Aaron doesn't think this is a big deal but I'm pissed at Brutus. For those of you who don't know, Brutus (Aka Brutus the Bastard) is our Coral Banded Shrimp.

 

Brief history? Why not.. Well Brutus dubbed himself thus when I called home during my lunch hour and Aaron passively mentioned that he saw the shrimp snacking-out on what appeared to be a hermit crab.

Well I was furious and proceeded to cuss the Da** shrimp out over the phone - chalked it up to a possible death and natural scavenge.

 

That is, until today.. Today is strike two for Brutus the F**ing Bastard lol.

I noticed that Barnacle Bill Jr.'s shell was surrounded by other hermit crabs, thinking that he got a hold of some food and another crab was trying to steal it away from him. Low and behold I notice that his legs weren't sticking out and thought maybe he found a bigger shell to live in.

 

****** Until I found Brutus with crab legs sticking out of his hateful little mouth!! ******

Now I know it's only natural but like I said before, it's strike two for Brutus and if I find him with another limb sticking out of his stupid little face I'm going to push for dismissal! Aaron doesn't think it's a big deal, after all; "Hermit crabs are only 99 cents."

But it's the principal! lol I guess that's what I get for naming even my hermit crabs. Aaron doesn't want to sell him or whatever, but I don't want to come home to a blood thirsty shrimp when I know well enough that he gets enough brine shrimp and flake food to eat. Stupid pig-shrimp.

 

Anyway, just wanted to rant I guess..

 

We had a snail die and we kept it in there for a while to see if the shrimp would eat it but he just left it in the shell.. I don't know if snail is an aquired taste or if he's really taking out the crabs. Aaron thinks the crabs are dying and he's just doing his job but if he didn't take the snail (we finally removed it from the tank a few days after noticing it died) then I'm leaning toward hostile activity. Hmm. I'll see if feeding him more will change this behavior. We're up to three feedings a day now, once in the morning, once when I get home from work or generally around 7:00 pm and once when the lights are turned off (generally around nine)

 

Aaron thinks the shrimp looks cool and I'm thinking; "Anything with claws that big is made to kill it's food in addition to scavenging." Uh, duh.

 

Mike

 

How often should Coral Banded Shrimp molt? Is frequency in molting a good sign or bad sign? Why do they molt, is it just because they're growing or is it response to something else?

Brutus has just molted the second time in .. oh, I'd say about a month and a half's time. (I'm not really good with keeping track)

 

Mike

 

Anyhoo, if they only molt to grow I'm not going to get too worried about it, I just thought maybe something else like stress may cause them to molt. : ) Big ol' Brutus.

 

 

 

UPDATE: Clowns are doing well, both are eating regularly.

Toadstool leather is doing great, we lost the Yellow Leather - shame. Our PomPom Xenia is getting big and we got some GSP and a Hairy Mushroom which are all doing well.

The green tipped hammer sliver we got from Mike's tank is doing great too! Which of course I'm excited for because it's my favorite. The side where it was broken off has formed what looks like a healing layer and on the other side there are three small starts near the base.

Everything's good and I hope to get an anenome of some sort soon, we've got a good place for it but no rush.

 

Mike

 

We just got an anenome tonight and after letting it adjust with put it in the tank on a shell turned over as a sort of cup. (it looks like an old clam half, small, but it works and I think it's going to like it's new spot)

Well as soon as the anenome settled to the bottom of the tank Brutus came over and immediately snatched up a few tentacles and proceeded to stuff his stupid face!! I shooed him away using the bag the anenome was in and hopefully that's the last of it.

Now he seems to be keeping his distance and one of his antenna touched the anenome, when Brutus used his claws to "clean" his antenna it looked like he was having a problem with it, like it was sticky. GOOD!

What an ******* shrimp! lol Oh well. .. . I told Aaron that if Brutus doesn't mind his manners I'm going to sell his skanky ass! I'd rather have an anenome than a Coral Banded Shrimp with a bad temper.

 

 

Another strike. . To be continued. : )

 

Mike

At any rate, that's why we got "King Louie" and he's a great little guard.

 

Brutus got a little big for his britches and when he got too close Louie clipped one of his antenna off. He steers clear of the anemone now! Boy was that shrimp pissed!! Dancing about like a baboon. Hee hee. I was cheering for the crab the whole time!

It seems Brutus has learned some manners for now. I have something lined up if he continues to annoy but at the moment he hasn't given us any more problems. (That I've noticed)

 

Sorry it's been so long, our computer was fried for a while and we finally got it fixed.

 

Mike