Money Cowrie

[JaminRat]

Hi all,

On the advice of my local reef shop I bought a Money Cowrie to help take care of some hair algae growth. I slowly aclimatised him and placed him on the LR but he fell off while opening up and landed on the substrate where my Peppermint shrimp popped out of his hiding place and started to have a go at him. I left them alone for 1/2 hour or so and then moved him back onto the LR on a flat surface so he wont fall off but he hasn't come back out of his shell. He's been hiding now for probably 4-5 hours.

I'm confused as to why the peppermint shrimp acted this way as he normally hides and only comes out for a minute or so while the lights are off. Any info greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance
Ben

 

[JaminRat]

Well bad news, he didn't make it and was returned today. LRS did water tests and said they found no problems so a free of charge replacement next time they're in stock.

I'd still like some info on them if anybody can provide it as there doesn't seem to be much on the net.

 

[Opcn]

Chances are he had already started to decompose before you got him into your tank, and that the shrimp smelled that. Cowries can travel across the sand, so its best to put them in bottom down directly on the substrate, that way theres no chance of them falling off and they cannot get flipped on there backs. They can flip over easily, but they are rather volnurable while they do it.