Peppermint Shrimp

Is it normal to get one of these beautiful creatures and never see it again?

The other day I saw him disappear into my rock work, and the next day saw him hanging out under one of the rock ledges, but now its been 3 days and I have not seen hide nor hair of him. My wife keeps saying that the dottyback and clownfish had shrimp gumbo, lol. I don't think this is the case but I don't know if he just climbed in a rock and died or not. Any thoughts?

 

Completely normal.

They usually hide so well that it's hard to tell whether or not a tank has peppermints in it without taking all the rock out.

 

Agreed! Mine also disappear when they are about to molt. It's wild to see the shed exoskeleton, it's like a ghost shrimp...

 

We've had peps that have "gone missing", literally for years, only to be found while tearing the tank down. By then, you have a HUGE, very pretty pep...adults develop striking black tails.

 

They are more on the shy side than most shrimps out there. So hiding is totally normal for these guys. That being said, their size also makes the perfect targets for things like hawkfish. I've sen starry blennies kill medium sized (1.5") peppermints in a clients aquarium.

 

I agree with above posts. However I have found them to be out more during night time. Whenever I do a night feeding they come running out and fly around the tank.

 

yeh, I can confirm that. They do come out more after lights off.

 

My peppermint vanished for over a week after I put him in before I finally spotted him on the underside of a rock.

 

Sounds like you could try checking at night with a flashlight zgetman.

 

Lol, I am not home during lights out. My wife picked out Pepper and now she is upset cause he is hiding. She wants to see him, lol.