Peppermint Shrimp Reef safe??

[lilkiwi930]

Good morning,

I have been dealing with Aiptasia for the longest time. So I caved in and bought a aiptasia file fish. So far he has been no good. He has not bother eating any of the aiptasia. So I have been going in with the Aiptasia X still.

So I have caved and bought a peppermint shrimp. Without thinking I did not research about it. I just know they will eat Aiptasia. My question is, is peppermint shrimp coral safe??

 

[esther]

We have 4 peppermint shrimp in our display tank with all kinds of corals. They haven't touched any of them. I've heard some people say that they have had issues with them nipping at their LPS, but I haven't experienced it. We've had them in our tank with our corals for about 8 months now.

 

[Ludders]

There are two kinds of peppermint shrimps, but I can't remember which one eat aiptasia though. In my experience, they are reef safe.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Sometimes
Its hit and miss.... you either get model citizens or ones that are determined to pick on coral

 

[Ludders]

So I'm not strictly correct, it turns out that some are sold as peppermint shrimp, which do look like the desired species, (Lysmata wurdemanni) but in fact are another species – often Lysmata californica or Lysmata boggessi which are very similar.

 

[marlinmon]

I've had a variety of them and they always ate at my RFAs.

 

[ZoWhat]

How big is your tank?

The only method I've found that 100% works is getting a Copperbanded Butterfly fish.

But here's the deal. CBB will only eat baby aiptasia. Once the aiptasia is med-large and their tentacles can sting the CBB eyes and along their long mouths, the CBB won't touch them.

Your job is to kill med-large aiptasia using a paste like AiptasiaX knowing the aiptasia will send out spores to regenerate BUT with a CBB in place constantly picking at LR , the CBB will eat baby aiptasia NEW GROWTH.

Takes about 3mos to be 99.99% aiptasia free.

I use to have 500+ aiptasia in my 180. Used the method described above and have been aiptasia free for what? 2yrs now....


.

 

[Sleeping Giant]

I think it would depend if they're starving

 

[Ludders]

Peppermint shrimps won't eat the bigger stuff either, so it will be a multi pronged attack as @skimjim suggests

 

[lilkiwi930]

How big is your tank?

The only method I've found that 100% works is getting a Copperbanded Butterfly fish.

But here's the deal. CBB will only eat baby aiptasia. Once the aiptasia is med-large and their tentacles can sting the CBB eyes past their long mouths, the CBB won't touch them.

Your job is to kill med-large aiptasia using a paste like AiptasiaX knowing the aiptasia will send out spores to regenerate BUT with a CBB in place constantly picking at LR , the CBB will eat baby aiptasia.

Take about 3mos to be 99.99% aiptasia free.

I use to have 500+ in my 180. Used the method described above and have been aiptasia free for what? 2yrs now....


.

Yeah I have a 32g and I dont think I have room to put another fish in my tank. Thats the sucky thing. Other wise I would love to try it. I have been getting the big and the tiny I cant see and dont get hoping the file fish or the peppermint shrimp would eat them.

 

[Sleeping Giant]

Need these

 

[jda]

L Wurdmanni from the Keys are your best bet. They are natural predators there.

They are not coral eaters, but if you expect them to eat detritus, then they might eat some coral. They need to be fed and have good enough of water quality so that they molt successfully. If you were just fed poop, you would eat corals too. Just some flake food is fine.

I raise the peppermints in my fuge until they molt a few times and grow up a bit. They also only seem to live about three years, so you have to replace them from time to time.

 

[lilkiwi930]

Need these

Yes I have heard of those. Have they worked very well for you?

 

[Bryan68]

I've had a variety of them and they always ate at my RFAs.

Same scenario for me. They destroyed my RFAs

 

[j.falk]

The peppermint shrimp I bought to eat my aiptasia ended up eating my snails and none of the aiptasia.

 

[IKD]

Yes I have heard of those. Have they worked very well for you?

Berghia nudibranchs worked great for me. The biggest issue I had with peppermint shrimp was them stealing the food I was trying to feed my corals.

 

[Jdubyo]

I have had luck with peppermint shrimp seemingly eradicating aiptasia from a tank. When they were all gone and could not find anymore they started eating my Duncan and caulastrea. Got rid of them only to find out they just got bored of them and there were still small ones hiding around. Couple months later and the aiptasia population exploded again. I am convinced the only way to actually completely remove them is by using Berghia nudibranchs. I have only had 100% success rate when using them. Well, that is short of using fire anyway

 

[Sleeping Giant]

Yes I have heard of those. Have they worked very well for you?

I have 2 peppermint shrimp and a half dozen of nudibranch, started with 2....they're both eating aipstatia, slow but effectively. I just hope my shrimp don't eat my nudibranchs.

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

Peppermints have worked for me, but they are hit and miss when it comes to their picking on coral. They ate my rock anemones.

I later got berghia nudibranchs and they got the job done. It took them a long time, but they got it done.

 

[jda]

Nothing will get them all. Don't declare victory and get rid of any consumer that you purchase because the populations will explode again once they are gone.