CBB vs Peppermint Shrimp??

[Icebox]

Thinking about getting either Peppermint Shrimp or a Copperband Butterfly to kill aptasia in my tank...any suggestions as to which would be best? My main concern is to remove the aptasia without destoying anything else; espcially my BTA, clams, and open brain. Thanks for any input!

 

[BigReepher]

I'd go with the peppermint shrimp. It's cheaper, lighter on the bio load and won't cause as much turmoil in your tank. I'd go with one or two and give em awhile, they eat your aptasia up.

 

[mnreefman]

this is a tough choice.... i love the copperband, it is one of the most beautiful fish we can keep. meanwhile the peperment shrimp hide all day and do nothing... so i personally would take the copperband... but this all depends on what the other inhabitants were.... but remeber either way your not guarenteed 100% sucsess rate at removing the apsatisa

 

[wooddood]

i have personally tried both with no success but i know alot of people who have had success with both.i would recomend either shooting them with kalk or boiling hot water with a syringe.our success has been with kalk but you may have to do it 2 or 3 times.thats what we did and have'nt had them return in almost a year.hth.

 

[Mebigloser]

I decided to buy both....man I hope these guys are killers...lol..Please ignore the algae wall

 

[DICK]

I have a Peppermint and it took care of my aiptasia pretty quick. Just don't let it get any other food when you feed the tank, or it will defeat the purpose.
Good luck.

 

[Icebox]

Originally posted by Mebigloser
I decided to buy both....man I hope these guys are killers...lol..

Hehe, That sounds like a good plan. Hope it works out for you.

I am leaning toward the CBB, but hey the jury is still out.

 

[johnlewis]

I am trying both I must have the laziest peppermints available. They haven't made a dent in the aptasia population. I just picked up a CBB and he is getting settled in, and kind has me worried because he is not openly swimming but I don't see him picked on either or any signs of stress, such as ick or rapid breathing.

 

[mnreefman]

if you want try this .... www.JoesJuice.com

 

[BoomerD]

Couldn't find peppermints locally, so eventually, I ordered Joes Juice. Has worked wonders for my aptasia problem. Of course, there's gotta be a few I can't see...

As was mentioned, depending on the other inhabitants, peppermints might become a quick snack.

 

[cheeks69]

CBB"s are very difficult to keep. There is no guarantee that they will eat the aptasia they don't ship very well and often they refuse to eat and go on hunger strikes. Believe me I'm speaking from experience If you really want to get one make sure he's eating before you buy and quarantine him if you can and let him get comfortable and eating well before you add him to the display tank. They are shy fish so if you have aggressive eaters that could lead to problems when he wants to eat JMPE

here's some good info:
http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/Hangar/6279/ArticleCopperbandAiptasia.html

 

[Mebigloser]

My CCB was just introduced into my tank tonight..he is already munching on the little demons... I just hope he stays healthy, they can be a little pain in the butt as cheeks69 has stated.

 

[Icebox]

It sounds that way... First prob seems to be getting them to eat, the second prob seems to be keeping them healthy after thay have munched on all the aptasia.... hmm, What to do... :-/

 

[jcoopergd]

I too had a aptasia prob - but i went the PS route - he did hide, and he stayed in on corner of the tank hidden under some LR, but i moved my zoo colony that had the aptasia on it over near him, and about a week later, i saw him tuggin on the aptasia, and the next day, they were all gone! now he's molted, and seems happy as ever - even though there is no aptasia left!

id go the PS route strictly due to the shipping probs of the CCB and the bio load it would create..


j

 

[Gina]

When we went that route we choose a Copperband. We made sure he was already eating well at the LFS before we brought him home. And to tell you the truth it wouldn't have mattered that much if he hadn't eaten the aiptsia. We just liked the fish. So it was a bonus that he loved the stuff! Fun also to just watch him hunt around the rocks for it.

 

[mps9506]

I would suggest peppermints, however they are hit or miss.
Copperbands can be finicky and IMO are not a real good fish for LFS's to be stocking since they can be very finicky about eating prepared diets.
It took about 4 weeks before I noticed my peps made a dent in my 40 gallons aiptasia population, but a week after that it was all gone.
The CBB I tried in my 55 before that ate all the feather dusters before touching the aiptasia, he cleared out the aiptasia next, then I couldn't get him to eat anything.
My suggestion is to get about 4 or 5 peps acclimate and et em loose. Don't feed your tank as much, because they are great scavengers and you want them to be hungry.
Give em about a month and a half and see if you notice fewer aiptasia. I think it's important to not feed as much after you introduce them, make them eat the aiptasia first

 

[gussy]

I can't use copperband as my two tanks are too small. I have some free peppermints...but they don't do anything. For now I leave the aitipsia alone.

 

[Little Luey]

I got 3 pps and they completly got rid of my problem, they also loveany kind of frozen foods. They are nice to look at too.

 

[gussy]

I think it's harder to keep CBB than Peppers. I got lots of peppers...the anemones are still there, but they are not spreading. So, something must be happening.

 

[reefjitsu]

I think both are hit or miss. If I had to choose, I would go with the peppermint shrimp. I wish people would stop recommending/considering the CBB for pest control. They are wonderful fish and if kept, they should be kept for their own value. They are not the easiest to keep, and I can't help but feel that more die than need to because people get them for aiptasia control.