Boxer Shrimp

W Churchill

Member
I've had a boxer shrimp for about 3 weeks, I rather liked him so today I got another.

Within about a couple of hours they were entangled together which I naively hoped could be them mating (FOOL), anyhow an hour or so on and my new boxer shrimp has lost his two main claws.

He (I say he, I have no way of knowing) has now learned to keep out of the way and positioned himself on the intake to my marisys filter (he's not got sucked in, the flow is quite gentle, not at all like the intake for a power filter, and he moves away when he wants)

He didn't eat when I fed tonight, but I've seen him quite happily munching on little bits that get taken into the marisys (for the avoidance of doubt, a marisys is a sump filter with trickle feed with a filter on the intake, so it will catch all sorts of stuff to eat). he does have his other sets of claws intact, albeit not quite the same as his main ones.

I didn't hold out much hope for him, but after reading another post here called 'limb-less Mr BoJangles' my hope has perked up a little and I even wonder if he might grow back these claws, but I might be being naive again.

So besides the question of might he recover, I wonder if I did the right thing by having two of them, perhaps their name might have provided me with a clue. Can I have two boxer shrimp, is it like having two male Siamese fighting fish or have I just been unlucky, is there any chance these two will get to live together, or should I put him in my other tank.

I'll try target feeding him tomorrow, if he's still around.

Oh and another quick question about moving him to another tank. He's in a fairly new tank and I've had a small issue with white spot, I've added a second 30W steriliser to beat the infection which seems to be working, I believe shrimp can't suffer from white spot but could he carry it to the other tank if I do move him.
 

BigJay

Well-Known Member
they can loose there claws and antannae and they will grow back with the next molt or two as long as he's able to feed.
 

BigJay

Well-Known Member
just to clarify your talking about coral banded shrimp correct? My understanding is they got their name from their posture not their disposition.
 

W Churchill

Member
just to clarify your talking about coral banded shrimp correct? My understanding is they got their name from their posture not their disposition.

I think so, looking at pictures around the internet. But I'm not 100% sure. This guy didn't eat the brineshrimp I fed them at eating time, but he's more than likely eating crap that accumulates at the intake to my marisys filter. I'll certainly target feed him tomorrow, but I'm concerned about his long term presence in my tank.

Did my other boxer shrimp attack him and rip his claws off, These are his major claws, the ones that look like his body, his other claws are intact. My other shrimp has been though a shed, he didn't lose his claws. Is it possible he just lost these claws, should I separate them if I can. I'm a bit of a softy and don't like to see anything like this, is this natural, should I be concerned.
 

BigJay

Well-Known Member
sorry forgot to answer that part of your question. Usually coral bandeds will get along with other species of shrimp but they cannot be kept with other coral bandeds. They will fight.
 

BigJay

Well-Known Member
Schooling in aquariums is the exception not the rule. When in doubt before adding a second of any same species always research it. Most often it will lead do the death of one if not both.
 
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