Coral Banded Shrimp

Doing some research here. Looking at a CBS to help deplete/control my bristle worm population. Here's what I've read about them. They will eat other smaller type shrimp (there go my sexys) they'll eat smaller snails, exactly what kind doesn't say. They'll also eat smaller hermits of which I only have one. However I've weighed my options negative/positive and my worm population has exploded and I'm not happy about it at. What say you all?

 

Bristle worms seem to be a self-limiting problem. I'd guess that you are feeding more than what your other clean up crew can handle, so the bristles become the default cleanup crew.

I had quite a few when I started out from the live rock I purchased, but I haven't seen one in quite a long time.

If you want to keep your sexy's and other crabs, cut back a bit on the feeding, and you might try to get a handful of hermits and nassarius snails first and see if they out compete and starve out the bristles.

 

I've never had any trouble with my coral banded shrimp attacking anything for what it's worth. I have small hermits, snails, or attacking even the smaller peppermint shrimp that were in my tank.

He does snatch food out of my wellso at every feeding though. Like it's his personal buffett.

 

Coral banded Shrimp are pretty much worthless.... and from what ive read......most of them are *******s. Mine is. Im about to get rid of mine. Killed a cleaner shrimp...... and he goes after any fish that goes anywhere near him. He nipped my yellow tang yesterday....TWICE!!!

He never has bothered my hermits and snails though. But dont be surprised if your fish start missing fins. I wouldnt be surprised if he goes after your slow moving Mandarin.

 

Ok, I'm not willing to risk my fishes. I'm getting a lot of mixed reviews so I'll play safe I've been feeding a lot of frozen due to my new Mandarin and the worms have exploded. I don't want any more then the 2 hermits I now have..any other suggestions for a cuc?

 

You want something to kill bristle worms get an arrow crab. Cool crabs, get large fast, beg for food like no tomorrow, and eat even the largest bristle worm like candy.

Edit: They will steal food from LPS once they get medium to large and you usually have to re-home them if they become too food aggressive, BUT they love to eat bristle worms.

 

Good decision. Right after my last post, i saw my cbs snap at my hippo. Been trying to catch him ever since. Just put him in my aquafuge, and hes going to the LFS tomorrow so i can get some cleaner shrimp for my Tangs. Ive been stressed out because of a bad ich outbreak, the tangs finally are ich free, and i wasnt about to let the cbs take them from me after all weve been through the last couple of weeks. . I love my tangs, and going after them is a no no

 

Ok Arrow crab research and thinking about a brittle star. Thanks reefers

 

I dont know about the arrow crap... They will eat small fish if given the chance, and will attack large fish as well. Once heard a story about an arrow crab that attacked a yellow tang and ate its eye. They will also eat other inverts

 

Wondering if on those occasions the crab may have been starving?