Peppermint Shrimp

[bjohanson1234]

I have a 29 Gallon tank with a small apstasia outbreak. I did some research and have decided to go with the natural approach of using pepermint shrimp. My question is how many would be a good number for this size tank. I was thinking 1 or maybe 2 depending if they can get along together.

Brian

 

[yote]

I'd drop 5 of em in there.They make great scavangers and do a pretty good job on young aiptasias.

 

[Piggy]

Peppermint shrimp will get along with each other. So you can have as many as you want. I would start with two and then decide if you want more.

 

[SSalty]

I would only have one peppermint shrimp in your 29. There isn't a need for numerous, it just increases your bio-load which you don't want. I have one peppermint in my 55, and he takes care of all my aiptasia. Also keep in mine, you probably won't see him during the day. They are rather nocturnal animals.

 

[Piggy]

If I remember correctly they don't add to your bio load. Mine come out during the day.

 

[Gooseman]

Mine come out during the day at times but stay hanging upside down under the rock work. They are pretty cool to watch if you can find them.

 

[Bifferwine]

Three or four is what I'd say. Funny, you've gotten a different number from every person that has answered. Once the aiptasia is gone, they'll find something else to eat, and they're not going to add to your bioload.

Plus, not every individual will eat aiptasia. So if you get more than one, your odds of getting one that has a taste for aiptasia will be increased.

 

[Alexander]

I had 2 in my 36 gal. have 5 in my 180 I would get at leat 2. they should take care of your aptasia problem. always worked for me.

 

[bjohanson1234]

I wilol probably get 2 of them next time payday comes around

Brian

 

[UnderwaterWorld]

I would get 3 or 4 hehe

I have one and it took out the 4 aipastia in a day lol

Mine have always gotten rid of mine and they are cheap shrimp compared to the cleaners.

 

[JAG107]

I have 3 in my 110gal, 2 in my 55. Never have they eaten a single aiptasia. Cool shrimps, though. Get a bunch, adds some color to your tank! Mine are out all hours of the day/night, I haven't really seen them as being strictly nocturnal.

 

[reeffreak]

I have 5 in my 210.
2-3 is what I would go with.

 

[hotimportknight]

Will the peppermints eat LARGE aiptasia? I only have 2 aiptasia in my tank, and i cant get rid of them. I pulled the rocks and loaded them with salt, loaded the hole they recess into with salt and it seemed to work great, they almost burn alive on contact. But go figure in less than a week its back and bigger than ever... done that twice to both and now they are HUGE. I bought a peppermint, saw him once the night after I got him when the lights were out, never again in the last month have I seen a glimpse of him. Guessing the serpent star ate him? I have no idea. Even if he is being really REALLY mysterious and reclusive he doesnt like aiptasia.
Back to the main topic here... I'd get at least 2, if one doesnt like aiptasia then the other might... They are all around good scavangers I guess, all shrimp and crabs are pretty good with that stuff.

P.S. My aiptasia even eat food... when I feed my fish I can see them grabbing chunks, its ridiculous.

 

[RyanG]

HIK-blast em with boiling water and a syringe and then epoxy the hole...read that somewhere anyway.

 

[Bifferwine]

Or buy some kalkwasser and mix that up into a thick paste and smother them.

 

[hotimportknight]

Hmm, I could do that, I did finally get some coral epoxy for underwater use. I could scare them back into their holes (which they hardly fit in any more) and then fill the hole with epoxy. Ill work on that today, im sick of these things!

 

[RyanG]

Id kill em first so you dont have rotting flesh in your system

 

[yote]

Pepperment usually wont eat the larger aiptasias.But you can take the needle and syringe and fill the sucker up with air.That'll cause it to split off into smaller ones that the pepperment MIGHT eat.

 

[reeffreak]

The peppermints ate the huge aips in my tank.I'm talking about maybe finger length aiptasia.I believe they may work in groups to tackle the big 'ums.