I saw the coolest thing last night. I was on an aiptasia hunt with a syringe of J.J. and i was thinking the peppermint wasn't doing his job. As soon as i squirted the JJ on one if the aiptasia the shrimp ran out from under a piece of rock and started chowing down on the aiptasia that I just hit with the JJ. I've never seen him actively feed on one and i guess he sensed an easy meal and pounced. Before i could get the camera the aiptasia was gone and the shrimp went back into hiding. I'll have it ready the next time i go on a hunt. It was pretty cool to see it though.:thumbs:
Peppermint shrimp vs Aiptasia
- Thread starter tgray3
- Start date
- Messages
- 3,454
- Reaction score
- 0
Per the speaker last night, the NATURAL way to get rid of them is with a Berghia Nudibranch (sp?) lol.
I had a few aiptasia in my tank, when I first set it up, got some peppermints, and they took care of the few I had and I've seen no aiptasia since then (knock on wood).
I had a few aiptasia in my tank, when I first set it up, got some peppermints, and they took care of the few I had and I've seen no aiptasia since then (knock on wood).
Wish i could have made the meeting but i have a 10 year old with the flu at home.
I looked into getting a Nudi for them but I've had good luck with peppermint. Last night was the first hunt I've done in 3 months. He usually gets to them a day or two after i see them.
I looked into getting a Nudi for them but I've had good luck with peppermint. Last night was the first hunt I've done in 3 months. He usually gets to them a day or two after i see them.
There are 2 types of peppermints. A cold and a warm water one. The peps collected in cold water of course do not eat aiptasia bc it is not in their natural environment. The warm water ones of course do readliy eat it. That's why they are so hit or miss. I'll look up the article when I get home and type some more.
Smoothie, that's interesting information about the two types of peppermints. Does aiptasia grow more readily in warmer climates?
My peppermints are earning their keep. They check out all new things and cleaned a whopping two aiptasia off a frag of zoas.
My peppermints are earning their keep. They check out all new things and cleaned a whopping two aiptasia off a frag of zoas.
- Messages
- 4,973
- Reaction score
- 389
i had an aiptasia issue in my tank at one time... I put 4 peppermint shrimp in there.. and in a week EVERY aiptasia was GONE.
Worked for me.
Problem with the Bhergia is that they ONLY feed on aiptasia and will starve once they are gone.. right?
B
Worked for me.
Problem with the Bhergia is that they ONLY feed on aiptasia and will starve once they are gone.. right?
B
- Messages
- 276
- Reaction score
- 0
good question, because i got my peppermint for the sole reason of keeping aptasia under out of the tank and he has yet to eat one that i have seen.
I've got a pretty large peppermint shrimp (4" clawspan), but I never see him (her?) attacking aptasias...
I've got quite a few mini-aptasias in my tank (roughly 20-25) that are anywhere from 1/4" to 1.5" tall...I was messing around with a glorified turkey baster I got for the tank in order to fend off my clownfish from my new horshoe crab that i bought at the meeting and ended up expelling the air from it and accidently sucking an aptasia clean off the rock into the tube. Now my understanding is that cutting/scraping/breaking them off will lead to higher infestation b/c they will just spread, but this seemed to be a very quick and clean process. I don't know that it would work for larger and more established aptasia, but it might be something to try if you see the little guys spring up here and there before they really grab onto their host...thoughts?
I've got quite a few mini-aptasias in my tank (roughly 20-25) that are anywhere from 1/4" to 1.5" tall...I was messing around with a glorified turkey baster I got for the tank in order to fend off my clownfish from my new horshoe crab that i bought at the meeting and ended up expelling the air from it and accidently sucking an aptasia clean off the rock into the tube. Now my understanding is that cutting/scraping/breaking them off will lead to higher infestation b/c they will just spread, but this seemed to be a very quick and clean process. I don't know that it would work for larger and more established aptasia, but it might be something to try if you see the little guys spring up here and there before they really grab onto their host...thoughts?
According to Noel Curry, that's correct. Apparently they're real efficient little boogers too. Noel said that once they finish off the aiptasia, they're brave enough to come out during the day and sit atop the water, making it easier to catch. He suggested transferring them to a friend's tank infested with aiptasia.
hmmm, wonder if anyone has one that they want to loan/rent out? Would be a good idea, the club could own one and simply pass it around.
What did he say about the what-cha-ma-call-it stars? You know the ones that Harlequin shrimp eat. I've got quite a few of those. Is there anything other than a Harley Shrimp that will knock'em down?
Sorry...thread jack
I was thinking about this...if we could get a group together to buy a few and then just pass them around from tank to tank.
The only issue is that a single berghia wouldn't do the trick. I did a little research and it sounds like you need around 8 per 100g of water assuming a decent infestation (50 or so aptasia). You can do the math on that if you have a moderate or slight infestation and a smaller or larger tank, but either way I think they work better in packs.
I read that injecting lemon juice concentrate directly into the stem of an aptasia will kill it in a couple of days as well...most of mine are small, but I may try that on a few to see what happens before trying the berghia route. I have a peppermint shrimp and a wrasse that might be a problem and I'd really rather not relocate them for the duration of the berghia colonization period.
Just my .02
The time lapse photos provided by Noel Curry showed a group of six Berghis demolishing a single aiptasia in 45 minutes. (Maybe we can get his Powerpoint?) It will still take time in a larger system, but this would also provide time for the existing nudis to lay eggs. Scientific Coral's going rate for a single Berghia is $25.
I must have the cold water shrimp, I have one aptasia and 2 Peppermint Shrimp so far, nothing. It's been more then a month.
Is there any way to tell what your getting?
I also tried the turkey baster, no luck
Thanks all, I'm learning here.
Phil
Is there any way to tell what your getting?
I also tried the turkey baster, no luck
Thanks all, I'm learning here.
Phil
Reading through this thread...like many of you, I've tried JJ with little success. Then I went the shrimp route....#1...don't know that he ate a single aptasia and #2 something ended up eating him (and unfortunately I don't know who/what). I've gone to injecting lemon juice using a diabetic syringe (cheap and you can get them at any drug store). This method has worked the best. I had a fairly bad invasioin of aptasia...probably over 100 (came in on a piece of new live rock) and within about 3 days...I'm down to a half dozen or less. It works best if you can actually inject their body with the lemon juice. They retract so you have to lure them much like using JJ then I just push the needle into their mouths or body (whichever I can hit), push the plunger until I see a milky substance in the stalk and wa-la! aptasia gone!
