Aiptasia and Peppermint Shrimps

[Oakhouse]

Aiptasia (sorry I know I'm not to swear... ).. but wanted to ask a few questions:

1. How many (if any) peppermint shrimps people keep in their tanks (130 or 250).
2. Has anyone has ever seen them eat Aiptasia?
3. Is there anything else "reef-safe" that eats Aiptasia?

We had a couple of large ones, which we've zapped with Joe's Juice, but maybe not in time for it to start spreading! Got 10 - 15 popping up all over the place.

 

[flynfish]

A while back I put 2 peps in my 130 for just that purpose. I had 5-7 small Ap's. The peps devoured them with in 24 hours, then proceeded to attack a torch frag and my coco worm with a vengence. They rippred the torch apart with in minutes. I got them out of there befoe they did any damage to the coco. I've had good luck with Aptasia X, so I'll stick wih that.

 

[lcstorc]

Yes, I have witnessed one actually eat an aiptasia. It was at night and really cool. Unfortunately, my wrasses think all shrimp are dinner.
It is hit or miss on the peppermints. Not sure what makes the difference, it may be the amount of other available food.

 

[redsea reefer]

It is hit or miss on the peppermints. Not sure what makes the difference, it may be the amount of other available food.

+1.....don't have any peppermints in my tank

 

[BigJay]

then proceeded to attack a torch frag and my coco worm with a vengence. .

thats about right for a peppermint shrimp. I actually caught my coral banded trimming a neon candy cane tentacles the other day. Skunk cleaners will rip food from a coral with complete disregard for the damage done to the coral. Point being no shrimp is really reef safe. Peppermints are the worst of the bunch and are somewhat indescrimate... might eat aiptasia one minute and a a $300 carpet anemone the next.
I'm going to try the aiptasia eating nudibranchs personally. Nudi's have a highly specialized diet and will starve to death before switching food sources. So they should be of little danger to other tank inhabitants.
Do yourself a favor leave the peppermints at the fish store.

 

[tnwillia]

I've had 2 Peppermints since my original CUC. Never had aiptasia (that I know of) Either I've been lucky or they are doing a great job. They've never messed with anything else in my tank.

 

[Oakhouse]

Thanks all for your responses, seems to be a little pot luck with these guys...

Will leave the peppermints another week or so see if the Aiptasia goes, and if they are still there, will try some Aiptasia-X. The Joe's Juice seems difficult to administer.

 

[Reefmack]

I've had peppermints since day one, and currently have 3 and a skunk cleaner. The only corals I've ever seen a cleaner or peppermint pick at were those that were already dying of other causes. Peppermints also can get a bad rap from people that don't know the difference between a peppermint and a camel shrimp - they look similar and camels can do a job on corals. I've never had any Aiptasia, but then I've always kept peppermints in my tanks. For me they've both been totally reef safe.

Aiptasia-X is the best IMO, and it'll kill Majano anemones just as well.

 

[w00t]

I had 2 in my 130, and while I never saw them actually eat an aiptasia they all disappeared and haven't had any since. I did nuke a few with joes juice, but I had others and decided to buy 2 peppermints and have them deal with the rest. I kept them in there for several months, and they completely trashed any feather dusters I put in there so they had to go. I now have 2 cleaners in there now that behave perfectly.

 

[Reefmack]

wOOt - have you added any featherdusters since removing the peppermints? I only ask as featherdusters can be tough to keep alive, and the peppermints can usually sense when something is dyeing, and act as a CUC in eating dead critters and the dead/dyeing flesh of corals.

 

[reefmaster3024]

Berghia nudibranchs eat aptasia and nothing else. You can buy them for about 10 dollars each usually. But when your aptasia are gone you need to give or sell them to some one else or they will die. since aptasia is their only food:square:

 

[BigJay]

will try some Aiptasia-X. .

save your money. This stuff does not work. I've seen the aiptasia get completely swollen after application like their "implosion" claim. But if you pay attention you should notice the particular anemone will just move to a new location and open back up usually within a week.
Some do die from it but I've had some that I've re-applied 4 or 5 times and they just keep re-appearing. IMO its more of a hassle then its worth.

 

[Oakhouse]

Seems to be quite mixed in responses re control of Aiptasia.. They are really beginning to spread! Think I will have to intervene with the Joes Juice tomorrow.

 

[Spikewire]

I've actually had great success with Aptasia X. You have to make sure that you get the Aptasia while it's open and get a nice dose in there, like hand feeding a coral. I dose them in the evening and by morning they are gone.

 

[redsea reefer]

Aiptasia X worked for me too, I had 2 in the beginning and killed em on first try...

 

[Reefmack]

Aiptasia-X here too. I'll admit I've never used it on Aiptasia (always have peppermints in the tank), but it takes out Majano anemones no problem, and they are tough to kill. Many have had success with it on Aiptasia, and the reviews by people have been excellent. As Spikewite said it has to be applied correctly. You don't inject the critters - you eject a small bit of it over them while open and they will eat it and die. I've tried Joe's Juice and the stuff will easily drift over/under nearby corals and wipe them out too. I lost a good part of a zoa colony once by have Joe's Juice drift away and under zoas surrounding a Majano - the zoas that were affected were dead the next day. Aiptasia-X stays where you put it, but you still need to be careful not to eject a lot from the syringe. Aiptasia can multiply quickly and if more appear it's most likely they were in a development stage at the time you killed the others.

 

[reefmaster3024]

Here are a couple of links for Berghia nudibranchs. I do not prefer to put a bunch of chemicals in my tanks.These guys are all natural they just eat aptasia like I said in a earlier post ,that I guess nobody read....LOL.
Check them out they can get inbetween corals and rocks without harming zoas or sps. here are the links

Salty Underground

Berghia Nudibranch Breeder, Berghia Verrucicornis Kill Aiptasia Anemones to Control Aiptasia

YouTube - Berghia Nudibranchs Eating Aiptasia by ReefScavengers.Com

Cheers
Shannon

 

[Reefmack]

Todd - redseareef, used the Berghias with good success.

 

[Oakhouse]

Thanks Shannon, Have been reading up on them since your earlier post... It does seem as though they are likely to be eaten by the shrimp before eating the Aiptasia, although still reading.

 

[websurfer]

can Berghias/peppermint shrimps tell the difference between aiptasia and bta?