Missing peppermint shrimp!

[dflash]

I purchased 2 as part of my cleaning crew about a month ago. One is pregnant and still there, but the other just dissapeared about 2 days ago. I have looked in every hole in the rock. No body parts. Do they hide for some time? Is this normal behavior? I have a 29G Biocube which is totally covered and I have also looked in the 3 rear chambers. Any input will be appreciated.

[Mischeif Nite]

Mine come right out when I feed. Did you try that?

[dflash]

Mine come right out when I feed. Did you try that?

 

Yes...mine do that too. Thats how I noticed one was missing.

[siwelk]

black hole?

[mmelnick]

peppermint shrimp have a reputation for going AWOL. I lost one to the black abyss and have seen many threads just like this. They just seem to disappear. I don't think I will buy any more to replace mine.

[jamesnmandy]

could be molting too...my shrimp have been known to disappear for a day or two during the molt process, they will just hang out hidden in the rock work, then one day you will see them...

[Agm2315]

Its seems as if peppermint shrimp have a nact for disappearing.

 

Do you have any crabs, or hermits.

 

If the shrimp died the ccrabs would devour the corpse

[dwyman01]

Mine disappeared about a month ago. Never saw any body parts. I think that my crabs must have devoured him. Funny that I never saw any parts of his shell floating around or anything.

[constantocean]

yes peppermint shrimp do have a tendency to go AWOL. i posted this same thread a few months back and have since seen about one of these a week pop up. nobody can explain it!

[masterbuilder]

Pray its gone forever...they are the devil. As you might have guessed, I don’t care for them. As they get larger they become very aggressive and mine is quite destructive.

[Mischeif Nite]

Pray its gone forever...they are the devil. As you might have guessed, I don’t care for them. As they get larger they become very aggressive and mine is quite destructive.

 

+1

[o0xerog0o]

I had mine disappear a couple days ago as well. I knew he was in the back of the tank for a few days prior, wouldn't come out for food during the light, and was pretty white, with the only red on his legs. I just figured he was molting, but now I haven't seen him at all for two days straight. If he did pass on to a better life in shrimp heaven, I'm sure my hermit made short work of his corpse.

It may be for the best though, seeing as how I plan on getting a yellow watchman goby and a pistol shrimp to pair up with him. I wouldn't want any competition between the two shrimps, if there would be any.

[dflash]

Thank you all for your comments and replies. I guess I just have to wait it out.

[icecool2]

Mine went MIA a few weeks ago too. Never found it's body either. I'm just going to get a cleaner shrimp later. At least he ate my aiptasia before going missing.

[nano650]

my cleaner shrimp disappear was well! Those this mistory happen to cleaner shrimp too??

[dflash]

I just learned that these guys may have been at fault. They are not reef safe, so be on the lookout after lights out. I removed the two that I had, they came with the live rock. Just look at their claws! Also the bore through your rock and will eventually weaken it.