Shrimp And Lobsters....

[Seratuki]

Hello all....

I just have a few questions if y'all don't mind
I have 4 peppermint shrimp...one of which has eggs....
Is there any way I can assure that the baby shrimp survive? are they going to get eaten by my fish?

I also have a coral banded shrimp...I was told you could keep only 1 per tank...is that right??
and lastly. I saw a purple lobster and checked it out on Live aquaria...but I still wondered...will it attack my smaller fish if I add it?

I have 3 damsels
2 clowns
1 butterfly fish....

I also have one turbo snail...so far!!

Thanks in advance!

Sera

 

[FishOwner]

It's difficult to raise the shrimp larvae, it can be done, but you will need a dedicated tank for them. If you are reallly interested in going that route, then post back and I'll find the link on what you need to do for them. If it was me, I would just be happy with the free food!

You can have more than one coral banded shrimp but it must be a mated pair. They are sexually dimorphic (you can see the ovaries of the female in the body cavity). I *think* you could add a female to an already existing males' tank, but it could end up with the female killing the male if she doesn't accept him.

Not sure about the lobster. I have an orange one with purple spots, looked it up on the net and all before buying it, (everything said it would be okay just shy) I target feed it a couple times a week, and yet I wonder if it's responsible for the cut fin on my pj cardinal.....??? Kind of odd that this happened shortly after introducing the lobster, but it could just be a coincidence....

 

[steelhealr]

The purple reef lobster (Debelius' reef lobster) is nocturnal and will usually not show it's face during the day. It may be opportunistic on your small fish and inverts, so, you roll the dice if you buy it.

Personally, I would never put a CBS in my tank unless it was a species tank or I knew my fish were much larger that IT was. They can trap small fish while sleeping and eat them. SH

 

[Seratuki]

The purple reef lobster (Debelius' reef lobster) is nocturnal and will usually not show it's face during the day. It may be opportunistic on your small fish and inverts, so, you roll the dice if you buy it.

Personally, I would never put a CBS in my tank unless it was a species tank or I knew my fish were much larger that IT was. They can trap small fish while sleeping and eat them. SH

Oh no....
Sounds like the coral banded shrimp has to go!!!

Thanks SH!!

 

[Lynden]

I have had a GIANT sized coral-banded shrimp for a very long time and never has it caused any trouble. Not even to the diminutive royal gramma, who is constantly entering the cbs's territory.

They are a wonderfully entertaining animal, and almost majestic in their movements. Angels will occasionally pick on them, but their large claws soon put a stop to that! Because of their defensiveness, they may attempt to strike an attacker, but the claws are usually just for scare. Just like a bank robbers gun.

If you have a tank with tiny dottybacks and wrasses, they are a gamble.
But most perciformes can easily put up with them.

-Lynden

 

[FishOwner]

I agree with ChestnutMoray55, I had a large CBS and it was fine with all the fish for several years. They do appreciate a target feeding once in awhile though!

 

[Aquascaper]

List of fish my CBS chomped his way through when added (didn't research them at all before adding to the tank when first setting up ):

Red-Headed Goby
Court Jester Goby
Green Clown Goby
Yellow Clown Goby
Two-Spot Goby

Don't know why but my Trimma Goby (Firecracker Goby) survived and has out lived the CBS