Coral Banded Shrimp Compatibility

[crazyforcordoras]

Hey All!

Could i add a pair of Coral banded shrip to my tank?

Current inhabitants

Pair Mocha Ocellaris
EBH
Rock nem
Urchin
2 sea cukes, sand sifting.

 

[lljdma06]

Hey All!

Could i add a pair of Coral banded shrip to my tank?

Current inhabitants

Pair Mocha Ocellaris
EBH
Rock nem
Urchin
2 sea cukes, sand sifting.

Be very sure that you indeed acquire a mated pair. If they are not one, they will fight. They will also fight with similar species, so once you choose banded shrimp; skunk, peppermint, fire, and other species are out. While they may pick off a small invert or two, I've never seen mine do any big damage. They were pretty peaceful in my 36g. Rather secretive, would come out for feeding. They love caves to lurk in. A large female is extremely impressive to look at. Should be fine with the stock you currently have.

L

 

[Donya]

They will also fight with similar species, so once you choose banded shrimp; skunk, peppermint, fire, and other species are out.

Agreed on sunks and fires and also will throw in arrow crabs, but I've had peps in with CBS successfully quite a few times, including in nanos with the smaller CBS species. Got 5 peps and a Stenopus hispidus CBS in my 55gal right now. Peps are rather behaviorally different from the other two types of cleaners and stay out of the way of CBS, provided the tank allows them to do so. The other cleaners seem substantially less smart about it. Fully grown peps are also able to hold their own just fine against the smaller CBS species to the point where bullying can even go the other way.

I don't recall how big the tank in question is, but if it's a nano then I would recommend against the common S. hispidus species of CBS even singly because of how much personal space they need to not be stressed. Smaller species would be ok in a nano (the yellow and blue species).

 

[lljdma06]

Yeppers, this is a 10g, now that I've gone back and checked, so no regulars CBS & certainly not a mated pair... I have trouble keeping up with all of these tanks! I'm getting old!

There is a cute little yellow Cuban species though. I've seen that one on occasion.

L

 

[crazyforcordoras]

Okay. Maybe ill get a pair o bloods shrimp or skunks. Culd i have both pairs?

 

[Donya]

Don't tempt fate with too many shrimp in a small space. Have a look at this:

http/www.advancedaquarist.com/blog/science-says-keep-no-more-than-two-cleaner-shrimps-per-tank/

That's aggression within a species, but with many animals in stressful conditions that would lead to aggression within a species can lead to aggression between species as well (common reason for hermit genocides).

 

[crazyforcordoras]

Alright, ill get 1 pair.

 

[lljdma06]

Don't tempt fate with too many shrimp in a small space. Have a look at this:

http/www.advancedaquarist.com/blog/science-says-keep-no-more-than-two-cleaner-shrimps-per-tank/

That's aggression within a species, but with many animals in stressful conditions that would lead to aggression within a species can lead to aggression between species as well (common reason for hermit genocides).

That is a cool article. So if I'm reading it right, when sellers try to charge more for say a "mated pair", it's pretty much bull, right? Two shrimp that aren't killing each other are going to end up a mated pair anyway?

This happen for CBS too? Or is this only for Lysmata species?

Did you read the comments?

L

 

[crazyforcordoras]

That would be great! I would still have to pay 80$ for a Blood shrimp pair. I might exchange my firefish (who is going anyway) and my hawkfish for 1. I want a different fish because the hawk eats shrimp.

 

[Donya]

It's not quite as simple as just putting two together with the other Lysmata: I gather you have to put a small one and a big one together (like clowns). Have you seen them sold that way with a markup? If so that is pretty amusing.

Not so for CBS though, they're either male or female and it'll be that way by the time one makes it to the store as far as I'm aware.

That article is also not the only place observations like that have been made. It's mentioned in Kirkendoll's shrimp book too (which also has CBS pair info). As far as the summary page's comments...yeah, I'm not too impressed by those lol. A number of them are the sort of standard stuff that students in an intro science course go for immediately in an effort to get points for critiquing the article without understanding what to take away from it. I also don't trust that all of those people know what kind of shrimp they have, internets being what they are.

 

[lljdma06]

It's not quite as simple as just putting two together with the other Lysmata: I gather you have to put a small one and a big one together (like clowns). Have you seen them sold that way with a markup? If so that is pretty amusing.

C'mon, you know I live in Miami, one of the biggest hubs of the SW aquarium trade. What do you think my answer is going to be? I've seen just about everything. Well, I got two skunks the other day. They were in the same tank for a few weeks. Not sold as a mated pair, just as cleaner shrimp. One had eggy looking things underneath, the other did not. Let's see. I know for a fact that my skunk in my 8g is female, I've seen her release eggs. So Bandolero is really Bandolera. Still a thief who steals food from polyps.

Not so for CBS though, they're either male or female and it'll be that way by the time one makes it to the store as far as I'm aware.

I know that there was definitely a size difference in the fish I got and she regularly released larva into the tank. Free food.

That article is also not the only place observations like that have been made. It's mentioned in Kirkendoll's shrimp book too (which also has CBS pair info). As far as the summary page's comments...yeah, I'm not too impressed by those lol. A number of them are the sort of standard stuff that students in an intro science course go for immediately in an effort to get points for critiquing the article without understanding what to take away from it. I also don't trust that all of those people know what kind of shrimp they have, internets being what they are.

True, so true.

Can you link me that book?

Sorry we hijack Corydoras, but you're learning something, I'm sure. To be honest, I'd ditch the cleaner shrimp and keep the hawkfish, but I guess it's because I've kept cleaner shrimp before.

L

 

[crazyforcordoras]

I am keeping the hawkfish. Hs in with the clown pair right now. The firefish will be taded in and a Yasha Haze with pistol shrimp is taking his place.


And you know what? I did learn a lot about cleaner and coral banded shrimp. Thanks guys!

 

[Donya]

Can you link me that book?

How to Raise and Train Your Peppermint Shrimp:
http/www.amazon.com/Raise-Train-Your-Peppermint-Shrimp/dp/0966778448/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1343251148&sr=1-1

 

[lljdma06]

Can you link me that book?

How to Raise and Train Your Peppermint Shrimp:
http/www.amazon.com/Raise-Train-Your-Peppermint-Shrimp/dp/0966778448/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1343251148&sr=1-1

I'm sold on the title. That's awesome!