camel shrimp

[Boxster]

got my clean up crew (snails and crabs) in addition i added 2 camel shrimp, they seemed like active little guys at my lfs, but once they got to my tank they seem to hide all of the time. is this natural behavior for these guys?

[theduker25]

When I had one, he did hide alot, but after he got used to his new home he came out a little more. They are not as open as a cleaner shrimp.

[akula]

yah, not as out going as a cleaner shrimp. not as bad as my Saron shrimp, it hides 95% of the time, usually I see him come out about a half hour before the lights click off. my camel is usually not hiding per se, just walking around on the back side of my rock pile. the Saron shimp is tucked into a cave all day.

[reefBoyDc]

My camel shrimp doesn't hide, but he does stay in the same spot all the time. Even when feeding, he stays in one spot and hops something will float by. The only time he moves is when the Banded Coral Shrimp attacks him.

[cath]

Hmm...I thought a camel shrimp was not reef safe. Have you heard otherwise, guys?

[Doug1]

Camel Shrimp are polyp eating hell spawn and when you go to get them out you will see hiding as an art form

[Witfull]

they also will irritate lps and anemones to release or regurge their meals and steal it for themselves...definately not reef friendly. FOWLR they will be fine.

[Boxster]

wow i didnt realize that they were not reef safe. im not adding corals for a 6 months or so. hope they croak by then. ill be sure they are gone before i add any

[akula]

as far as the stealing food from corals I have seen various types of shrimp and crabs do that.

[reefBoyDc]

This is a camel shrimp, right? I didn;t realize they ate polyps either. uh-oh.

[cath]

Yup! They can mow them down pretty swiftly

[Moof]

yea, saron shrimps are nocturnal creatures. hmm, these camel shrimps look pretty cool, I was bout to get one for my tank till I read the description at liveaquaria. I've seen these at my lfs and they seem to have ninja switftness, disappearin into their hiding spots with a blink of an eye. I guess after yours acclimate n get use to the tank they'll start coming out more.. or u can always put a puffer in there n see what happens =P

[Boxster]

are you saying the puffer would munch the camels? but then puffers arent reef safe either......right?

[100gal-fiend]

i know an old lady who swallowed a fly...i always wanted a shark tank

[nikesmashing]

a shark tank would rock! but then agian what living room does a 3,000 gallon tank fit in? but it would give an all new perspective on feeding the fish!