank would be needed and fed once per day on very finely ground food, low flow>> Lisa <<Hope this helps, thanks for the questions. A Nixon>>

Attacking peppermints? Aggression, a symptom of overcrowding (marine Nano) 3-24-08 & to Sm. SW stkg... Hello all! <<Hello.>> I've had my 20 gallon Nano for about 3 years. <<Not a bad run for a Nano.>> All running great till now. <Uh-oh.>> 1.025, 4.5 Alk mEq, undetectable ammonia, nitrite, 5ppm nitrate. <<Acceptable.>> Inhabitants are 3 peppermint shrimp, 4 hermits, and an emerald crab (picked up as a hitch hiker a year ago), <<Just keep a close eye on the latter.>> tomato clown, blue damsel, and scooter goby (I know small tank, but for some reason I have a lot of tiny inverts growing the scooter eats...I see them on the glass and sand. My tank never seems to run out. <<Yes but how long have you had the dragonet? This is still not an ideal environment for him, especially with the two other tankmates which will compete for said microcrustaceans as well.>> Which is another reason I'm scared to move him into the 150gallon. <<Depending on the specifications of the 150 gallon, it certainly sounds like a more desirable niche for him based on size alone.>> Anyhow I've had him for 2 years and he gets bigger and bigger...I'm sure he'll be moved at some point). <> Okay onto my point. Being a Nano the tomato and damsel are now in the 150gallon as they are too big for the little cube. <<Agreed good move.>> I bought 2 ocellaris and one fire fish, about 2 inches or less each for the Nano. <<Too many fish.>> The new fish were great in quarantine. When I moved them into the Nano all appeared easy breezy. 2 hours later one of the ocellaris fin was ragged. So I'm thinking the 3 new comers are no longer friends. Next morning the clown is dead and being devoured by all, hermits, peppermints, green emerald. <<Normal behavior for said detritivores.>> I've since replaced the clown but now the fire fish looks stressed. So, Here's the deal. At night, with lunar lights on, the fire fish wants to lay in its hole or on the sand but the peppermints chase it. The emerald, with claws up is trying to catch him as well. So I remove the emerald (his old mates were too big to touch but it seems the new guys aren't). <<Now you know what the phrase opportunistic omnivore means.>> I'm thinking Friday night fights are done...not soooo! All the peppermints are actively chasing this poor fire fish! What's the deal? <<Shrimp can be territorial as well, you have too many denizens vying for space in this small tank.>> They are going at him like wolves, following him and jumping on him. Fire fish has been moved back to quarantine to recover. Have you seen or heard of such behavior? <<Yes, though it is amplified in small closed systems.>> Do you think the peppermint know if a fish is stressed and go after it or they just really like him a lot and want to give him a good cleaning? <<They don't want him in their cave (space).>> oh yeah peppermints have been in the Nano for 2 years. <<They are in effect 'rejecting' the newcomers. Time to evict some tank mates my friend.>> Thanks a bunch! <<Anytime, - Adam J.>>

Re: attacking peppermints? 3-24-08 Definitely agreed about being an exception to the rule. <<Hey at least you know...all to often people encourage their bad habits to be copied.>> I'm wondering if the buried oyster shells is the source of the tiny delicious dragonet buffet. <<That and porous live rock.....I'm only assuming.>> He will be moved once the 150 matures a bit more. <<Good to hear it.>> Anyone have an Aiptasia problem...lol my guys devour'em! <<Yes unfortunately, they also pick on other Cnidarian life as well. You may want to consider this before moving them to the 150...that is if you plan to.>> Now the hard part...catching them. <<Shouldn't be to hard in a Nano, drain half of the water...remove some of the rock.>> I will try the all mentioned avenues, first attempt...bottle and food (for me and the shrimp...;>). I figured my problem was aggression due to overcrowding...just needed to hear from the guys and gals of a very trusted site!!! <<Good luck, - AdamJ.>>

