Aiptasia -> peppermint shrimp -> LPS?

[SallyWho]

So I have out of control aiptasia. I added some berghias about 2.5 months ago and haven't seen much effect (and since they're so cryptic, I don't even know if they're alive). I've used Frank's on all the ones I could, but there are dozens I can't reach and tons in the sand bed. If I ordered a L. wurdemanni peppermint shrimp and underfed the tank for a coupla few days, what are the odds the shrimp would eat only the aiptasia and leave my hammers alone? And once the aiptasia are gone, would keeping the tank well fed protect my LPS? I've read multiple accounts of peppermints picking away at euphyllias, and I'd rather not lose my favorite corals! Thoughts? Thanks!

 

[b9sofine]

hit or miss, every time!

 

[dvgyfresh]

I don’t trust peppermint shrimp anymore lol , I would trust the berghia. When I bought a peppermint it ignored the aptasia and just saw my big BTA as a meal , they are scavengers/opportunist nothing to promise they won’t eat yr coral

 

[SallyWho]

I don’t trust peppermint shrimp anymore lol , I would trust the berghia. When I bought a peppermint it ignored the aptasia and just saw my big BTA as a meal , they are scavengers/opportunist nothing to promise they won’t eat yr coral

But I've tried the berghia with no apparent luck. After a couple of months I should see at least a few of the little ones disappearing. I don't have room for a filefish or CBB in my tank, either. :/

 

[Lineatus]

If your desperate it’s always worth a try! But remember these things can be a shot in the dark so don’t get your hopes up.
some sellers raise their peppermints on aiptasia exclusively so maybe keep an eye out for some of those?

 

[PeterC99]

Had an aptasia problem until I added a copperband. Within a month my aptasia was gone. Make sure you see the copperband eat at LFS before buying.

 

[Wasabiroot]

Two things to keep in mind:
The relationship between Berghia and aiptasia is not one way. The larger polyps are predatory on the nudibranchs in turn. The nudibranch must approach the polyp in a way that it avoids being eaten.
Secondarily, peppermint shrimp don't tend to attack the larger polyps. They really only go after the smaller ones.
I saw a simple solution I may try where a reefer suggested using boiling or very hot water and simply blasting them on the spot with a small amount. Obviously this technique may not work on ones nearby other corals.
Finally, berghia take a few months to be effective. It's possible you just need more.

 

[dvgyfresh]

I wil also add , I use lemon juice in a syringe to kill them. Turn off flow first , they think it’s food and eat it then it quickly melts them

 

[SallyWho]

I've decided I'm desperate enough to order one. But only one? I think I read that you can get 1 per every 10g. But if it/they start going after my corals, I don't want to have to chase down and trap a dozen shrimp for removal. If you had a heavy aiptasia infestation in your 120g but wanted to be able to easily remove them if they become troublesome, how many would you get? And will they get the monsters? I have some serious huge honkin' aiptasia in there.

 

[Wasabiroot]

From what I have read (at least from vendor sites) they tend not to attack the larger polyps. It sounds as though a combined approach is best. I ordered one myself for a little trial run. Going to manually remove some with syringe/lemon/hot H20. Hopefully it helps you!

 

[clownfishdaddy]

I don’t trust peppermint shrimp anymore lol , I would trust the berghia. When I bought a peppermint it ignored the aptasia and just saw my big BTA as a meal , they are scavengers/opportunist nothing to promise they won’t eat yr coral

totally agree on this one i had a few not so good run ins with peppermint shrimp and BTA’s needless to say the shrimp was evicted and man a pain in my **** to catch