Peppermint Shrimp eating my Hammer Coral?

[Woods]

Yesterday at the Frag Swap, I purchased a 4 head Hammer Coral and introduced it to my tank. Within about 3 hours I noticed 2 of the heads were retracted and 2 were nice and extended. I also noticed florescent green particles blowing in the water current. After watching the tank for some time I noticed my Peppermint shrimp basically attacking my new Hammer Coral. I was hoping over night it would be accustomed to having it in the tank and leave it alone. Unfortunately, it is still attacking it and now all 4 heads are retracted and I am afraid probably damaged... I have luckily captured the shrimp and have it in a container floating in the back filter portion of my Biocube29.

Is this common for a shriimp to attack Hammer Coral? What do I do to get it to leave the Hammer Coral alone? Did I just get a mean Peppermint shrimp and I need to trade him out. Or do I need to get rid of one or the other permanently as they just won't match up in a tank well?

Thanks,

Mike

[Gonzobob]

This is not common at all. The first thing I would do is confirm your peppermint shrimp is actually a pepperment and not a camel shrimp. Camel shrimp are not entirely reef safe and are sometimes mistaken for peppermints.

[Woods]

This is not common at all. The first thing I would do is confirm your peppermint shrimp is actually a pepperment and not a camel shrimp. Camel shrimp are not entirely reef safe and are sometimes mistaken for peppermints.

I believe it is a Peppermint Shrimp as it decimated my Aptasia and was sold to me as one from a LFS. A pic is below for verification...

Thanks,

Mike

[Robb in Austin]

Sure looks like a pep.

Was it eating the hammer? Perhaps he was just digging around it, irritating the polyps, looking for goodies or left overs. I've seen mine

irritate some of my corals while doing that/cleaning the corals.

[Woods]

Sure looks like a pep.

Was it eating the hammer? Perhaps he was just digging around it, irritating the polyps, looking for goodies or left overs. I've seen mine

irritate some of my corals while doing that/cleaning the corals.

When I first noticed it, the shrimp was eating something and there were green particles from the Hammer floating in the current and it looked like the particle the shrimp was eating was green as well but not positive. Later I did catch the shrimp with it "hands in the cookie jar" picking at the coral head that is mostly gone now. Whether it was actually eating it or just iritating it, damage has definitely been inflicted. Can the damaged head regenerate themselves and recover or are those heads most likely done in?

[Robb in Austin]

If there is still tissue there, it should regenerate depending on how much is left.

[+cyrus]

Thats to bad Mike, do you have a pict of the hammer? maybe you can swap the pep at a lfs? Make sure it is in a low flow area, it will aid its recovery.

[Woods]

I have since captured the Pep shrimp and have him in a vented tupperware container and the hammer is looking better and starting to heal. Looks like it will recover. I will be trading the Pep in at an LFS for one that hopefully isn't quite so fond of hammer corals.

[Koe]

I had the same issue with a torch coral and some peppermint shrimp.

Was never sure if they actually ate any of it but they where constantly nipping at it and harrasing it.