Re: question, Shrimp / goby / Fireworm 03/25/2008 Thank you for the advice. Sadly, the non-eater has died. I found him yesterday morning. The other one seems OK for now, but that's what the QT is for, isn't it? <<Sorry to hear this...Yes, for sure, that's what its there for...Good luck with the other>> Thanks again, Mandy <<A Nixon>>

Peppermint Shrimp and Duncanopsamia axifuga compatibility. Peppermint vs. LPS - 4/7/07 Hi Crew, <Hi Tim!> Thank you for taking my e-mail.<Anytime!> I've read that peppermint shrimp can and will pick on certain large polyp stony corals.<Along with other things as well.> I just got a Duncanopsamia axifuga polyp shipped to me today.<Neat - don't see those too often.> I have acclimated it and put it in my refugium. Is it likely that the shrimp will go after this coral in my 75 gallon display? <It's possible, just depends on the shrimp. Some are well behaved, some not.> If so, I will remove them.<I'd keep an eye on both and remove if necessary.> Thanks for the help, Tim <You're welcome, and good luck! --Lynn>

Lysmata wurdemanni vs. Coral 3/21/07 Hi Everyone, <Hello Bill.> Thanks for all your help over the past few years. <I'm glad it has been useful.> Your expertise has been amazing. <Thank you.> My question basically applies to Peppermint Shrimp and corals. <Okay.> I have a 75 gallon tank. I had a lot of Aiptasia in my tank during the first year, and added 3 peppermint shrimp. I know they can be evil critters, but I think they hilarious to watch, and they killed my Aiptasia in less than a week. <They are rather comical and hardy compared to many of their cousins. And not to get off the subject but I surmise you figured out the source problem of the Aiptasia?> One of my favorite fish has been flame Hawkfish. I added him, without consulting your site first, and he killed 2 of my shrimp. <Yes, expected behavior.> (Actually saw him dart across the tank and knock the snot out one peppermint that came out for some food). I liked the shrimp more than the Hawkfish, and trapped the Hawkfish and donated him back to my local fish store. I added one more peppermint so that I now have two. <Lesson learned.> Fish in my tank are: 1 clownfish, 1 black cap Basslet, 3 Firefish goby and 1 bicolor blenny. <A good mix in this size tank.> I have recently been adding corals to the tank. I have: Candy Cane, Frogspawn, Toadstool Mushroom, Colony Polyps and Brain Coral (Wellsophyllia). The Brain and Frogspawn were added two days ago. <And you are concerned about the shrimp'¦> My lighting in this tank is an Orbit Lighting Fixture: 48" w/4-65W (SunPaq Dual Daylight (6700Â°K/10000Â°K) and Dual Actinic (420 nm and 460 nm) bulbs). <Fine for what you are keeping, just replace the bulbs every 6-9 months, a year at the VERY latest as PC's depreciate in lumens rather quickly.> I work from home and came down this morning to work, and saw one peppermint on the frogspawn munching away, and the other peppermint on the brain coral munching away. <Uh-oh.> I was assuming this wasn't good and just moved these two corals to my Nanocube in my bedroom. After reading your site again today, I see that some folks have problems with these peppermint critters and their corals. <Correct.> So my question to you is: Are there any types of corals that are 'Peppermint Safe'? <I have found that they are less prone to picking at larger noxious colonies of soft corals, such as Octocorals and Sinularia. Keepers of hermatypic corals like Acroporidae seem to have 'luck' with them as well (but you don't have the lighting for those)'¦what's important to keep in mind is that there are no guarantees and there is always a risk.> I like my shrimp, and would like to keep them. Mine are out and about all the time. They are friendly and I can hand feed them. But I also have a reef tank, and would like to add some more coral life to it as well. I have not seen them pick on the other corals, but who knows what happens at night? <Another thing to keep in mind is that when animals do become predatory, they will pick on the easiest, least resistant targets. Just because the shrimp may be ignoring one colony as of present does not mean they will continue to do so once the others are removed.> Best regards, <To you as well.> Bill <Adam J.>

