Do peps really eat aiptasia?!

[xmjxflipx]

Just wondering do they really eat aiptasia? i have about 2 or 3 in my tank...........not an infestation but nontheless they are there...........what are your experiences with peppermint shrimps in the reef tank.

 

[inactive]

hit or miss on eating aiptasia. If not fed they will munch on polyps. They have also been known to be little bastids in larger groups./

 

[xmjxflipx]

lol thanks......ill prob just use aiptasia x or something.....Thanks

 

[subielover]

Kalk paste works well.

 

[livingstone]

I can't yet personally attest to it. The man at the fish store assured me the two I bought were Lysmata wurdemanni but they have yet to touch my aiptasia. Others seem sure that this species does eat aiptasia (at least the smaller anemones) so I'm doubting the man at the fish store.

 

[Pizzapro83]

I am wondering the same thing. Everytime I use Joes JUice I get three more in that spot. Lately I have had them spreading everywhere. What else can be done? The same goes with xenia. I just want them out. How do you get xenia out?

 

[wicked demon]

KALK PASTE!!! For the xenia as well.

 

[Sea MunnKey]

Kalk paste works well.

I second that!!

Paul

 

[Pizzapro83]

How do you make kalk paste? And does it have any affects on the tank? I have alot of xenia.

 

[Mitsuko]

All I do is boil ro/di water then suck it up with a syringe w/needle. Then hit the aiptasia with the boiling water. It will instantly melt apart. If possible remove the live rock its on and do it outside the tank so that it doesnt have a chance of coming back.

In my experience true peppermint shrimp will eat aiptasia but they will also eat any other small polyps including sps if they are hungry.

 

[Sea MunnKey]

Mix powdered Kalkwasser with vinegar to almost "runny" fluid consistency .... use a syringe to suck up the kalk paste and then bring the submerge syringe into your tank and slowly place the tip of the syringe as close as possible directly to the mouth of the aiptasia and gently inject the kalk paste into the mouth of the aiptasia .... slowly until it's completely covered with kalk paste & all over its' body as well. You might have to do this at least twice though.

Try not to drop any kalk paste unto other corals ... they might get "burned" or cause damage to the coral tissues.

HTH,
Paul

 

[MikeB]

I have 2 in my tank, never seen them eating them but I dont have Aipstasia

 

[SDguy]

Yes, they do.

 

[benny z]

Yes, they do.

+1

if you overfeed, they may not be as prone to eat the aiptasia, but i have used them many times with great success.

 

[xrayrider]

Be sure not to use kalk paste on too many at once, as you will get a PH swing if you use too much at one time. Calcium Chloride paste also works well, and won't be an issue with PH. I mix some calcium with tank water to form the paste. Copperband Butterfly fish have worked better for Aptasia control for me. Peppermint shrimp usually only eat the small Aptasia, and only if they can't find something better to eat. My Snowflake Moray Eel always eats them in the end anyway. It sure makes for an expensive meal.

 

[SDguy]

Oh, and don't buy 2 pepps for your aptasia infested 200g tank That ain't gonna cut it. I think I did like 8 for my 115g, with only a handful of aptasia. They worked like a charm.

 

[Acroholic]

I've used Joe's Juice and Aptaisia-X. I think the Aptaisia X works better. It does not clog the applicator like JJ can, and I have not seen any aptaisia returns to the same spot, unlike JJ. Joes juice works, but it can be hit and miss.

Per the A-X literature: When apatisia get stressed they release babies into the water. A-X is a liquid that gels on contact with saltwater, and it effectively seals the mouth of the aptasia, preventing the release of the babies. The babies die along with the aptaisia.

The A-X comes with two long metal applicator needles, one straight and one curved. JJ comes with a small plastic applicator tip. Overall, I have found Aptaisia X an easier product to work with.
Dave

 

[Stray32]

Hmmm, my Ap X didn't come with anything metal, just one plastic syringe.

 

[Urchinsmurchin]

We had a lot of aptasia when we first set up our 75. We bought about 6 peppermint shrimp and in about a month we couldn't find a single aptasia. I will caution you though peppermint shrimp will pick at other things in the tank. I bought a Indie Elegance coral before I knew better and the peppermint shrimp kept picking at it when the lights would go out. Some may speculate that since the coral had the elegance disease that the peppermint shrimp were just naturally scavenging it because they knew it was on its way out. I also purchased a carpet anemone before I knew better and again it was on its way out but the peppermints didn't help matters. When I was researching why my peppermints were picking at things I found that it is not uncommon for them to pick on stressed corals, any coral that resembles an anemone and regular anemones like the carpet or BTA's. I have tried to catch mine to move them to the refuguim but so far they are smarter than my bottle full of food.:cry:

 

[Stray32]

Hmmm, I am second guessing my pepp purchase that I made the other day... I have too many expensive polyps to risk it I think. Guess we'll see what happens.