Skunk Cleaner shrimp pairs/tripletes

[gmubeach]

I was wondering how many skunk cleaner shrimp can be put in a tank? I have one thats huge he is almost 1 year old and I am unsure of the sex... I had a friend who bred them in his 30 gallon...but he found them as a pair... Now I have had peppermint shrimp in my tank and the cleaner shrimp killed them. My tank is only 24 gallons (show) any input would be appreciated... 34 gallons total but 10 is in the refugium.

[jhn]

Cleaner shrimp are hermaphrodites, so just add another to the tank and you will have a pair or you could add a couple more as well.

[davelin315]

Well there's something I didn't know about them!

 

Anyway, back to the subject, I'd be very surprised if your cleaners killed the peppermint. They are not aggressive shrimp and they are very closely related, as well. There shouldn't be any aggression issues there, more likely there was something wrong with the peppermint and they simply took care of the remains or the dying shrimp. They simply are not built for aggressive behavior, notice the lack of pincers, instead they have modified legs that work as combs.

[quazi]

Are you sure the peppermint is dead? You may have seen a molted shell. The peppermint might be hinding in the rock.

[dzekunoi]

I have 3 skunks - one very large and 2 1" babies. They seem happy together. I agree, I would be super surprised to see Skunk killing ANYTING.

[gmubeach]

I was too... I don't know why but as soon as I put the shrimp in they wouldn't come out of hiding... They were living under a rock for about 5 days and then I didn't see them anymore... I just figured it was some kind of shrimp war far.... maybe it was one of my fish, but why would one of my fish take out a shrimp and leave another perfectly good shirmp alone... The other strange thing is I have peppermints in my sump that are doing wonderful... its just in the disply...maybe something else ate the shrimp .... but what would eat a shirmp?

 

10 zebra hermits?

1 skunk cleaner

2 ocleasis clowns

1 six line

1 mandrin dragonette

1 scooter blenny(new)

various corals all lps or softies

2 clams

[davelin315]

Clowns and wrasse may have done it. I had a pair of percs than nailed anything that went into the tank. They tore up a couple of peppermints that I added once as they were floating down through the water column. Also, the hermits could have done in your shrimp when it molted. Six lines, who knows when their temperaments turn ugly.

[gmubeach]

Well I am going to try it again after being dormant for about 3 months I just found 3 heads of aptesia if that doesn't leave you feeling bad:) I don't know what would! oh wait I know I got stung by a bristle worm today and then superglued the fibers under the glue... man talk about a reoccuring bee sting! anyway I snapped off a few heads of hammer today and that made me mad... and finaly I scrubbed all the algee off some heads of candy cane its been a long night! anyway its been a very long night:) see ya guys when I get back!