Breeding Peppermint Shrimp Greetings and salutations everyone: Around 11:00 last night I was giving my reef tank one last check and noticed one of the Peppermint Shrimp was acting rather erratic. So I turned on my blue actinic light to make a closer observation, just in time to see one of them giving birth to hundreds of tiny Peppermints. What a beautiful sight. <wow... how wonderful!> Is there any way to ensure any survivals? <absolutely. It is somewhat tedious to rear the larva but very possible and done by many aquarists. Some articles have been written on the subject like here: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-10/nftt/ Thee is also a new book written on the subject for interested aquarists just like you: http://www.lysmatapublishing.com/shrimp.html > I think my LPS corals had a feast last night because I do not see any left this morning. >indeed...very good food. Many aquarists keep breeding peppermint shrimp in fishless refugiums for this purpose> I also have noticed quite a few of white semi-transparent larva's around 1/8" long with a large mouth and a dual tail on the other end sliding around on the glass. Does this sound like some kind of Nudibranch? They seem to be multiplying rather rapidly, should this be a concern? <hard to say without an ID or image> I've also noticed several small brittle stars (around 1/2 inch in length) hanging around in the live rock. Do they pose any threat? <nope... very beneficial filter feeders and detritivores> Besides the obvious physical beauty of our underwater ecosystems, don't you find it truly inspiring that life always just seems to "find a way"? What a tribute to our creator! <remarkable by any definition :) > My Tube Anemone is growing a little too fast and its tentacles were getting too close to my candy coral. <wow... I'm not thrilled about such an aggressive anemone in a tank with coral or other anemones... I'd remove it to a species tank for proper feeding any way (without polluting coral tank or starving anemone in the long run> The Candy Coral has not been a happy camper lately (nitrates got a little high the other day, .40 PPM, so I quickly made several water changes and things are already looking a lot better). I relocated the Candy Coral on the sand. Is this an acceptable location? <perhaps not... they cannot purge sand easily and may suffer if sprinkled or buried. Its an unnatural place for this coral> I wasn't sure it would be happy there as I am rapidly running out of space since all of this is going on in a 5 gallon Nano reef. <oh, my heavens! Brother, please remove that tube anemone from this tank ASAP or pull all else to a reef. There are serious issues here with chemical warfare on your coral beyond issues of actual contact> I've read your information regarding the feeding of corals and it was very informative. I purchased some DT's Phytoplankton to supplement the Corals (one Euphyllia, one Candy, one Hammer, one leather tree coral and assorted button polyps). <hmmm.... only the leather tree coral eats (perhaps) a little phytoplankton. None of the other corals here feed much if at all on phyto. They are zooplankton feeders. I suspect that the only thing your phyto is feeding is nitrate levels> If I feed according to directions, that would be 1/3 tsp in 5 gallons every other day. Will this amount increase my nitrates or should I just be concerned with the freshness of the phytoplankton? <a fine food but inappropriate for these corals> More along the line of twice a week sounds more reasonable given the size of my tank. Can you recommend a product for zooplankton that is equally fresh, besides using a refugium? <indeed the refugium is best, frozen Cyclop-eeze would be a fine runner up (hard to find though... an Argent product), fresh hatched baby brine is good after that (less than 9 hours old). After that, minced meaty foods (Gammarus PE Mysis shrimp, Pacifica plankton)> I have been also feeding a frozen food rich in Kill and Sponge but, again, am concerned with nitrates (is twice a week on this one also acceptable?). <way too little food for the LPS corals and definitely not enough for the tube anemone> Please don't suggest an upgrade in equipment, we are in the process of adopting two otherwise homeless children and at this time any upgrades just is not in the budget. <no worries bud... but I must say that you need to remove the anemone or the corals for both to have a chance at surviving long term> Nitrates are my big concern, <in such a small tank, a weekly water change of 2-3 gallons should make it all go away nicely> but I still want to give the corals everything they need and still keep nitrates as low as possible, considering the size of my system. I try to keep Nitrates around .10 PPM, which is quite a challenge and still feed everything. You guys perform a great service and I can't thank you enough for your assistance. I called the LPS where I bought the coral frags and all I got was "I am too busy". How sad for them. I think they're missing out in the real meaning in all of this. <agreed. You'll do fine here my friend if you are simply realistic about the limitations of the tank and what is humanely possible. With kind regards, Anthony>

