Coral Banded Shrimp

[faerykisses]

Hello all!!!

Just wondered if any one else is keeping a coral banded shrimp. I have one in my 55 gallon tank and I'm just wondering if he really is the best for my system.

It seems to me that I could have one of him...or 15-20 of another kind, like peppermint. Just wondering what you guys thought.

My coral banded just killed a hermit too, so I don't know if he's getting aggressive. The poor hermit was out and vulnerable trying to switch shells, well the minute that Jaques caught wind of him....he snatched him up and ate him...it was quiet gruesome to watch considering the hermit was still alive!!!

Is this normal behavior, I mean, I understand the hermit was just there like a peice of meat, but are coral banded known for this???

Any comments, as always, are greatly appreciated.

~Crys.

[Mephistopheles]

I know that CBS's can be very hostile to other invertibrates (heck, mines hostile to my fish. good thing he can't swim) but for me atleast, they're cool enough that I'd rather have one CB than a million other kinds of shrimp. But yeah, he'll bug the heck out of anyone he can.

[tecwzrd]

My CBS will also go after molting/shell changing hermits lighting quick. I have even seen him wave off other smaller fish if both are going after the same food. They can be aggressive but usually only when it comes to eating. Also my other shrimp usually just avoid him. Main thing is to never stock more then one CBS in a tank unless it’s a very large tank. They will usually fight to the death if done so.

You could try spot feeding your CBS separate from the rest of the tank. If yours is going after shell changing hermits its likely just hungry.

All my fish swim right by my CBS and I think my Yellow Tang is confused because he is always brushing up against my CBS instead of the cleaner to be cleaned.

Funny thing happened to the CBS when it and the brittle starfish both went after the same frozen food. The brittle came out of its hole and grabbed the CBS with two of its tentacles and pushed it away! I was kind of shocked but now the CBS just avoids the starfish when it’s feeding time

[faerykisses]

so could i keep some small peppermint shrimp in my 55 gall. along with my coral banded? My coral banded is the only shrimp I currently have...

[tecwzrd]

I have two peppermints and one huge cleaner with my 3” CBS in my 55 gal. If not feeding the CBS doesn’t really mess with anyone unless a hermit tries to change shells or is molting in front of him.

My other shrimp also usually hang out with the CBS until feeding time in which they scurry away.

[faerykisses]

Wow, I was under the impression that if I had one Coral banded shrimp I wouldn't be able to house any other kinds of shrimps what so ever...I dont want to just buy live food for him if ya get my drift, but having some extra help around the tank would be really great.

I am weary of adding any other shrimp since he has been the only shrimp since inception.

Can I add another type of shrimp at this stage or is it going to cause problems?

[tecwzrd]

Quite a few of us have a mix of various shrimp along with our CBS without issues. I agree that some CBS can be overly aggressive at times (especially during feeding) but IME with a 55 gal tank that you and I have it really shouldn’t be too much of an issue.

I know you have lost shrimp due to your crazy fish and are a little leery of loosing more though. They don’t come cheap as most things in this hobby and $12+ is kind of pricy just for food. Still I think if you stock larger shrimp with your CBS then they should be able to fend for themselves.

[faerykisses]

cool! Ok now that I know I can have more shrimp...how many? LOL and are peppermint the best cleaners????

[tecwzrd]

I’d stick close to the same stocking levels I have in my 55 gal going with shrimp around 1.5” in length.

1 Cleaner Shrimp
2 Peppermint shrimp
1 Banded Coral Shrimp

Peppermint shrimp will not clean fish but are excellent scavengers. My cleaner shrimp seems lazy to me and just waits for food to float by him most of the time But he does clean my tang periodically

Edit: I'd also drip acclimate them for around 2 hours before adding if possible.

[faerykisses]

thanks so much tecwzrd, I appreciate it.

dont want to sounds stupid, but cleaner shrimps are called cleaner shrimps or are there several types of cleaner shrimps.