lsmith87 Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 We just bought some peppermint shrimp last week to deal with our small aiptasia problem, but all six of the little guys are hanging out underneath a rock and aren't showing any interest in the aiptasia. Has anyone else had this problem? Any suggestions? Thanks! Link to comment
DRoy1124 Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 give it time for them to explore the tank. 2 weeks, if not then........idk lol Link to comment
Micro_managemenT Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 Mine went to work as soon as the lights went out. after 3 days....no more aiptasia! I think I read that wild captured shrimp are more likely to eat aiptasia than captive bred. Maybe if they get hungry, they'll get to work! Link to comment
sykospark Posted January 24, 2007 Share Posted January 24, 2007 I have noticed my peppermint shrimp doesn't come out of the cave until the lights come out. Do any of your shrimp move around after dark? Link to comment
Blacktone Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 I don't like peppermints very much, they have done a number on some of my tube worms and harass my nas snails.. Link to comment
OIIIIIO Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 I read somewhere that there are two types of peppermints. There's one that is native to the Pacific and one that is native to the Atlantic. Only one of them eats the stuff but I can't remember which it was. Mine didn't touch any until about a week then went ape on it and got it all within a few days. Link to comment
sykospark Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 Ah I just read that peppermint shrimp are nocturnal, hence why they hide all day. See if they come out after dark and do anything. Link to comment
allenspidey Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 How large is your tank? Six shrimp should compete for food fiercely. I have two and they cleaned up everything in a couple of days. Now they fight over every scrap. Link to comment
juin21 Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 This is what I did to get my shrimps interested in the aiptasia. Be aware that this is at your own risk. I fed the aiptasia. The shrimps then started poking at the aiptasia to get at the food. Then I poked the heck out of the aiptasia so it started gooing a little. The shrimps went after the goo! Try that! Link to comment
dafunk5446 Posted January 29, 2007 Share Posted January 29, 2007 My pep went straight to work as soon as I put him in, I got him from a not so good store, so im guessing he hadnt been getting to much food, cause as soon as he found one he ripped it a new one, I even had a good 3" long aiptasia that was a way bigger then the little pep was.... well he reduced it to nothing in minutes. Link to comment
lsmith87 Posted January 31, 2007 Author Share Posted January 31, 2007 Can we borrow him? Ours still aren't doing too much - a couple of them venture out after the lights go out, but they don't seem to be eating the aipstasia. Mostly they just hang out upside down in a little cave near the bubble-tip and sway back and forth - looks like they're dancing. Thanks for all the input! My husband doesn't want to poke the aipstasia, for fear of it taking over the rest of the tank if the shrimps don't start eating it right away. I'll let you know if they ever decide to do their job. BTW - we have a 150 gallon tank. Link to comment
dixonba Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 Just wait till they get hungry... Link to comment
dshnarw Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 I had a lot of trouble getting my peppermint to eat aips too. But finally fixed it with taking the infested rock out and sitting the infected area in a shallow dish of cold DI water. Cover the rock in newspaper damped with tank water and let sit for an hour. Replace in tank. My peppermint loved them after that. Seems not to damage coralline algae/macroalgae if you don't overdo it. May not be practical for your tank depending on your aquascaping, but I'd rather harm the aips and let the peppermint finish them off than sticking myself with a syringe full of joe's juice. Link to comment
lsmith87 Posted February 26, 2007 Author Share Posted February 26, 2007 Well, the peppermints FINALLY got to the Aipstasia! At least, I'm assuming they did... they're getting bigger, venturing out of their cave, and there's no sign of the two smaller Aipstasia. There is one big one left, but it's on the other side of the tank and I don't think they've discovered it yet. Also, last weekend, one of the shrimp ate a big Bristleworm - took him all day to finish it! Link to comment
this1fish Posted February 26, 2007 Share Posted February 26, 2007 they will start to venture out as they acclimate to the new tank. they do how ever become a pest later on. i booted mine out for that reason. Link to comment
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