Rogue one.....

[Fish Werx]

Or, I should say one rogue peppermint shrimp!

I have one lone peppermint shrimp (refered to from now on as PS) left in m DT from a moment of shortsighted decision making one afternoon. I got a nice cleanup crew set up for my 120g and since I chose the larger size I was offered a free sea urchin or a 10 lot of PS. They were guaranteed to be Fl PS and from everything I have read that is supposed to be the best as far as reef safe goes? So I stabbed that button on the stores page with glee!

Well, after about a week of introducing the CUC to the tank all was well. Until I saw one head of a nice large colony of frogspawn retracted abnormally. Upon closer inspection there was a PS tearing away at the surrounding fleshy area of that polyp! I immediately started rounding them up (the PS, not frogspawn). Over the course of the next couple days I succeeded in removing all but one. And as it was the smallest one I figured perhaps it was different from its larger brethren? No such luck! two nights ago I watched as it proceeded to tear at one of my Elegance coral colonies!

Does anyone have any tricks, tips, DIY traps, anecdotal or otherwise suggestions on removing this turd from my tank????? Without tearing out all 150lbs of live rock and dozens of coral colonies preferably!

I have tried everything I can think of with no luck. Its like it knows Im trying to condemn it to a life of sump-dom!

 

[Fish Werx]

Nobody?!

 

[Baby Ray]

I had the same problem with a PS and I was able to catch it in about 10 minutes using a trap I made. What I did was I got a water bottle (label removed) and cut the top off of the bottle. I then put the top of the bottle that I cut off back into the bottle but backwards. I put food in the trap and once the shrimp goes in, they have a hard time getting out. You can also attach fishing line to it so when the shrimp goes in, you can pull the trap up out of the water

 

[Fish Werx]

I had the same problem with a PS and I was able to catch it in about 10 minutes using a trap I made. What I did was I got a water bottle (label removed) and cut the top off of the bottle. I then put the top of the bottle that I cut off back into the bottle but backwards. I put food in the trap and once the shrimp goes in, they have a hard time getting out. You can also attach fishing line to it so when the shrimp goes in, you can pull the trap up out of the water

Why didnt I think about that? We used to make traps like this to catch bait down at the inlets when I was little! Thanks a ton! I know this will work as it is a greedy little guy. Just super fast so hes neigh impossible to net! I bet I end up with my other cleaners and probably my fire fish in there as well at some point, but all I got is time!

I knew someone here would present an answer to my problem.
THANKS!!!

 

[Baby Ray]

Why didnt I think about that? We used to make traps like this to catch bait down at the inlets when I was little! Thanks a ton! I know this will work as it is a greedy little guy. Just super fast so hes neigh impossible to net! I bet I end up with my other cleaners and probably my fire fish in there as well at some point, but all I got is time!

I knew someone here would present an answer to my problem.
THANKS!!!

Glad I could help!!
Good luck

 

[pdt7361]

I had to remove both of my peppermint shrimp using the bottle trap too...kept tearing up corals. For me, I had to really limit tank feedings for a couple of days so that the shrimp would be more daring. Then I put a bit of mysis in the bottle, filled it up, put a small rock in the bottle, and put it in the tank...took a few days to get both.

 

[Fish Werx]

I had to remove both of my peppermint shrimp using the bottle trap too...kept tearing up corals. For me, I had to really limit tank feedings for a couple of days so that the shrimp would be more daring. Then I put a bit of mysis in the bottle, filled it up, put a small rock in the bottle, and put it in the tank...took a few days to get both.

Right, I'm hopefully optimistic it will go quick! Haha! But, like i said, I've got time. Ill leave it in the tank overnight if it doesn't work before I go to bed. Wonder if it would be a good idea to put some small holes in the bottle body to allow water flow a little bit? I am going to use a small piece of silver side. I have plenty that I feed my RBTA with....

 

[Fish Werx]

I'll keep you guys up to date. Thanks again.

 

[Fish Werx]

So.... HUGE shout out to @Baby Ray !!! Got the little bugger. It took my almost a week to actually get around to making the trap and baiting it. But it only took 15 minutes for the greedy little bugger to seal its fate by crawling in! Thanks again, my tank is now officially PS free!!!!!! Hahaha! Its the small victories that keep us going....
To the sump you go!

 

[Baby Ray]

So.... HUGE shout out to @Baby Ray !!! Got the little bugger. It took my almost a week to actually get around to making the trap and baiting it. But it only took 15 minutes for the greedy little bugger to seal its fate by crawling in! Thanks again, my tank is now officially PS free!!!!!! Hahaha! Its the small victories that keep us going....
To the sump you go!

Glad I could help !!!