Peppermint Shrimp & Aiptasia

[Kizmar]

I've been reading up on people using Peppermint Shrimp to eat up aiptasia. I've also been reading up on shrimp sold as Peppermint but are not [and may not be reef safe].

So here's a 3 part question:

1. How likely is it that a small batch of Peppermints will actually eat up Aiptasia?
2. How many should I get for a 120 gallon tank? 2, 4... more?
3. How do I make sure what I get ARE in fact Peppermints?

 

[little_fish]

1. Depends on the shrimp, if they dont have another food source, more likely to eat the aiptasia. But also not all peppermint shrimp will eat it, because they are collected from different areas and not all areas have aiptasia where they would be used to eating it.

2. I would get 10 or 20 for a big tank, the more you have, the better the chance is of one eating them.

3. They are most commonly confused with camel shrimp, which have hump.
Saltwater Aquarium Shrimp for Marine Reef Aquariums: Peppermint Shimps
Saltwater Aquarium Shrimp for Marine Reef Aquariums: Camel Shrimp

 

[Kizmar]

I picked up 6. So far I've seen one already picking at a small aiptasia. I might need more. :)

 

[Dana42078]

on a 120.....id say 6-8....prolly get two maybe 3 that will eat them....sounds like u got a winner tho.

 

[2XAl]

I have 2 in my 55... no dice on them eating Aptasia, however I only have to kill 2-3 every other month so I can't really complain.

 

[Kizmar]

Has anyone tried using a few Berghia Nudibranch to get rid of Aiptasia?

 

[Bifferwine]

Some people have had success using the nudis, but most of the time I hear that the nudis get dropped in the tank and disappear, never to be seen again. I do not believe they are as reliable as the peppermints. Plus, if they do eat the aiptasia, they then starve to death.

 

[Kizmar]

Some people have had success using the nudis, but most of the time I hear that the nudis get dropped in the tank and disappear, never to be seen again.

This is kind of what I'm feeling with the 6 Peppermints I put in the tank a few days ago. I have only seen one in the past couple days and no Aiptasia have disappeared yet. Not sure if I should wait a while or grab a few more shrimp.

I'm 95% certain nothing would eat the Peppermints.

 

[2XAl]

The peopermints I have are only seen during feedings, otherwise they only stay in the rock.

 

[Bifferwine]

Peppermints can be frustrating because of that. You usually have to add a lot just to get a few that will go to town on the aiptasia. Keep in mind, they are nocturnal too.

 

[Kizmar]

The peopermints I have are only seen during feedings, otherwise they only stay in the rock.

Peppermints can be frustrating because of that. You usually have to add a lot just to get a few that will go to town on the aiptasia. Keep in mind, they are nocturnal too.

Good to know. I'll prolly get 3-6 more then wait and see. :D

 

[Kizmar]

Picked up 6 more. You'd never know I had 12 of those little buggers in my tank. I have to work to see one!

 

[Kelz88]

lol throw a few pellets in, they will come out of the woodwork

I have 4 that live in a 5 gallon and i still hardly see them

 

[Bifferwine]

They are sneaky shrimp. Not the most exciting tank inhabitants, that's for sure... But they serve a purpose!

 

[RockStacker]

Peppermints are very reclusive - until you drop food into the tank and they all come grabbing the food bits.
Sometimes I never see them for weeks at a time and I start making plans to buy a new batch. Then all of a sudden I see several molted exoskeletons floating in the water.

I have not observed them actually eating aiptasia firsthand, but all the small aiptasia in my tank disappeared after adding peppermints. I usually try to keep 4-6 peppermints in my 55gal tank.
They don't seem to care for bigger aiptasia though, but those big ones I try to kill with Aiptasia-X

 

[little_fish]

+1 Rockstacker on the size thing, i have seen that as well

 

[Kizmar]

I'm slowly seeing aiptasia disappear with each new day. I can tell they've been picking at a fairly large one too, and leaving smaller ones next to it alone.

 

[RockStacker]

I'm slowly seeing aiptasia disappear with each new day. I can tell they've been picking at a fairly large one too, and leaving smaller ones next to it alone.

I wonder if they get full before finishing off the large aiptasia. This could lead to the aiptasia regenerating before the shrimps get back to it.
Hmmm. I wonder now if somehow the shrimps intentionally leave the large aiptasia alive so they could "farm" them.

There are certain species of shrimp that capture live sea stars and nibble on the arms while keeping the poor sea star alive.

 

[Kizmar]

There are certain species of shrimp that capture live sea stars and nibble on the arms while keeping the poor sea star alive.

I have a Harlequin Shrimp too. She'll spend a couple weeks snacking on a 2-3" Chocolate Chip Starfish.

 

[Kizmar]

I'm slowly seeing aiptasia disappear with each new day. I can tell they've been picking at a fairly large one too, and leaving smaller ones next to it alone.

The larger one I was talking about here; it was surrounded by at least 4 small aiptasias. This morning that little area of them is now void of all aiptasia. The big one is GONE. Love it! :D

So I ended up getting 2 batches of 6 Peppermints from 2 different LFS's. The second batch seems to have more [aiptasia] eaters in it. It was probably a good thing that I got them from a couple different places like that. Ya never know.