kev311 Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 Hey I was just wondering if anybody has had any luck with using peppermint shrimp to control an aptasia problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coralreefer Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 No luck at all!!! In fact, I just put a copperband butterfly in my tank yesterday with hopes of getting ahead of the suckers... DrMerle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moovinfast Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 I just added 2 peppermint shrimp a few days ago and today I notice a bunch of it was already gone..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev311 Posted July 17, 2009 Author Share Posted July 17, 2009 great, ill give it a shot, couldnt hurt anyway I need more critters for my tank anyway. thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USCG CWO Posted July 17, 2009 Share Posted July 17, 2009 I have three peppermint shrimp and no aptasia at all. I had some small ones when I set the tank up and they took care of them and all new ones that come a long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev311 Posted July 17, 2009 Author Share Posted July 17, 2009 That is good news, that is my situation now(new tank). thanks for the reply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate213 Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 We had 4 peppermint shrimp and they took care of the aptasia, but after it was gone they developed a taste for LPS corals. They ate all of my Duncans and killed a open brain before I got them out.DOH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 I have one peppermint shrimp that took care of the aptasia I had after I initially set up my tank. I don't have any aptasia anymore and it hasn't bothered any of my corals. (It stays hidden most of the time) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dj_giantti Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 I have always had peppermint shrimp in my tanks and never have I had aptasia. I add them when I add my so called cleaning crew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikep503 Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 I would use Joe's juice if I had a bunch then throw in a couple pepermint shrimp to keep them from coming back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stylaster Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 they worked fine on my aiptasia, then they decided to start picking on my favias so i pulled them out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
half-astronaut Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 They've always worked great for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benny503 Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 The shrimps does take good care of baby aspatia, for the large aspatia use joe juice :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gumby Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 I have put Kalkwasser in a feeder tube & gently feed a thick dose into their mouths. By the time they figure out its not food its too late. Works most of the for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reef165 Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 The opt. word Ive seen is a couple shrimp! just like everything else in the hobby just because its said to be true, dosnt mean all the pep shrimp will eat the aiptasia, Ive goten one and it did nothing, got two more and at least one of them was eating the smaller ones. Got Joes juce for the larger ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev311 Posted July 18, 2009 Author Share Posted July 18, 2009 All the aiptasia i have now are pretty small so ill give the shrimp a try. Thanks for all the feed back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted July 18, 2009 Share Posted July 18, 2009 One of the reasons I believe the peppermint shrimp are hit and miss is because there are 2 species that look almost identical. One generally goes after aiptasia and leaves the corals alone while the other is more likely to go after the coral and not touch the aiptasia. I've personally had both and even with both side by side in the tank it's still hard to tell them apart. When I had the other kind (imposters) they went after my feather dusters but left the aiptasia alone. I took these back to the LFS and explained the reason including details and was told that they were true peppermint shrimp even though the identification matched the imposter. (I did not argue it as he gave me store credit anyway) I.E. Don't assume the LFS even knows how to tell them apart. Here are a few links to more information. I'm quoting a small portion from the last link as it contains the important details to ID them. Lysmata wurdemanni is the True Peppermint shrimp that eats aiptasia Quote: Lysmata rathbunae - rostrum reaching as far as, or beyond, end of antennular peduncle; antennal scale 5 times as long as wide. Lysmata wurdemanni - rostrum reaching not much, if at all, beyond second article of antennular peduncle; antennal scale less than 4 times as long as wide. The ''rostrum'' is that sharp horn-looking projection on the top of the head which protrudes out the front like a serrated spear. Lysmata have three sets of antennae, and where the two front pair of antennae join is the end of the ''antennular peduncle''. The ''second article of the antennal peduncle'' is the second joint in that appendage the antennae arise from. The ''antennal scales'' are two flat blade-like projections sticking out the front of the head. They seem use these blades to help steer themselves when swimming. So, if the end of the rostrum spear sticks out as far as where the front two pair of antennae join together, then it is a Lysmata rathbunae. If the tip of the rostrum does not reach as far forward as the point where the first two pair of antennae join, then it is a Lysmata wurdemanni. The antennal scale lengthwidth ratio is difficult to determine without catching the shrimp and measuring carefully, but the the length of the rostrum relative to the base of the front two pair of antennae is pretty much fool-proof. Here are the links, http://fish.suite101.com/article.cfm/peppermint_shrimp_imposters http://www.reefs.org/library/article/hopkins_redfield.html http://www.fishlore.com/profile-peppermintshrimp.htm http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f16/killing-my-aiptasia-26127-2.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev311 Posted July 23, 2009 Author Share Posted July 23, 2009 well went to coral reef yesterday and picked up 1 peppermint shrimp and she has made most of them go away already:D. She has eggs too, are they very hard to raise. or should I let them become food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoseCityAquarium Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 The peppermint shrimp from the caribbean are the ones that eat aptasia. The copperband butterflies pick at them one tentacle at a time. I had a huge aptasia, looked like it was around 3" in diameter. It ate a rabbitfish. Copperband started picking on the tentacles one at a time. She finally ate the thing but it took around two weeks. It looked like it got stung everytime it would take a bite out of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CA2OR Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 Just a heads up. I threw in a peppermint in my tank even though I haven't had an aptasia in quite sometime and the shrimp decided to try and eat my hammer. Now his is in LRR section with no chance of return to main tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kev311 Posted July 23, 2009 Author Share Posted July 23, 2009 Thanks for the heads up, being that i am new to the hobby I only have a hammer and a gsp that i just bought I would hate for that to happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted July 23, 2009 Share Posted July 23, 2009 2 peps took out all my aiptasia except 2 because those are by the frogspawn my clowns host and they won't let anything except my hand get close. But they did a great job. Anytime i see an aiptasia on a new coral or something, after QT i put it right down by where the peps hide and its always gone the next morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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