Peppermint Shrimp Dear Mr. Fenner (or WetWebMedia crew), Let me start off by giving praise to "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist", it is the best book ever written. I would also like to thank you for this wonderful website and your feedback to our questions! I know your time is extremely valuable and that you read a BULK of e-mails. I will try and keep this short. I have a question regarding Peppermint Shrimp (Lysmata wurdemanni). Do they clean parasites off of fish like the common cleaner shrimp? I know they are known for going after Aiptasia. <Yes, their claim to fame.> The reason I ask is because my Clarkii (Amphiprion clarkii) keeps swimming over to a pair of Peppermint Shrimp I have in the tank. The Clarkii doesn't appear to have any ich (white dots) on his body. <Come on, scratch my back! Please!> If the Peppermint doesn't clean parasites, can I add common cleaner shrimp with the peppermint shrimp? <Depends on tank size and individual's disposition.> I have a 30 gallon setup with 10 gallon sump. Light bio-load, only the clown fish, a green carpet anemone, two Peppermint Shrimp, and a couple turbo snails. If I can add the common cleaner shrimp, is there an easy way to identify the Indo-Pacific White-Striped Cleaner (Lysmata amboinensis) from the Atlantic White-Striped Cleaner (Lysmata grabhami)? <Yes, the Pacific amboinensis has more dots on its tail. Baensch's Marine Atlas, volume 1, has excellent back to back photos comparing the two.> One last question, if my Clarkii does develop ich, what is the best way to treat him? <Quarantine and daily water changes to start would be my preference.> Move to quarantine? <Yes> Lower salinity, temp? <An option> I read that copper shouldn't be used with anemone fish. I've had the Clarkii for over six months, he seems healthy, will the problem go away on its own if I don't intervene? Is the Clarkii going over to the shrimp a bad sign, or is it just natural behavior? <It could be either.> Thanks for your time and patience, Jeremy <You are welcome. -Steven Pro>

Peppermint Shrimp I recently set up a reef aquarium. It's gone through a number of ups and downs, I asked you about fish lice in another correspondence. <Okay> Shortly after setting it up, I had the usual assortment of Aiptasia anemone. I rid my aquarium of many of them with the solution of Calcium Hydroxide. However, there were a number of smaller ones and several that were difficult to get to. After reading a number of articles on the problem, including yours, I decided to try biological control and purchased half a dozen peppermint shrimp. Also from reading the article, I was aware of the left coast imposters. I am quite certain that these were the wurdemanni species. Appearances are that they did their job rather well. I haven't seen one in months. But, however, ... Peppermint shrimp appear not to be particularly finicky eaters. It shouldn't take a real leap of faith to believe that the similarities between one polyp and another might lead to some problems. Some of my first purchases were yellow polyps, green star polyps, Zoanthus, and a carpet anemone. <Yes> I had seen them acting suspiciously around the yellow polyps, green star polyps, and Zoanthus, but never caught them red handed (pun only slightly intended). However, upon introducing the carpet, they began to show a rather intense interest in it. I also noticed that the anemone was reacting rather severely to their proximity. I got a closer look and they were picking at individual tentacles. The next morning, there were a couple of circular patches about 6mm in diameter that were tentacle free toward the edges of the carpet. The next night, there were a few more such patches. I withheld food from the system after the first night and decided to trap the shrimp. Further, they began to show increased interest in the other polyps and I began to see some damage on them. The shrimp are now out of the system, having learned a lesson in the law of unintended consequences. One of the other Aiptasia eating critters is the Berghia Nudibranch. I had chosen the Peppermints because the Berghia are somewhat pricey, due to their small size, they are somewhat less than aesthetically pleasing and once they eliminate Aiptasia, they die off. As it turns out, the quantity of Peppermints was similarly priced to a pair of Berghia, the appearance of the bald spots on my carpet (the one in the aquarium, not the one by the tank I wore on the floor biting my fingernails as I watch my carpet take a beating,, and not many folks seem to want to take back peppermints due to quarantine, etc., so they are likely to meet their demise. In conclusion, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that these were indeed Lysmata wurdemanni and that they were consuming my carpet anemone. Although I have no direct evidence that they do eat Aiptasia, the anecdotal evidence supports that conclusion. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that they were eating my carpet anemone, I saw them on several occasions picking violently at the polyps, distorting the shape of the anemone considerably in the process. <They do, will eat anemones> I would suggest to anyone who still desires to put wurdemanni in a reef tank keep a wary eye on them and that they ensure that the system is overfed. Renaming the species to Lysmata alquaidaii might not be a bad idea, either, they were little terrorists in my tank. :) <Agreed> Thanks for your pages, by the way. With the exception of information on Argulus, your pages seem to be absolutely the best sources of information on the web. <Okay> Best regards, Dale Chatham <Bob Fenner>

