Polyp Eater?

[Gina McReeferson]

Marine Invertabrates "a pocketexpert guide" by Ronald L. Shimek states that some blood shrimp "may eat only polyps such as soft corals, zoanthids, and small stony corals". We have one and experienced no such behavior, how about y'all? By the by, on account of we like them so much, we were considering stocking 5 or 6 of these puppies in our 240, anyone see any potential problems here?

 

[Troubleman]

I have one and have yet to see it pick on stuff, thanks for the heads up. I will be watching him a bit closer now.

bob

 

[Greg Hiller]

FWIW, Dr. Ron tends to put anything with any remote likelyhood to damage corals as non-reef safe. He's been preaching for years that hermit crabs will kill and eat corals, and all kinds of inverts. My 9 years of experience with them suggests otherwise. Hermits will kill snails that fall on their backs and are helpless. They will also eat dying things (clams, etc.) but in general are pretty mild.

Dr. Ron will also tell you that Peppermint shrimp will eat all kinds of polyps and corals, my experience: They will ONLY eat Aiptasia, food that you toss into the tank, and dying critters.

 

[fanaglethebagle]

Dr. Ron will also tell you that Peppermint shrimp will eat all kinds of polyps and corals, my experience: They will ONLY eat Aiptasia, food that you toss into the tank, and dying critters.

I have witnessed my friends peppermint shimp consume a feather duster and a BTA, I think there are some good ones and some bad ones...

 

[Valexia]

i have heard of hippo tangs voraciously eating zoas too...so there really isn't anything that is completely "reef safe" in my book....i heard shrimps eat clams as well...so there are alot of animals that act like just that...animals.

 

[Greg Hiller]

>I have witnessed my friends peppermint shimp consume a feather duster and a BTA, I think there are some good ones and some bad ones...<

Anything is possible, but there is also the possibility that they got the wrong species. There are a few species that look quite similar. You have to have the Lysmata wurdemanni.