Peppermint Shrimp eating bta?

Hello people. I just got a bta today, and added him to the tank. As soon as he settled into a nice little spot on the rock that I guided him to, one of my peppermint shrimp came over to him, and got on the side of him. He started to dig thru him, and then started taking chunks off of him and eating it.

I was just curious if that is normal? thanks

 

ummm....no. Either shrimp is wacko, or anemone is an aiptasia......

 

Yah that is it, I accidently bought an aiptasia instead of a bubble tip. Thanks for that input.

 

Never heard of that before.

 

Yah man I was really surprised too. He first just got on top of it and was just poking around, then I saw him actually tear pieces off of the bta. I scared it off, and it hasn't been back near it yet.

 

Did you remove the shrimp?

 

them eating aptasia is perfectly normal, bta is another thing

 

I saw some peppermint shrimp on some pacific bubble tip anenomes at one of the LFS's, and the guy told me they were just cleaning it. I didn't look close enough to see them tearing off pieces, but i was surprised they weren't getting stung/eaten by the anenome, since my old BTA ate jumbo krill their size or bigger. Next time I went back about a week later, 2 of the anenomes the shrimp were all over were dead or mostly dead (and still in the tank with the shrimp). So maybe if they aren't getting enough scavenging, they will eat an anenome.

 

I also like theory of shrimp just "cleaning" the anem.

Have long had a number of BTA's and pepermints in same tank with no sign of agression by shrimp.

Someone sold you an aptaisa as a BTA?

You need to do some serious study on whatever you buy from this character again.

One of the biggest mistakes many of us make, is making a purchase at LFS without fully understanding the living habits of critter, or fully taking word of LFS. Remember, he is out to sell, sell, sell. May not have best interest in critter or your tank mind.


Good Luck.



Scott