Website address change (Note: chg on Shrimp, Lysmata pgs) Hello, Your link to my webpage, "How To Raise & Train Your Peppermint Shrimp" (listed under Business--Publications) has an old URL. The new address is www.lysmatapublishing.com. The old address redirects you to the new URL for now, but it will soon be a "broken link". Thanks for your time, A. Kirkendoll <Thank you for the update. Will change. Bob Fenner>

Advice Clown, shrimp compatibility Hi, Mr. Fenner <Steven Pro this evening.> I have a good deal on a cinnamon clown fish and some peppermint shrimp. I want to put them in a 50 gallon tank by themselves, do these two get along and could I add other inverts, fish, and coral later on, <Yes, will get along with each other and many other animals. If you give specifics on what else you want to keep, I can give you a more detailed recommendation.> if not please recommend a better fit for me. I want something that is beautiful but easy to take care of. I only have time to service the tank on the week end but I can do simple feeding every day. Thanks a lot, Ryan Blankenship <You are welcome. -Steven Pro>

Peppermint Shrimp Anthony, I like your optimism. Thanks for the response about red algae. <quite welcome... and its easy to be optimistic when one has faith> I have one question what exactly can you feed peppermint shrimp and how often? OK two questions. <my first choice would be beer nuts... but for your peppermint shrimp... I'm thinking a more omnivorous fare. Truth be told, they will need little or no food in a reef aquarium where fish/coral are fed. Only slightly more food in a FOWLR tank. Only in a "sterile" display would I consider 4-5 times weekly feedings with mixed frozen meaty foods (both meat and plant based). Dry Shrimp Pellets (ironic name, huh?) are an attractive low grade treat...just don't get too frisky with using them (nutrients). They will most likely bring the shrimp (starfish, crabs, etc) out on command for company to enjoy though. Twice weekly with a mixed frozen food like Formula 1/2 should be fine in a tank with live rock. Feed more if trying to breed them. Anthony> Thanks, David

