To Peppermint or Not to Peppermint that is the question

[The hig]

Hello,

Looking for some more opinions about Peppermint Shrimp. I have a small, pretty small actually Aiptasia infestation going on. I have read a mixed bag about adding Peppermints. I have a Fluval Evo 15, live rock (hence the Aiptasia), 2 Clowns, and some corals.

 

I have seen some say that Peppermints will eat coral some say they will not. Some attack fish others say they will not. Some say the reef safe others say they are not.

 

Should I just keep shooting up the Aiptasia with Aiptasia-X or do I stick some Peppermints in there.

 

Thanks for the advice in advance.

[anizato]

I ordered 3 from liveaquaria.com and when I fed my tank I made sure ONLY the fish got the pellets so the shrimp would go hunting for the aiptasia. There was nearly 20 aiptasia in the 10 gallon tank, it took them about 3 weeks to get rid of the pest.

After that you have to make sure they eat a pellet a day to keep them happy and away from your coral (:

[Bcb577]

I have a 10 gallon standard reef,and a bc 14 gallon reef.both have peppermint shrimp,and as far as I know they haven't touched my corals.I did however have a emerald crab that I caught eating my zoas! I guess in nature there are no absolutes! What does harm in my tank,may not cause harm in yours.

[ezcompany]

camels will eat corals, which often get confused with the peppermints. i've never had a peppermint, nor heard of a peppermint eat a healthy coral. I may be wrong, but that's my experience.

it will most likely help, and if you want to treat the problem i'd say go for it. if you add a fire shrimp or other more aggressive shrimp it may kill your peppermint down the road.

[nancymatthews]

Over the past 4 years, I've had peppermint shrimp in my 28 gallon and they have never been aggressive to coral or fish. My fish have been aggressive to the shrimps and the shrimp hide in the rock. I have not been able to keep peppermint shrimp in there now because my Flame Hawkfish have killed them. So I have to use Aiptasia-X to kill my aiptasia.

Peppermint shrimp are cute.

[Sancho]

They are hit or miss. I have had some that never touch coral or aiptaisa and have had some that have eaten coral. I don't trust them anymore.

[anizato]

Berghia Nudis are always 100% aiptasia proof. Just have to place them close to the food source and figure out what to do to them when they get rid of all aiptasia in your tank.

[The hig]

Yes but Berghia's are soo darn expensive. Then you have to worry about what to do with them after they pig out. Will my fish eat them?

[reefist]

They do a great job eating aiptasia but in my experience thay have always turned to corals, LPS in particular, once all the aiptasia are gone.

[Clown79]

I will never do them again.

 

Had them in my 55g - never touched the aiptasia nor any good for anything else.

 

In my 15g they destroyed 3 brains. Watched them tear them apart - never touched the aiptasia.

 

Use aisptasia x - it works with no risk.

 

Peppermint shrimp can go after corals.

Camel shrimp do get confused for peppermints- not sure why, they look very different.

 

Unfortunately both have a reputation for going after corals they also steal food from corals.

 

IMO its not worth the risk because most ppl report peppermints NOT eating aiptasia and they don't eat the larger ones.