why do coral banded shrimp have such a bad name?

[Tworoads]

I dont understand...what I read says its reef safe but I see posts that give it a bad name. how come?

[Chupacabras]

Because they're ok when small but become terrors when they get larger.

[Seanfg89]

I have one that's about 1.5" long and hes been a really great addition to my tank. Hes very peaceful towards the other tank mates and even cleans my corals whenever they get any debris or algae on or near them. He is however very protective of the the tank inhabitants and any time I stick my hand or anything else in the tank (like a syringe for spot feeding), he immediately goes over to whatever it is I stuck in the tank and "attacks" it with his big claws.

 

He has never hurt or eaten anything else I have but he has snapped at my clown fish once or twice, usually when hes eating and wants to be alone.

[Chupacabras]

I have one that's about 1.5" long and hes been a really great addition to my tank.

A good example of my point; great when small, mean when big.

[Seanfg89]

Well if mine ever decides to get an attitude, we're gonna play Outback Steakhouse and have Shrimp on the Barbie.

[Juanhunglo69]

Tigger as my kids call him is an ok addition to my tank. He is a little picky about who can come in his rock, the lawn mower blenny is allowed, the clowns not. Other than that he is pretty cool. I will probably be letting him go to another guy here and getting myself a cleaner shrimp. I miss my old cleaners daily show he was probably the life of the tank.

[Kip]

They are opportunistic feeders. If they have the opportunity, they will feed on it. I enjoyed having one until it was big enough to attack my fish.

[coral_addict]

It's a Mean little shrimp! It doesn't bother my coral so it's reef safe but with the other livestock, it's MEAN! I think he scared my Goby into jumping into the back chamber. He abuses my Longnose Hawk which is suppose to eat Crab and SHRIMPS! At night he go around and terrorizes my livestock so most of the fishes that can't swim in a hovering style never get a good rest at night. It's a beautiful shrimp and you get to see him a lot compare to a Fire Shrimp and others but be careful. He's a tough guy. Don't put him with small fishes!

[Caesar777]

They EAT other shrimp (including cleaners and fires) and small fish, and whatever else they can grab. And they get HUGE. Mean even when small, but 1.5" is really small. Average pet-store size is already big enough to catch and eat other shrimp and fish. They won't bother corals, usually, or other benthic inverts. I don't consider them reef-safe, and I DO consider them to be horrible for reef tanks and other animals smaller than their arm-span.

[Tworoads]

They EAT other shrimp (including cleaners and fires) and small fish, and whatever else they can grab. And they get HUGE. Mean even when small, but 1.5" is really small. Average pet-store size is already big enough to catch and eat other shrimp and fish. They won't bother corals, usually, or other benthic inverts. I don't consider them reef-safe, and I DO consider them to be horrible for reef tanks and other animals smaller than their arm-span.

 

 

 

 

thank you all for your input. I will take him off my wish list

[coral_addict]

They won't bother corals, usually, or other benthic inverts. I don't consider them reef-safe, and I DO consider them to be horrible for reef tanks and other animals smaller than their arm-span.

 

 

You may be contradicting yourself here. You said it's safe for Corals, shouldn't that means it's REEF Safe? Difference between Fish only and Reef tank is the Corals no? I love my Coral Banded and I won't get rid of him for anything. He's much more interesting then my Fire shrimp and he's always outside chilling. He haven't eating anything yet but he is a mean little sucker so may sure your tank have plenty of room for fish and other inverts to roam around. My chill mostly around the same rock.

[Chupacabras]

...shouldn't that means it's REEF Safe?

No. Corals alone do not the reef make.