Cleaner shrimp species check Hi Mr. Fenner, Sorry to bother you, but I couldn't seem to get the right info from any other source, and you are unusually responsive and knowledgeable. We have Aiptasia cropping up, which at first seemed pretty until we realized exactly what kind of a tank dandelion it was. <Very lucidly put> I decided to use the natural approach and find something which would munch it before subjecting them to lethal injection. Already have a Pacific cleaner amboinensis (Whiskers), which is great at free-loading on the fishies, but not much at cleaning Aiptasia. So I got several peppermint shrimp from the LFS. I couldn't get a good look at them in the store tank, as they took a bit of capture and things got stirred up. Once in my tank, they disappeared. I spotted one under an overhang a few days later and it didn't look like ones on the WetWebMedia site. <Then probably not...> I have never seen the other one. Another LFS (I use about 4 to bounce questions off) <Good idea> suggested that for my size tank, I could use 5-6 of the peppermints. So I bought 4 more wurdemanni (Groucho, Harpo, Chico, and Zeppo) from a very clean tank where I could identify them. When introduced, they acted very much different than the first two, being much more visible and active. <Yes... do a sort of side to side dance> Could the first two be a different species entirely? <Definitely... there are a few others that are very similar in static appearance> Tank specs: 55 gal, 40 lbs Fiji LR, 1.5" crushed coral bed Livestock: Domino damsel (very small), (2) Firefish, Fiji damsel, Valentini puffer, Orange Clown (percula or ocellaris - I can't tell), Pajama cardinal, Pacific cleaner shrimp, Condy anemone, (4) peppermints, and (2) suddenly unidentified shrimp. All species are small and non-aggressive (except occasional outbursts from the Fiji). Questions (at last) 1. What could the first two shrimp be? From peering into their hidey-hole, they are red with no markings. <Many choices still... do you have access to a large college library?> 2. Is it a mistake to have small cleaner shrimp at all with the Valentini? <Hmm, not usually... if enough space, food for the Toby, hiding spaces during molts for the shrimp...> They are supposed to like shellfish - does that include the wurdemanni and the poor missing variety? <In the "right/wrong" circumstances assuredly yes> 3. If peppermint shrimp do indeed eat Aiptasia, how many is appropriate for a 55-gal tank and how quickly do they get around to it? <A couple or three... a few weeks to a couple of months or so> 4. I'm sure the Valentini would like Nori. Does leaving it in the tank muck up your conditions, or do you remove it when he is done feeding? <Puffers don't eat much of this sheet algae... should be removed after an hour or so> 5. Is the Marine Conference you are speaking at this summer in Baltimore appropriate for the home hobbyist, or just marine professionals? <For home hobbyists specifically... There are "scientific" and "business" associations as such... the hobby groups ones are for hobbyists in particular.> Thank you so much in advance. Kevin. West Virginia <Be seeing you my friend. Bob Fenner>

Re: Cleaner shrimp species check Dear Bob, Oh me, oh my. Thank you so much for the info on peppermint shrimp and other topics. Why can't I learn to do my homework before purchasing, as I am not yet familiar with the subtleties of species ID. Judging from the pictures I now found, my latest were 4 Candy shrimp (Rhynchocinetes uritai), not the peppermint shrimp (Lysmata wurdemanni) I was expecting. They are definitely clever little things, but now I have my doubts whether they will eat the Aiptasia. <They won't> Thank you so much for your patience and wisdom. Kevin Milne. West Virginia. <All attainable through study, discipline my friend. Bob Fenner>

Lysmata wurdemanni Hi there We here in SA are trying to get e few of these specimens into our Country, All other types of Shrimp gets imported but for some reason not this one .. if it does it disappears so fast it's mind boggling. <Eaten by other livestock?> Now 3 of us are keen on trying to breed this shrimp but we need the shrimp to begin with, so I was hopping that you may be of help to us. If you can could you please contact me ASAP. Thanks in advance, Jaco <Believe I can be of service here. Please contact, have your suppliers contact Tropic-Marine Centre in the UK re this species (they breed it and L. debelius, and have had great success with other shrimp, invertebrates... fishes...), and read over the husbandry, production notes posted on the "Breeders Registry" (the link posted on the www.WetWebMedia.com links pages) for a few people's telling of how they've kept, bred this species. Bob Fenner>

