coral banded srimp in reef?

ThalesthePearsei

I would really like to add a coral banded shrimp to my tank, but I have heard that they can be very aggressive and that some are not totally reef safe. Someone at a LFS told me that it is hit or miss with these guys, and some of them can be pretty nasty. Is that true?

Pasfur

I've never known anyone to have a problem. They can be territorial, but they do not chase. If a fish comes in their area, they will display aggressive posturing, but this is typical for most living animals. If your aquarium is at least 29 gallons in size, and you have adequate live rock to provide shelter for this animal, then you will be fine.

Keep in mind, shrimp require iodine to shred properly. You will not want to add iodine to the water, but regular partial water changes will be helpful for iodine replenishment.

klosxe

agree that it's hit and miss; I had one that ripped apart a damsel in quarintine, and yet another that I've had in my display tank for years with no issues at all. Personally I agree with the LFS it's hit and miss. I would think that you would discover during quarintine wether or not your shrimp is pasive enough to be in a reef tank. Good Luck!

Quaddity

Mine is big and doesn't bother anyone. My Yellow Tang goes right up to it to get a cleaning and bothers it all the time.

conger

I would think that a CBS ripping apart fish would be the exception as opposed to the rule... I've had a CBS in my tank for many months, and he leaves basically everyone alone. Never touches the fish, even leaves the crabs and snails alone, couldn't care less about them.

But, he HATES other shrimp. I put two skunk cleaners in my tank a few months back, and they lasted about a day... that was a really expensive meal I fed to my coral banded. I also put two peppermint shrimp in there early on, and one was eaten within a day. Interestingly enough, the other peppermint has survived to this day, I call him Jack Bauer because he's such a survivor and seems to be able to handle the huge CBS with no problem.

I've had fish approach the CBS and posture themselves to be cleaned, but the CBS has no interest in it. He'll put up his defensive stance, then retreat into the rockwork, leaving the fish there to wonder "what the heck??"

ThalesthePearsei

A CBS wouldn't do well in a 14 gallon?

conger

just taking a guess here, but the small space might make it more territorial towards other tank inhabitants (of all types), thus more likely to attack and/or harass them (?)

ThalesthePearsei

hmmm, I think I am leaning toward a smaller shrimp now, I have been reading that they need at least a 30 g.

Pasfur

I think the problem with a CSS in a quarantine tank is that the quarantine tank is usually a small tank. This species of shrimp will be aggressive in small quarters. Again, i would stick with a minimum of 29 gallons.

klosxe

agree
I'd also say that a minimum of 29 gallons is pretty realistic