agressive peppermint shrimp

Question
Hello I have a 14 gallon fowler tank with peppermint shrimp,chocolate chip sea star, sixline wrasse, yellowtail damsel, firefish, pajama cardinal,2 snails and 3 hermit. My peppermint shrimp has a area were he hangs out all the time and when a fish paces through it the shrimp lists its pincers up to try to scare fish and when i was scrapping algea with my scraper the shrimp attacked the scraper. also my shrimp is wierd the other day i was trying to feed my sea star freeze dryed brime shrimp the shrimp swam all the way to the surface and i hand feed it. is that behaviore ordinary. are peppermint shrimp teritorial. thanks.

Answer
Hi Ben,

No, no and no.  Peppermint shrimp are not territorial or aggressive and that is completely odd behavior for one.

Are you sure you aren't confusing a peppermint with a camel?

Camel shrimp - http://photovalet.com/data/comps/AAR/AARV01P05_16B.jpg

Peppermint shrimp - http://www.reefcorner.com/images/PeppermintShrimpCloseup.jpg

The two are very similar.  Petstores often mis-read them when they arrive, selling them as much cheaper, and as peppermints.

The behavior he's exhibiting is not normal, no.

I hope this helps!  

Happy fish-keeping.

Renee