Peppermint shrimp and Sebae question??? Help :-( Today I bought a Sebae purple tip anemone with two tomato clowns. Can't wait for the clowns to get in the anemone, but as soon as I put the Sebae in, my two peppermint shrimp, which did a great job eating my Aiptasia 2 months ago, hopped into it. Does the peppermint have a relationship with the Sebae? <Not a mutualistic one...> Are they eating it? <Possibly, likely yes> Do I need to remove them? Will they keep the clowns from entering the Sebae? <More likely the other way around if the Clowns would begin associating with the (Heteractis crispa) anemone>... they only naturally occur with Entacmaea quadricolor... take a look through the references listed on the Anemone and Clownfish sections on the www.WetWebMedia.com site... though they may become symbionts with your Sebae... shooing off the pesky Shrimp.> Thanks. Need help ASAP. Michael <Happy netting! Bob Fenner>

Sexing peppermint shrimp Dear Bob; recently one of two peppermint shrimp in my reef tank died in a tragic powerhead accident. This pair of shrimp have reproduced in my tank and I would like to replace the dead shrimp but I don't know what sex it was. I saved the carcass. Is it possible to easily identify the sex of a peppermint shrimp? I was unaware of any pairing when I bought the two. Thanks, Doug <Can be sexed like the ever tasty local Panulirus... modified uropods and fifth pair of legs on the males as you know...> P.S. Great book. Your text along with Ron and the boys at Octopus Gardens got me hooked on reef aquariums. I've learned a ton over the last two years. I graduated from SDSU in 1972 with a BS in Zoology so we probably had some classes together. Glad to see that someone retained all of that info. I've read about MASLAC and it sounds like a very informed, active group. Is there anything similar around San Diego? Thanks again for your help. <Yes, and have sent this msg. to our fearless leader (he works for the local futility, SDG&E...) Maurice, so, am sure he'll be contacting you as well. See you here and there, your fellow alma mater, Bob Fenner>

Peppermint shrimp Bob- I recently purchased a Peppermint Shrimp. Since day 1 it has been missing in action. The only other inhabitants in the tank are a Percula Clown, Yellow-Tailed Damsel, and a host of red legged, blue legged and left handed hermit crabs. The shrimp never comes out when I feed the tank, which is unlike my old Coral Banded Shrimp which aggressively ate. Is it in the nature of Peppermint Shrimps to hide or should I assume he is dead? Thank you, Rob <<Hmm, they (Lysmata wurdemanni) do hide almost all the time... better kept in a small number if they'll fit... I wouldn't give up just yet.... Especially if it is molting... you won't see much of it for a while. Bob Fenner>>

Hello again (shrimp culture) I just posted this on your chat forum but thought that you may have further insight :) <Perhaps. Let's see> Hi All fist post here I have been Harassing Bob and JasonC for a while now so I thought that maybe my fellow hobbyists could take a stab at this one. Here are the usual specs. My Reef tank is 30 gallons, with a new 130gallon tank being delivered tomorrow. The inhabitants are, A Ocellaris, A Frenatus, Banggai Cardinal, Pajama Cardinal and a Scooter Blenny. All are well. There are the usual assortment of hermit crabs, snails and I seem to have colonies of feather dusters cropping up on the rocks all over the place. I also have a Pulsing Xenia and 2 Peppermint Shrimp and 1 CBS. I do daily calcium additions and weeks Iodine drops. The shrimp molt every month and are growing quite large. Hence the new tank as you say larger is better. Tonight at feeding time the larger of the two Peppermint Shrimp came out and her swimmerets are encrusted with eggs. So now the quandary I am setting up the new tank tomorrow and within the next few days planning on moving all of the live rock, sand and inhabitants to their new environs. Do you think I should leave the Mother Peppermint in there and allow her eggs to hatch. What do you think would be the success rate if there were a moved to the larger tank or left where they are? <The "success" rate in terms of hatching, grow out? Not much in either. Please read: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/shrimp.htm the shrimp articles, FAQs files beyond. Much more to the effective culture of these animals. Bob Fenner> The Emperor bio wheel is staying, but the protein skimmer and powerheads are going. Need advice :) Cheers, Julian Hunt

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