Aiptasia and Peppermints

[msparklym13]

HI!

I have been so MIA the past month with holidays and basically a rotating door of guests! I hope all of you have been having a great season!

Question- I have been battling Aiptasia for months. I tried Joe's, Aiptasia X, hot RO you name it- My clown (named Snowflake some of you know him as Cujo) bites me the entire time and I have even resorted to netting him in a corner some nights so I can focus. There is no sign of slow down- in fact the bastards are breeding at an alarming rate.

I have heard of success with Peppermints.

Here are my questions-

1. Has anyone found that Peppermints combatted or at least decreased Aiptasia?

2. My Cleaner shrimp(Mr. Probz) is almost a year old and fairly big. Have you had issues with introducing smaller peppermints with a bigger cleaner shrimp?

3. Mr. Probz tankmates are Cujo, the clown a 6 line, and a CJ Goby

Any insight would be greatly appreciated. They are targeting my Rasta Zoa and have circled my Frogspawn.

Thanks so much!

 

[aquarium]

I'm not sure about compatibility with other shrimp, but my peppermint ate nearly all of the aiptasia in my old pico. The only one it didn't take care of was a huge anemone that was nearly the size of the shrimp.

I've heard that the shrimp can be hit or miss, but in my limited experience it worked just fine.

[squamptonbc]

The one and only time I had aiptasia and tried all the remedies the only thing that finally got rid of them were a pair of peppermint shrimp, they considered them an all you can eat buffet.

[msparklym13]

Thank you so much! Thinking of picking up a few tomorrow. Just two took care of the problem?

[squamptonbc]

2 worked for me, I would rate my outbreak at the time as moderate, so if it's really bad might take more then 2. 2 worked for me, took them a couple weeks, but they did the job.

 

 

 

Thank you so much! Thinking of picking up a few tomorrow. Just two took care of the problem?

[Clown79]

Lol. They never worked for me. Never touched my aiptasia but tore apart 2 favias and an acan.

 

Aiptasia x always works for me. Wear gloves so your clown doesn't pull at your skin(mine does the same) just lather a good amount on the aiptasia while pumps are off for 15mins.

[driftsaru]

i just got one two weeks ago. all the bastards are gone! im actually looking to get rid of the champion peppermint....

[msparklym13]

i just got one two weeks ago. all the bastards are gone! im actually looking to get rid of the champion peppermint....

Yay!! Here's hoping... I am going to the "fancy" aquarium shop downtown with a list of items I need. OK- what is the champion peppermint? I am not familiar with the term.... do you have a boxing fighter shrimp in your arsenal?? :-)

[SelectedByNature]

Champion because he vanquished all the mean Aiptasia like a true boss

[msparklym13]

Lol. They never worked for me. Never touched my aiptasia but tore apart 2 favias and an acan.

 

Aiptasia x always works for me. Wear gloves so your clown doesn't pull at your skin(mine does the same) just lather a good amount on the aiptasia while pumps are off for 15mins.

OH no! I have had 0 success with Acans :-(

My issue is I have so many little ones in crevices all over the tank. Hoping the shrimp might knock it down. If not it will be full Aiptasia X madness. And I have no idea why I didn't turn off the pumps- ? Thanks for the tip!

Champion because he vanquished all the mean Aiptasia like a true boss

ahahahaha YES!!! That is amazing! I wish he could bring his skills over to my tank!

[Groot]

I bought one and it did the job no aiptasia in my tank. I didn't have much but it was a pain in the ass to get rid of them until I put one in and it solve the problem in days.

[driftsaru]

I noticed ONE medium sized one on a piece of LR I got from a local reefer. in ONE month I counted over a dozen babies.

 

By the way, my wife has a gf of hers that lives in oceanside off the 78. Im not sure when we will visit again, but i can bring THE CHAMP with me.

[Clown79]

My acan was gorgeous, no issues at all. I saw my peppermints rip them apart. I sav2d one until i got rid of the shrimp.

 

They are known to go after fleshy corals. Had them in 2 tanks and never once ate aiptasia.

 

I just get rid of them with aip x as soon as they develope. The larger they get the harder it is to kill them and peppermints won't eat big ones either.

 

Sometimes it takes a few shots with aip x but it always works.

 

The pumps have to be off, you can't touch the aiptasia before blasting them, they close up and won't ingest the product. Just smother them with it.

[msparklym13]

I noticed ONE medium sized one on a piece of LR I got from a local reefer. in ONE month I counted over a dozen babies.

 

By the way, my wife has a gf of hers that lives in oceanside off the 78. Im not sure when we will visit again, but i can bring THE CHAMP with me.

Ah!!! I picked up some Peps today- If they don't take care of business I am going to need THE CHAMP!! We would happily take you to dinner for a trade or borrow... then pay Champ forward to the next poor reefer!

Where do you live? We live really close to Oceanside!

My acan was gorgeous, no issues at all. I saw my peppermints rip them apart. I sav2d one until i got rid of the shrimp.

 

They are known to go after fleshy corals. Had them in 2 tanks and never once ate aiptasia.

 

I just get rid of them with aip x as soon as they develope. The larger they get the harder it is to kill them and peppermints won't eat big ones either.

 

Sometimes it takes a few shots with aip x but it always works.

 

The pumps have to be off, you can't touch the aiptasia before blasting them, they close up and won't ingest the product. Just smother them with it.

thank you as always! Sent you a message about a Frogspawn mystery :-) Hubs loved X files and a few months ago we started fresh. I had never seen any and now any unexplained tank mystery is my certain X files.... will have to tell you about the case that went on for 6 months and was recently solved.

