Do pepermint shrimp hide?

[AWD]

I just bought a pepermint shrimp yesterday. The light were out by the time I let it loose. I have not seen it since. I'm told they are very hardy. My water parameters are all good. I never added any chemicals.

I'm hoping he or she is only hiding.

Anyone know?

 

[Anonymous]

A few thoughts for you to remember:

Peppermint shrimp are mostly nocturnal. If you really want to see them try feeing your tank at night.

Peppermint shrimp molt when they are stressed. Moving to a new territory is very stressful for them. In the wild they spend their entire lives within a few square feet of rock.

When the molt their shell is very soft so they hide very deep in the rock for a few days.

Give yours a week and then feed your tank an hour or so after lights out. You'll see him

 

[bfeit]

yes my hides all the time .i have gone 2 weeks with out seing hem

 

[DarwinTheDog]

A couple months ago we got a few peppermint shrimp for two different reefs. In one tank there were two peppermints, that were very active and almost always out and about. In the other tank...there was a single shrimp and well if I had a nickel for every time I saw him, I still wouldn't have a buck. I see the single shrimp maybe once every three weeks.

I actually got rid of the two in the one tank recently, because I suspected them of eating polyps. I never could see the single shrimp long enough to catch him. Still see him every few weeks.

Interesting that in numbers they seem to me to be more visible in a tank than a single specimen. Don't know if anyone else has had this experience.

Anyway I wouldn't worry your shrimp is probably fine. You don't have any fish that would eat him do you??

HTH

 

[danmhippo]

Shrimp not coming out? LOL....

I haven't seen mine for over a year. All I see is the antenna waving behind the rocks. I already have prepared a spot to call their own in my backyard. Just waiting for them to die of old age..(I think their lifespan is less than 2 years)

 

[AWD]

Thanks ya'll for the info.
I'm guessing I will see the aptaisia disapear after a little bit.

What is LOL

 

[Mike02]

shrimp molt when they are stressed? never heard of that, but they do molt in order to grow. i've had mine for about 2 months, and have never fed it. I tried with flake food, but it wouldnt accept it. it likes aptasia but it ate all those within a day or so. it also eats amphipods and copepods. i dont think it has tried to eat any polyps. it comes out at night. it comes out when the lights are on to feed once in awhile. it searches around the fiji polyps where amphipods are all over the place.

 

[danmhippo]

LOL = Laugh out loud

 

[ging]

I am curious about the molting as well. I have a peppermint and 2 cleaner shrimp. My 2 cleaner shrimp have molted at least 4 times in the 5 mths that I've had them. I also thought they were growing and look as if they are. They actually take turns laying eggs as well.

 

[TampaReefer]

Mine has been hiding for 2.5 years. It also molts about every 2 months.

 

[jdeets]

I feel lucky when I see my pep. I put him in and didn't see him for a month--I thought the lightfoot crabs had eaten him. Then he appeared one day. I still see him from time to time but not regularly.

 

[pathos]

mine used to hide, but he "came out". after having mine in my tank for more than a year he has taken residency in the upper left corner of my tank? seriously, he sits there all damn day long every day! anyone else witness this strange behavior with their peps?

 

[Eboman]

My peppermint only comes out at night (thanks to the trigger that likes to eat shrimp).

Try getting a flashlight and taking a peek around about 2 hours after the lights go off and you should probably see him running around.

Eboman

 

[Jimmy G]

My Peppermints took up residence at the top of the tank too. Right next to where I leave my algae magnet. He even goes for my hand if I put it in the tank. Mine did hide for quite a while too, so give em some time, he'll be out, especially when he's hungry.

 

[passthesalt]

Mine are ALWAYS out!! I have 2 in the 10g and 3 in the 58g. There is never a time that I have to look for them, they just sort of JUMP into view!! I do believe that they all molted within a week of being placed in the tank. My friend at the lfs says that they do this because of the high ammonia during shipment. I was there when a shipment of these guys came in and it was pitiful. There were probably 10 in the bag and 2 of those had died leaving a very foul stench when the bag was opened. The water was absolutely milky white!!! I guess I'd molt too after being in that sespool for a few hours! They must be real tough to survive that!