Rock Flower Anemone Moved into Dark Hole

[Lavey29]

Sorry to hear this, so frustrating. I bought my first rfa last spring, put it front and center on the rock. I was so pleased I was going to go back to my lfs and buy the other 4 they had. Then my skunk cleaner shrimp found it and began picking at it relentlessly. It moved a couple of inches the next day and again the shrimp was all over it and it stayed closed up like a ball. The fallowing day it wasn’t anywhere to be seen. The next day it was back and the shrimp was all over it. The next day gone and I never have seen it again. I really liked the colors. When the shrimp goes to a nursing home I hope to get a few and let them get established before adding another shrimp.

Strange I have at least 5 RFA in the tank along with cleaner shrimp. Fire shrimp and peppermint but none of the bother my RFA s.

 

[killer2001]

Sounds like the workings of a naughty peppermint with his cleaner sidekick.

 

[afrokobe]

I would be careful of your peppermint, he could have eaten the rfa

 

[kevgib67]

Strange I have at least 5 RFA in the tank along with cleaner shrimp. Fire shrimp and peppermint but none of the bother my RFA s.

I know, I started a thread back when it happened and it didn’t seem to be common. I’ve had skunk cleaner shrimps off and on for 17 years, all model citizens. Even this one, other than the rfa, is a model citizen. I think it was a one off and when replacing the current one after a long full filling life, I’ll try it again.

 

[homer1475]

My cleaner shrimp kept picking at my one large RFA(like 6 inches across when fully laid out). Only this one, I have like 15 in my tank.

One day, that RFA got even!

I'm not sad I don't see the shrimp anymore.

 

[JoJosReef]

Sorry about your RFA. I've had two that did this dance. Seem happy for a while, then start moving into caves. When they start to fall off their footholds, that's when I know it's downhill--I've tried isolation jars and treating with Cipro in one case, but nothing saved them once they got in that state.

 

[wwarby]

Strange I have at least 5 RFA in the tank along with cleaner shrimp. Fire shrimp and peppermint but none of the bother my RFA s.

To be fair to them, they never bothered it whilst it was attached to the rock. They would steal food from its mouth unless I stopped them, but I don’t think they can really be blamed for that. They attacked it only when it was an upside down ball of white flesh. The peppermint shrimp was the most eager, but the scarlet cleaner shrimps and zebra hermits both joined in. For all I know it might have already been dead for a couple of days now, but the peppermint shrimp was definitely attacking it when it was still alive (but not anchored properly to any rock).

 

[Lavey29]

To be fair to them, they never bothered it whilst it was attached to the rock. They would steal food from its mouth unless I stopped them, but I don’t think they can really be blamed for that. They attacked it only when it was an upside down ball of white flesh. The peppermint shrimp was the most eager, but the scarlet cleaner shrimps and zebra hermits both joined in. For all I know it might have already been dead for a couple of days now, but the peppermint shrimp was definitely attacking it when it was still alive (but not anchored properly to any rock).

Well sorry for your loss. They are cool little animals so hopefully you will get another soon. All of mine seemed to handle shipping fine. But I do have one that has strangely decided to live at the very top of the tank.

 

[wwarby]

I would be careful of your peppermint, he could have eaten the rfa

Yeah peppermint shrimps seem like a’holes in my experience so far. I bought two, and I’ve had to move one to my QT observation tank (no copper) because it started eating my hammer coral as soon as I put it in there. The other one is definitely now a murder suspect in the case of the RFA. I love having shrimps in my tank - I’ve got more of them than fish at the moment with the peppermint, two blood red, two scarlet cleaners, a boxer and a Randal’s pistol. I am starting to get why many reefers don’t bother with shrimp though; they can be bad citizens and they can be a food source for some fish which limits your stocking list just a bit. Still, I think out of RFAs and shrimps I’d take the shrimps.

 

[TokenReefer]

I had an urge to get peppermint shrimps a while back but couldn't find them anywhere at the time...glad I didn't now

 

[afrokobe]

Yeah peppermint shrimps seem like a’holes in my experience so far. I bought two, and I’ve had to move one to my QT observation tank (no copper) because it started eating my hammer coral as soon as I put it in there. The other one is definitely now a murder suspect in the case of the RFA. I love having shrimps in my tank - I’ve got more of them than fish at the moment with the peppermint, two blood red, two scarlet cleaners, a boxer and a Randal’s pistol. I am starting to get why many reefers don’t bother with shrimp though; they can be bad citizens and they can be a food source for some fish which limits your stocking list just a bit. Still, I think out of RFAs and shrimps I’d take the shrimps.

Yea I love shrimps too, but only have one cleaner and candy cane pistols in my tanks right now. Trying to feed coral with my cleaner is such a pain. Constantly trying to steal food even when I feed him a huge piece ahead of time. Love the candy cane pistol shrimps, they are tiny and just reorganize the sand every once in a while. One of them did steal my riccordea...

I had an urge to get peppermint shrimps a while back but couldn't find them anywhere at the time...glad I didn't now

They are hit or miss, I had a peppermint shrimp with a few rfas and he never bothered them. I also wasn't sure if he was actually eating aiptasia or not

 

[JoJosReef]

Yea I love shrimps too, but only have one cleaner and candy cane pistols in my tanks right now. Trying to feed coral with my cleaner is such a pain. Constantly trying to steal food even when I feed him a huge piece ahead of time. Love the candy cane pistol shrimps, they are tiny and just reorganize the sand every once in a while. One of them did steal my riccordea...


They are hit or miss, I had a peppermint shrimp with a few rfas and he never bothered them. I also wasn't sure if he was actually eating aiptasia or not

I have a candy cane too, and recently I've had my ricordea on the sand bed while I deal with GHA. Has no stem to the plug. I've been wondering why I keep seeing it moved towards the rocks near one of the openings to my pistol's underground palace. Now I'm suspecting the pistol trying to take it!