Peppermint Shrimp and Aiptasia

[Jimbo327]

Anyone sourced peppermint shrimp from a LFS that had success eating aiptasia?

My order with Reefcleaners was a dud, and they didn't ship me any. Now I'm looking for some peppermints locally.

The problem with peppermints is that there is like so many types, and they look pretty similar to me. I'm going to hit up Ali's shop tomorrow, but he usually doesn't carry much CUC. So I can probably drive on the weekend, so would like some success stories or vice versa.

I think we want A in this photo.

 

[Tangwich]

Ellis aquatics has some now. The ones he sources have worked for me in the past.

 

[DanK.Reefer]

I have heard so many mixed reviews on the peppermints and that even if you do get the "right ones" they still may not eat the aips. Berghia are quite expensive but a surefire thing. That is all that berghia eat. Infact that is what makes them hard to breed is first you need to have a sustainable population of aips for them to munch on.

I personally have had good success with Franks F Aiptasia you just have to be sure to mix it really good so it will set up properly once you put it in the tank.

Shoot in a tank as big as yours I would consider a CBB or aiptasia eating filefish.

If you do find a shrimp that will surefire eat the aips let me know I would like to put one in my coral QT/growout tank to catch them when they come in. I still don't have any in my display but I do catch the occasional Aip in the growout.

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[Jimbo327]

I set up an observation tank, and put in some aiptasia to see if they eat it. I just need some locally.

 

[Tangwich]

I set up an observation tank, and put in some aiptasia to see if they eat it. I just need some locally.

That's similar to the method that has worked for me. I put the peps in an acclimation box in the tank and put in the frags or small rock with aiptasia and they kinda have no choice but to eat the aips

 

[bustayanky]

I got like 5 from Carson tropical. I didn’t see a difference for a while. So I had to starve the tank like a full week. Then I noticed the aipstasia started to go down in numbers. Still not cleared out yet.

 

[babyjess210]

I hit the aiptasia with a laser and pick up 3 peppermint shrimps from Ellis. No more aiptasia for now.

 

[JojosReef]

I hit the aiptasia with a laser and pick up 3 peppermint shrimps from Ellis. No more aiptasia for now.

What laser!?

 

[drexel]

The one species that's supposed to work is Lysmata kuekenthali (red-striped shrimp), but trying to find one is next to impossible. I've never had any success with peppermints, there's just too many other things for them to eat in my systems. Even cutting back feeding doesn't help. Berghia work, but it's a very slow process and there are so many other things that eat their eggs, which can make that process even slower. Fish come with a whole assortment of problems and no guarantee that they'll work.
My advice to anyone that's found an aiptasia or two in there tank, set that thing on fire as soon as you see one. Don't wait a day or two before you treat, stop what you're doing and take it out right away, because if you wait, the likelihood that they'll start to spread goes up every day and before you know it, you have a problem. F aiptasia is great stuff and works, especially if you're only treating a couple.

 

[drexel]

I have clams, so a CBB is out of the question for me and I've tried two filefish (on my second one now) with little to no success with them. But I would really like to source the kuekenthal's and try them, but I may be waiting a long time?

 

[DanK.Reefer]

I cannot attest to it from experience but I have heard that the Lysmata Wurdemanni species is the best for aiptaisia control. Also it is said that wild caught specimens are far more likely to eat aips because that is their natural diet.

Aquacultured species of fish and shrimp alike will avoid them as they have been raised eating flake pellet and frozen foods. Therefore they will not view the aiptasia as food in you tank because they have likely never even seen them before.

The wild caught Lysmata Wurdemanni is available through SWA and has been touted by other reefers on R2R as a silver bullet.

Again I say though that this is all hear say on my part as I do not have any aips in my display. I only ever saw 1 in there almost 2 years ago, I hit it with F aiptaisia and never saw one again.

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[JojosReef]

I have clams, so a CBB is out of the question for me and I've tried two filefish (on my second one now) with little to no success with them. But I would really like to source the kuekenthal's and try them, but I may be waiting a long time?

Kuekenthali are hard to find. I suggest finding every site that sells them and sign up for notifications when they become available.

 

[Jimbo327]

That's similar to the method that has worked for me. I put the peps in an acclimation box in the tank and put in the frags or small rock with aiptasia and they kinda have no choice but to eat the aips

Didn't think about an acclimation box. That's a good idea. Just starve them until they eat the aiptasia. But I have some huge aiptasia where I can't reach, so I don't know if the peps can eat something that is bigger than them.

 

[DanK.Reefer]

Didn't think about an acclimation box. That's a good idea. Just starve them until they eat the aiptasia. But I have some huge aiptasia where I can't reach, so I don't know if the peps can eat something that is bigger than them.

I think they would still be able to eat them over time its just that the aips would probably spawn while the peps work on getting them down. Then they would probably be able to handle the spawn as they grow. Sounds like it will take some time and patience either way.

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[Soreefed]

I set up an observation tank, and put in some aiptasia to see if they eat it. I just need some locally.

I use aiptasia x and a peppermint shrimp. The shrimp won’t eat significant aips that readily, but if you eradicate the aiptasia the shrimp will eat what’s left and eat any new aiptasia

 

[Soreefed]

I use aiptasia x and a peppermint shrimp. The shrimp won’t eat significant aips that readily, but if you eradicate the aiptasia the shrimp will eat what’s left and eat any new aiptasia

Got my peppermint shrimp from a fish shop locally.

 

[matt_work2727]

Anyone sourced peppermint shrimp from a LFS that had success eating aiptasia?

My order with Reefcleaners was a dud, and they didn't ship me any. Now I'm looking for some peppermints locally.

The problem with peppermints is that there is like so many types, and they look pretty similar to me. I'm going to hit up Ali's shop tomorrow, but he usually doesn't carry much CUC. So I can probably drive on the weekend, so would like some success stories or vice versa.

I think we want A in this photo.

View attachment 119935

I've got peppermint shrimp from Reef Factory(Placentia) and Reef Lounge(Anaheim) that eat aiptasia. However, they take a month or 2 before they start eating them and the ones I have gotten don't live for more than a year.

 

[babyjess210]

What laser!?

 

[Jimbo327]

Ali at Amazing Aquariums just got some new box tanks for inverts/fish, so I bought 3 indo peppermint shrimps from him. Let's see how this goes.

 

[Reeferkcp]

Ali at Amazing Aquariums just got some new box tanks for inverts/fish, so I bought 3 indo peppermint shrimps from him. Let's see how this goes.

Do you know if they come from fishless system or if he qt them before selling? I’ve heard of horror story where velvet cyst got into our systems by encrusting on invert shells….

I would like to try some from him if they seem pretty safe….