Do peppermint shrimp eat candy cane corals?

[BantyRooster97]

Like the title says. I recently added 2 peppermint shrimp to my tank and all of a sudden my 3 candy cane colonies are looking worse. They used to plump up nicely everyday, now they are just closed up like they do at night. Nothing is dead yet, but I don't want it to get that far.

They are the only thing that has really changed lately.

Well that & dosing nitrates, just trying to get them to be readable, like under 5 ppm. So far dosing very slowly and still getting 0 on my salifert test.

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

Peppermint shrimp have been known to bother some corals, it can be hit or miss but I wouldn't rule them out as a culprit. Also check their mouths, they will glow green if they've been eating a green candy cane coral.

 

[Oberst Oswald]

Since Candy Canes are LPS the Peppermint shrimp are could be stealing the food from the coral. They climb on each head, reach in with their claws and rip the food right out of their stomachs. Usually happens late at night but I seen it during the day also. My P-mint shrimp were very well feed but still went to each of the LPS on raiding runs for sport. His new home, in the sump, became when I caught him red handed reaching in a $250.00 scoly right after I feed the shrimp & the scoly each a nice piece of scallop. Watch yours, especially at night, and remember that they eat a lot. Have to make sure they are well fed or you will find other mysterious issues will occur.

 

[dede]

I am constantly worried my peppermint is going to rip apart my lps. I have him in the tank for aptasia and he has done a great job. I also feed my fish heavy so have not noticed any problems yet. But in the future I will probably move him to the sump as I get more expensive corals, that way I know I have a good aptasia eater if the aptasia come back.