Djplus1 June 14, 2013 Author Share June 14, 2013 Did you get the right type of peppermint shrimp? I did not have success initially using peppermint shrimps until I bought some from BRK and told me that they sell the right type that eat aiptasia. And they did and I am aiptasia free! Please see articles: http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/content.php?sid=2718 or: http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/content.php?sid=2718 as references. Supposedly, yes. Each time. I didn't DNA test them though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnybv June 14, 2013 Share June 14, 2013 (edited) Did you get the right type of peppermint shrimp? I did not have success initially using peppermint shrimps until I bought some from BRK and told me that they sell the right type that eat aiptasia. And they did and I am aiptasia free! Please see articles: http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/content.php?sid=2718 or: http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/content.php?sid=2718 as references. This is 100% correct if you have the wrong ones they will not only not eat aiptasia but can also harm other things in your tank. Peppermint shrimp work in a gang mentality so 20 should be all over your aiptasia. Now they will not go after the huge ones, only the small and mediums, you will have to hit the big ones with aiptasia x or the like. I have a huge copperband that I just brought in from a customers tank that he bought from us several years back and claims it eats aiptasia and has never bothered corals if you are interested in that route as well. DNA test is not necessary just ask where they come from, the right ones will come from the Atlantic. With a little research you will be able to learn how to spot the difference, but its just easier if you ask your LFS, if hey say they got the, from their la wholesaler, there is a good chance they are not the right ones, we get our directly out of the Caribbean, so we know they are they right ones.John Edited June 14, 2013 by johnnybv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Djplus1 June 14, 2013 Author Share June 14, 2013 This is 100% correct if you have the wrong ones they will not only not eat aiptasia but can also harm other things in your tank. Peppermint shrimp work in a gang mentality so 20 should be all over your aiptasia. Now they will not go after the huge ones, only the small and mediums, you will have to hit the big ones with aiptasia x or the like. I have a huge copperband that I just brought in from a customers tank that he bought from us several years back and claims it eats aiptasia and has never bothered corals if you are interested in that route as well. DNA test is not necessary just ask where they come from, the right ones will come from the Atlantic. With a little research you will be able to learn how to spot the difference, but its just easier if you ask your LFS, if hey say they got the, from their la wholesaler, there is a good chance they are not the right ones, we get our directly out of the Caribbean, so we know they are they right ones. John They are supposedly the right shrimp. http://www.reefs2go.com/product/INV_SHR_PEP-6/6-Saltwater-Peppermint-Shrimp.html I say supposedly, because I the customer ask what species they are and you as a retailer would tell me an answer, it is my belief that I have bought the "correct" peppermint shrimp from an online retailer AND an LFS. I looked at comparison pics and they seem to be the correct shrimp also. Granted, maybe the little guys are not yet comfortable in their surroundings like others have implied. I assume that this "huge" copperband is in your possession since it outgrew it's tank. How big is it? Is it doable to be in my 72g? This is my most likely next step if nothing happens over the next couple weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pizzaguy June 15, 2013 Share June 15, 2013 Questions I didn't see answers to. Are these very big aptasia or just small baby's everywhere? If there big you wasted a lot of money. My only experience with the situation is I had maybe 5 small aptasia pop up in my tank from some frags. I bought 6 peppermints never touched them for a few weeks. So I bought 6 more, now 12 total. I fed my tank very little food for 2 weeks straight so there wasn't a lot of food laying around for the shrimp. So basically I forced them to look for something to eat. I woke up one morning and they were all gone and haven't seen any since. That'sy personal experience and theory. Hope that helps. Again, if aptasia is medium to large I think tou need the fish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Djplus1 June 15, 2013 Author Share June 15, 2013 Questions I didn't see answers to. Are these very big aptasia or just small baby's everywhere? If there big you wasted a lot of money. My only experience with the situation is I had maybe 5 small aptasia pop up in my tank from some frags. I bought 6 peppermints never touched them for a few weeks. So I bought 6 