shrimp suggestions

[Peredhil]

Hi. I'm looking to add several shrimp in a couple of weeks. I currently have 1 peppermint and 2 clowns.

I don't want anything that can tend to be a pain or hostile, or too strong.

I'm thinking 2 more peppermints, a skunk cleaner, and 2 or 3 of maybe fires or something. Watcha think?

I think, but am not sure, that is a safe grouping and good mix. I do want to get them before I decide on what fishies I get, if any additional.

I might want to get a sea star too - but have no idea what a simple one would be. I don't want to hand feed my critters - so that's a limiting factor.

Input appreciated!

[sostoudt]

i think i was gonna suggest just what you are thinking about getting. i don't believe any of those shrimp will fight each other. just don't get a cbs(mean suckers)

edit also a think matis shrimps are a bad choice goes with out saying

[PackLeader]

Thats an awful lot of shrimp for a 55, IMO. I would stick with the skunk shrimp (they are fun), and possibly the fire shrimp. I had 2 peppermint shrimp, and ended up taking them back. They hide all day; very non-interactive. Again, JMHO
And sea stars can be very challenging to keep (depending on which ones). Just something to think about

[sostoudt]

Originally Posted by PackLeader

Thats an awful lot of shrimp for a 55, IMO. I would stick with the skunk shrimp (they are fun), and possibly the fire shrimp. I had 2 peppermint shrimp, and ended up taking them back. They hide all day; very non-interactive. Again, JMHO
And sea stars can be very challenging to keep (depending on which ones). Just something to think about

i think it just depends upon the shrimp, my dad had peppermints and like you said they did hide most of the time except for one which would get on top of a power head a feeding time and my dad would hand feed him alot. it got as big as a cocktail weiner. but i will have to disagree with it being alot of shrimp for a 55 because they have very little bioload, they only way it could end up being a problem is because you don't want to hand feed so they might not get enough to eat if you get very fast fish that can get all the food before them

edit: by the way i am respectfully disagreeing, so i respect your authority

[Iraf]

i just lost a clam to a cbs so i cant recommend them anymore
i have a couple of skunks and multiple peppermints though, the more of them you have the funner they are to watch really

[kFAMOUSK]

i would get 2 or 3 skunk/cleaner shrimps very fun shrimp mine are always out too i have 2 peperment shrimp i never see mine ther mostly out at night they do help with glass anenome

cbs are mean but they are cool looking

[PackLeader]

Originally Posted by sostoudt

i think it just depends upon the shrimp, my dad had peppermints and like you said they did hide most of the time except for one which would get on top of a power head a feeding time and my dad would hand feed him alot. it got as big as a cocktail weiner. but i will have to disagree with it being alot of shrimp for a 55 because they have very little bioload, they only way it could end up being a problem is because you don't want to hand feed so they might not get enough to eat if you get very fast fish that can get all the food before them

edit: by the way i am respectfully disagreeing, so i respect your authority

Well, its good you respect my authority
All of your points are very good points, and the reason I said it was an awful lot was not per bio-load, but per food. The topic creator just added a fairly large cleaning crew. Already having that, along with numerous shrimp, just raised the feeding alarm with me. There's not going to be much food left in his tank for all of his inverts at all. But, on the other hand, if they dont mind a lot of target feeding, then go for it. But you'll have to keep them nice and plump. Once food starts running scarce, even docile shrimp and inverts will start to get aggressive with one another.

[ziggy222]

one cleaner or blood shrimp will be enough for that tank.i stay away from peppermints cause they make the corals close up and are very hard to catch and remove once you put them in.

[Peredhil]

Thanks for all the comments and thoughts everyone. It helps. I was thinking 3 peppermints so that they would be more social. I wouldn't agree with them being hard to catch though. Everytime my hand goes into the tank that peppermint starts climbing up.

True on the large clean up crew comment. The shrimp are down the road a bit. I want to let the clean up crew get through its job and let them come to an equilibrium (see if any die off happens, I mean). There are some rather large nerites, for one, I may end up pulling.

Can someone give me an idea of how much food the shrimp will need? My reading lead me to believe they would be self sufficient (but like you said, I do have a large CuC). I feed my 2 clowns once every three days, currently.

I was also thinking of a 2 skunk cleaner, 4 total peppermints combo (would the social phenomenon work on the peppermint if it were 3 other types of shrimp, like say 3 bloods and 1 peppermint, or would he be ignored/picked on)?

[missionsix]

As a heads up, fire shrimp are known polyp eaters. I never saw mine eating/going after any of my polyps. I'm gussing lack of food may inhibit poyp eating.