My acan was gorgeous, no issues at all. I saw my peppermints rip them apart. I sav2d one until i got rid of the shrimp.

 

They are known to go after fleshy corals. Had them in 2 tanks and never once ate aiptasia.

 

I just get rid of them with aip x as soon as they develope. The larger they get the harder it is to kill them and peppermints won't eat big ones either.

 

Sometimes it takes a few shots with aip x but it always works.

 

The pumps have to be off, you can't touch the aiptasia before blasting them, they close up and won't ingest the product. Just smother them with it.

thank you as always! Sent you a message about a Frogspawn mystery :-) Hubs loved X files(not sure if you ever watched the series) and a few months ago we started fresh. I had never seen any and now any unexplained tank mystery is my certain X files.... will have to tell you about the case that went on for 6 months and was recently solved.

[driftsaru]

We currently live in san bernandino county. =/

[Sancho]

Just keep an eye on them...some will eat corals. Mine did a great job on aiptaisia but then started munching on my acans and zoas. I've also had some that will kill all the aiptaisia and not eat anything else so once the aiptaisia is gone they starve to death.

[msparklym13]

Update- I have 0 Aiptasia in the tank!! Now I don't know what to do with them... they feel like more mouths to feed LOL They are super aggressive at feeding time and hoard food like my cleaner shrimp used to do. So now I have a hungry shrimp and no aiptasia!

[driftsaru]

same here, im starting to wonder what hes tasting at night when he wouldve otherwise been chomping on aiptasia.......

 

Update- I have 0 Aiptasia in the tank!! Now I don't know what to do with them... they feel like more mouths to feed LOL They are super aggressive at feeding time and hoard food like my cleaner shrimp used to do. So now I have a hungry shrimp and no aiptasia!

[squamptonbc]

When I had them once my were done on aiptasia, they seemed content with being fed mysis shrimp and left my softies and zoa's alone. can't say how they act with other corals. I spot fed the shrimp so he was busy with its food while I fed the fish.

 

Can call the LFS and see if you have give it away, or on a local forum. assuming you don't want to keep it.

 

Update- I have 0 Aiptasia in the tank!! Now I don't know what to do with them... they feel like more mouths to feed LOL They are super aggressive at feeding time and hoard food like my cleaner shrimp used to do. So now I have a hungry shrimp and no aiptasia!

[Clown79]

When i had them they enjoyed eating an acan and 2 favia...they were gone the next day.

[burtbollinger]

Mine also ate acans

[Sancho]

They are acan eaters....down the terlet with them

[msparklym13]

I love Acans.

My success:

zero.

I have bought 3 over the past 9 months and all died. womp womp.The only thing I can think of is perhaps the lighting wasn't strong enough. My new LED lid might be able to have them thrive-? I need to do more research on what does best with the 32 LED. Duncan and Zoas happy as was my Frogspawn until a temperature incident.

Here is the problem. I have 3 Peppermints. Aquatic Wharehouse dude(one who seems to always know his shit) told me one wouldn't be enough and promised me I would need a herd. I took his advice and now have 3 mouths to feed and I am not into them at all. I don't know why but for some reason they aren't my favorite. I absolutely adored my cleaner shrimp and I feel the same about most of my awesome CUC. I wonder if my LFS would take them?

I am spending the next few months focusing on corals since my tank is back to healthy. Seems to me they are taking up valued space for a critter I really like. What are your thoughts?

They are acan eaters....down the terlet with them

ugh I feel bad flushing anything.... I definitely appreciate the dedication to the Aptasia. I was so frustrated and overwhelmed I thought I would never get rid of that nasty problem! But now I don't want them and my Wrasse seems to feel the same way. I have been watching him mess with them and was kindof hoping he would take the crew out ;-/

When I had them once my were done on aiptasia, they seemed content with being fed mysis shrimp and left my softies and zoa's alone. can't say how they act with other corals. I spot fed the shrimp so he was busy with its food while I fed the fish.

 

Can call the LFS and see if you have give it away, or on a local forum. assuming you don't want to keep it.

 

What I am hoping- Don't want or need them. My cleaner Scarlet was such a blast and was my oldest tank member aside from CUC. Would really like to get another. Personality was awesome and I loved the dedication to my fish :-)

[Clown79]

Funny, I don't care for them either. I love my cleaner shrimp but peppermints not so much. After tearing apart 3 brains, I really will never trust thrm again.

 

The brains were healthy, full. I watched them tear at them at eat the flesh. I saved the 1 favia. The others were destroyed.

 

The thing is, aiptasia can appear at any time but I will never house a peppermint in a tank again.

 

Acans don't need high light. They like moderate light and moderate flow. They do very well being fed coral food too.

[msparklym13]

Funny, I don't care for them either. I love my cleaner shrimp but peppermints not so much. After tearing apart 3 brains, I really will never trust thrm again.

 

The brains were healthy, full. I watched them tear at them at eat the flesh. I saved the 1 favia. The others were destroyed.

 

The thing is, aiptasia can appear at any time but I will never house a peppermint in a tank again.

 

Acans don't need high light. They like moderate light and moderate flow. They do very well being fed coral food too.

Woke up this morning to a chunk of Zoas missing.... Bastards are coming out today!! I think the reason Cleaners are so cool is because they have a hilarious personality constantly chasing fish to get them cleaned up! LOL