more, now 12 total. I fed my tank very little food for 2 weeks straight so there wasn't a lot of food laying around for the shrimp. So basically I forced them to look for something to eat. I woke up one morning and they were all gone and haven't seen any since. That'sy personal experience and theory. Hope that helps. Again, if aptasia is medium to large I think tou need the fish. Tons of little guys, and a good number of monsters too. Literally hundreds of total aiptasia. I just did a 45 gallon water change last night and the tank is still dark, but there may have been some activity in the tank last night, hard to tell. That or I managed to kill some of them off with exposed rock last night (wishful thinking). I will watch the tank this weekend and see if I notice anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnybv June 15, 2013 Share June 15, 2013 (edited) They are supposedly the right shrimp. http://www.reefs2go.com/product/INV_SHR_PEP-6/6-Saltwater-Peppermint-Shrimp.html I say supposedly, because I the customer ask what species they are and you as a retailer would tell me an answer, it is my belief that I have bought the "correct" peppermint shrimp from an online retailer AND an LFS. I looked at comparison pics and they seem to be the correct shrimp also. Granted, maybe the little guys are not yet comfortable in their surroundings like others have implied. I assume that this "huge" copperband is in your possession since it outgrew it's tank. How big is it? Is it doable to be in my 72g? This is my most likely next step if nothing happens over the next couple weeks. Too late on the copperband already sold. I do however have others. As far as buying the shrimp, did you get them from us? If so then yes I am sure they are the correct ones. A can not speak for others, as I mentioned above, if they are coming from an la wholesaler it is not uncommon for them not to be the Caribbean ones. Edited June 15, 2013 by johnnybv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Djplus1 June 17, 2013 Author Share June 17, 2013 Update, peppermint shrimp appear to at least have a taste now. One rock that was COVERED in little aiptasia appears to have been cleared last night. Mind you, tons remain, including some big mama jamas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swimmatte June 17, 2013 Share June 17, 2013 Sweet! You and your son need to have a little pep talk with the peppermints.... Explain to them that they will end up like the DOA shrimp that he crushed while I was over there...... In all seriousness though, I wouldn't have too high of hopes that they'll do anything with the big boy aptasia. I do believe however that the army you have in there will clear the smaller guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sachabballi reef June 17, 2013 Share June 17, 2013 use aptaisia X or lemon juice or something on the big ones....if you don't they will just continue to spread Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Djplus1 June 17, 2013 Author Share June 17, 2013 Sweet! You and your son need to have a little pep talk with the peppermints.... Explain to them that they will end up like the DOA shrimp that he crushed while I was over there...... In all seriousness though, I wouldn't have too high of hopes that they'll do anything with the big boy aptasia. I do believe however that the army you have in there will clear the smaller guys. Ha ha, that is funny. I'll photoshop something on the glass as a friendly reminder to peppermints. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Djplus1 June 17, 2013 Author Share June 17, 2013 use aptaisia X or lemon juice or something on the big ones....if you don't they will just continue to spread If been using vinegar. Is that bad? It seems to do the trick, but there's just soooo many that I don't want to crash my tank. I also have kalk laying around if the shrimp don't take to the big ones. Problem is, there are some monsters on the back of my rock work that I can barely see, let alone inject. Would a baby filefish or copperband take on monster aiptasia? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigWyll June 17, 2013 Share June 17, 2013 I've blasted some of the harder to reach monster aptasia with boiling water. But beware It kills what ever you spray. So if its close to corals, it's not the best idea. The heat made the turkey baster a mini guiser so it's hard to control where it released. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Djplus1 June 17, 2013 Author Share June 17, 2013 I've blasted some of the harder to reach monster aptasia with boiling water. But beware It kills what ever you spray. So if its close to corals, it's not the best idea. The heat made the turkey baster a mini guiser so it's hard to control where it released. Boiling salt water or boiling RODI water? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigWyll June 17, 2013 Share June 17, 2013 RODI water Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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