Peppermint shrimp and zoas

Rybren · Mar 18, 2018

I have a number of aiptasia popping up in my 28G zoa tank. They just split and multiply on me when I've used Aiptasia-X, lemon juice or Kalk paste. Even the majano wand is ineffective, so I'm thinking of adding a peppermint shrimp to the tank.

Looking though various forums, it seems like most folks think that the peppermints are generally okay with zoas, but what do the zoa experts on here have to say?

Thanks.

Kremis · Mar 18, 2018

mine personally never touched my zoas

jimo12 · Mar 18, 2018

mine either but hasn't touched aiptasia, just killed it with boiling water now just wait and see if it comes back with company

ndrwater · Mar 19, 2018

Peppermint shrimps are the devil.... Like I have said more times than I can count on this, other forums.. soft tissue corals are fair game, as are zoas. That said, zoas are maybe #4 on peppermints list of things to eat, but definitely still on the list..
Being diligent with remedies like Aptasia-x, Kalk paste or whatever is, IMO, a better solution than the probable problems that peppermints will cause.
Type in "do peppermint shrimp eat corals" and do some reading.. you'll probably find a ton of my and many other reefers posts saying the same thing.

DSC reef · Mar 19, 2018

I'd look into berghia nudibranchs. I've never had peppermint shrimp eat zoas but acans were on the menu.

Cary · Mar 19, 2018

I have never had a peppermint shrimp eat a zoa but one loved to take food from my Favia. That being said, the peppermint shrimp has eaten all of the aptasia that were in my tank.

Good luck

Fourstars · Mar 19, 2018

Never had any issue

DSC reef · Mar 19, 2018

Also worth noting, we never had an issue with peppermint shrimp until this last batch were they literally were feeding on the acans, not stealing food from the coral. Plus, through out the years we never had peppermint shrimp eliminate aptasia, very hit and miss. They only liked the small aptasia

Jonathan Presseau · Mar 19, 2018

I have debated catching my peppermint in my mixed reef who has eaten aptasia over to my zoa garden. I have found very small aptasia on a few recent purchases (took about a month for them to show themselves in my tank). At the moment I have succeeded with putty on rock work and super glue when the aptasia is within the colony. You must sacrifice a polyp or 2, but it seems to work and I think it helps prevent spreading.

iemsparticus · Mar 19, 2018

There is no “yes or no” answer as to whether or not they eat coral. Some do, some don’t. The last two I bought: one almost destroyed my hammer coral (luckily he wasn’t able to eat all of it before I got him out) and would kill and eat my nassarius snails... the other one is a mode citizen and still in my tank.

Like DSC says, they aren’t always going to eat Aptasia either, however.

If you would like to try them out, no problem... however I would recommend you get yourself a water bottle trap set up in case you need to banish one or more of them to the sump.

It’s like basically everything in this hobby... your results my vary.

Leadfooted · Mar 19, 2018

Rybren said:
I have a number of aiptasia popping up in my 28G zoa tank. They just split and multiply on me when I've used Aiptasia-X, lemon juice or Kalk paste. Even the majano wand is ineffective, so I'm thinking of adding a peppermint shrimp to the tank.

Looking though various forums, it seems like most folks think that the peppermints are generally okay with zoas, but what do the zoa experts on here have to say?

Thanks.

You should be fine initially. I'd still suggest setting the alarm for middle of the night and check on the Zoas with a Purple or red light. If you have a bad shrimp, he'll be chewing a little zoa snack around 3am for sure. As the aptasia thin out, remove some shrimp too. If none of the Zoas are harmed 1-2 weeks after Aptasia are gone you might have a good keeper crew.

Rybren · Mar 19, 2018

Thanks for the inputs. I've done a fair bit of reading and come to the conclusion that it depends.

The only corals in this tank are zoas/palys and I intend to keep it that way. Many folks have suggested that the peppermints don't actually eat the zoas, but are instead picking at the detritus and whatnot between the polyps. Having no personal experience, I have no idea whether this is correct.

I may pick one up and see what happens.

Thanks again.

rosshamsandwich · Mar 23, 2018

mine are fine

rosshamsandwich · Apr 29, 2018

urban coral farmer · Apr 30, 2018

Had this problem get you some aptasia x and youl be good to go.

Keith Cuellar · Mar 31, 2019

Just took my peppermint out as he was trying to freaking carry my zoa to his den....

Keith Cuellar · Mar 31, 2019

Bad mr kitty

that Reef Guy · Apr 20, 2019

If you get them.

Only Get One.

Then You Only have to get one out when they are done with Aiptasia (Before they go after Your Coral).

The More You get the More Stress You will Have Getting them out of the Tank.

And the More Messed Up Your Tank will look after You are Done.

Aiptasia-X or Berghia Nudis would be much better Options.

305Reefer · Apr 25, 2019

I’ve dealt with this issue ad absurdum in my tanks. Here’s my .02. Peppermints are a diverse group of shrimp with several different species that are really hard to differentiate. Only one species in particular eats Aiptasia. It will only eat aiptasia when it’s crazy hungry, which is unfortunately when it also eats zoas.. it also will not eat the entire anemone, it just gardens them, which in turn actually causes them to spread exponentially faster... Berghia Nudibranchs are the way to go. All day. Every day.

ItouchedThebutt · May 6, 2019

Bought a 9$ peppermint shrimp, he made short work of all my aptasia. Then the next day made short work of my 60$ rock flower. Right when I put it in the tank I youtubed them and saw so many videos of them eating corals I'm like surely not. Surely it did. On the upper hand at the cost of 69$ I have yet to have aptasia again but the shrimp.. well I'll put it this way hes no longer with me.