aptasia control

[jnbrex]

just wanted to report my success in using peppermint shrimps to control aptasia for anyone trying to find a way, I added four peppermint shrimps to a 75 gallon with around fifty aptasia and a week later every single aptasia was gone!

anyone else have similar success using peppermint shrimps?

 

[cr500_af]

I did. Only had a few, but they were in places that were absolutely impossible to reach to nuke them (this was in my wife's 30 cube). Two peps in, and three days later none are visible.

 

[smoothie]

I have never seen them eat the large ones. I think they would become food for the larger aiptasia. Smaller ones I have seen taken out without a problem

 

[jnbrex]

I had one aptasia that was around an inch in diameter and it was gone within one day of adding them to the tank. however, whenever i reach into the tank, they try to attack my hand. they cant do anything, but maybe they're aggression is linked to them eating all the aptasia

 

[oz]

dawgdude;443451 wrote: I did not. And yes, I got the right type. I think my aiptasia were so big the pepps were afraid of getting eaten.

What would the right and wrong type be? How can you tell?

 

[simon_kruger]

I'm interested myself. I didnt know there were other types.

Anyone getting rid of confirmed aptasia eating peppermints?

 

[simon_kruger]

im off to buy 10 peppermints for my 340gallon

 

[oz]

http://fish.suite101.com/article.cfm/peppermint_shrimp_imposters">Link</a>
[B]Peppermint Shrimp Imposters[/B]

[B]Lysmata wurdemanni is the Real Aiptasia-Eater for the Reef Tank [/B]

[IMG]http://www.suite101.com/daily.cfm/2008-01-24">Jan 24, 2008</a> [IMG]http://www.suite101.com/profile.cfm/RetTalbot">Ret Talbot</a>


<span style="color: #000000">If you want to purchase a Peppermint Shrimp to take care of aiptasia in your tropical reef tank, make sure you are actually getting L. wurdemanni.
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Link


Peppermint Shrimp (Lysmata wurdemanni</em>) are common additions to marine aquaria as a result of their interesting behavior, sociability and their reputation for hunting aiptasia. They are also a reef-safe shrimp. Peppermint Shrimp are relatively inexpensive (usually less than $10 and considerably less if you buy more than one at a time) and readily available online or at the local fish store. Unfortunately, the so-called Peppermint Shrimp is often confused with several similar looking ornamental shrimp species, and this confusion can lead to major headaches, as these Peppermint Shrimp imposters are NOT reef safe. Here’s what you need to know about the real Peppermint Shrimp—L. wurdemanni</em>.
Although the name Peppermint Shrimp is by far the most common name in the hobby for L. wurdemanni</em>, you may see this shrimp called the Caribbean Cleaner Shrimp or the Candy Cane shrimp. L. wurdemanni</em> is a crustacean belonging to the class Crustacea. It is also a cleaner shrimp, although it tends to spend more time scavenging in the aquarium rather than cleaning its tankmates. L. wurdemanni</em> is an attractive, striped (sometimes called veined) shrimp seldom exceeding two inches in length. The body color can range from red to orange-yellow to opaque with longitudinal dark red stripes. Although frequently called a Caribbean Cleaner Shrimp, L. wurdemanni</em> is found in the Atlantic as far north as New Jersey.
More likely than seeing a Peppermint Shrimp for sale as a Caribbean Cleaner Shrimp or a Candy Cane shrimp, you will see other species of shrimp sold as Peppermint Shrimp. This is one reason it is so important to:
<ol>
<li>Use the scientific name when ordering this shrimp, and</li>
<li>Know how to tell the difference between L. wurdemanni</em> and the closely related species often sold as L. wurdemanni</em>.</li>
</ol>The most common L. wurdemanni</em> imposters are Rhynchocinetes durbanensis, R. uritai</em> and L. californica</em>. Here is a brief description of each of the imposters:
<ul>
<li>R. durbanensis</em> – Commonly known as the Camelback Shrimp, Camel Shrimp or Dancing Shrimp, R. durbanensis</em> is from the Indo-Pacific and is NOT a cleaner shrimp. You may see it advertised as the Candy Shrimp or, of course, the Peppermint Shrimp. Sometimes it is also called the Hinged-Beak Shrimp, referring to its hinged beak or rostrum. R. durbanensis</em> is patterned with red and white stripes (similar to some specimens of the species L. wurdemanni</em>), but this ornamental shrimp is not reef-safe like the true Peppermint Shrimp, which will seldom harass any corals or anemones beyond aiptasia. R. durbanensis</em> will eat aiptasia, but it may very well eat your soft corals also. This shrimp can be easily identified by the obvious “camel hump” on its back.</li>
<li>R. uritai</em> – Commonly called the Camel Shrimp or Camelback Shrimp, like R. durbanensis</em>, R. uritai</em> is an Indo-Pacific shrimp and is also NOT cleaner shrimp. While very similar to R. durbanensis</em>, R. uritai</em> does not have the same pronounced beak and white streaking that R. durbanensis</em> has. In addition, the coloration of R. uritai</em> is somewhat duller. Further, R. uritai</em>, unlike R. durbanensis</em>, is currently known to be native only to Japan and Korea. Finally, the beak on R. durbanensis</em> has 9-10 teeth along the top, whereas R. uritai only has 7-8 teeth. Like R. durbanensis, R. uritai</em> will eat aiptasia but may very well eat your soft corals too.</li>
<li>L. californica </em>–Commonly called the Lined Shrimp, the Red Rock Shrimp or the Catalina Cleaner Shrimp, L. californica </em>is from the Eastern Pacific along the southern coast of the United States. Although similar in appearance to L. wurdemanni, L. californica </em>is a temperate species and, therefore, inappropriate for the tropical reef tank.</li>
</ul>If you want to purchase a Peppermint Shrimp to take care of aiptasia in your tropical reef tank, make sure you are actually getting L. wurdemanni.</em>


Read more at Suite101:

 

[oz]

just don't buy Camel Back shrimp by mistake.

 

[skriz]

You want pepermints from the Atlantic. Anything else and you're sol!

 

[smoothie]

Yeah the warmer water ones where the aiptasia grow and are a food source for them.

 

[smoothie]

dawgdude;443648 wrote: Yup, I got mine from a coral and fish collector in the keys.

It was funny, I was messing around in an inlet down there that was mainly rocks and not sand. I looked down and saw an aiptasia, then a little peppermint waltzed up, pulled a tentacle off and scurried under a rock with it.

Now that is cool

 

[jmaneyapanda]

There are several peppermints that all looks realsitcially identical. Luckily, most of ours come domestically to stores (as freight and loss are minimized). So, I woudlnt be so worried about trying to absolutely ID them, beyond what OZ said, about not getting a camelback shrimp.

That being said, they are opportunistic scavengers, and would MUCH rather eat tasty fish food than aiptasia. So, a hungryu shrimp may eat aiptasia. In fact, will more than likely do so. However, a well fed tank (and well fed shrimp), wont have the gusto.

 

[downtime89]

i just chip of the section one is on, if i find one on a rock in my tank. never have had a single problem with them

 

[jnbrex]

i've never had a problem with them and have had them around a month