Any problems with peppermint shrimp ?

[ZephNYC]

I just removed my bristle tail filefish from one of my reefs because it was eating my zoos and palys. It ate an entire colony of purple death palys! So I know my aptasia will be showing soon and was thinking of trying a bunch of peppermint shrimps (Lysmata wurdemanni). I know they are considered reef safe, and I have had them without problems, but I also know they have been problems for some people and sometimes decide to eat corals. Not sure what types so if anyone has had these shrimps do anyhing EVIL in their tank I would like to hear about it. THanks!!!

[cblair]

Ive had 2 peppermints in the past and the only thing they were dangerous to were the pest anemones they pretty much desimated the population of apistasia that i had. they were pretty good scavengers of left over food as well. Never caught them nipping at any of my corals.

[ZephNYC]

Ive had 2 peppermints in the past and the only thing they were dangerous to were the pest anemones they pretty much desimated the population of apistasia that i had. they were pretty good scavengers of left over food as well. Never caught them nipping at any of my corals.

 

They hide most of the day right?

[metrokat]

Never had a pep but have heard lots of stories if you want to listen?

The trick to them is they will NOT eat your aiptasia if they are not hungry. Which means you're going to have to target feed your anthias and tangs and not broadcast feed. IF they are not hungry they will not eat the aiptasia. Also, soon as the aiptasia are gone, if they continue to be hungry they go after corals.

 

This does not seem like something that will work for you given the fish you keep that require a lot of food and the fact that you broadcast feed your tank. But hey, you never know.

[ZephNYC]

Never had a pep but have heard lots of stories if you want to listen?

The trick to them is they will NOT eat your aiptasia if they are not hungry. Which means you're going to have to target feed your anthias and tangs and not broadcast feed. IF they are not hungry they will not eat the aiptasia. Also, soon as the aiptasia are gone, if they continue to be hungry they go after corals.

 

This does not seem like something that will work for you given the fish you keep that require a lot of food and the fact that you broadcast feed your tank. But hey, you never know.

You would laugh if you knew how much i feed that tank because i am TRYING to get some nitrates going. The big clam sucks them all up even with my very high fish load in the inline 210 and very high feedings. I remember the first time you and I were in MA and you were asking about these and the guy, i forgot who, actually advised against them saying "they might eat your corals". I will probaly try a bunch just to see.

[cblair]

They hide most of the day right?

the two i had seemed fairly active through the dayonce and a while you would have to really look around the rock to find them

[Pjanssen]

I'm still very much a noob, so take this with a grain of salt so to speak.

One day I noticed about 3-4 little Aptasia pop up in my tank. Went to local fish store and he recommended peppermints. I bought 3 little ones. Within a day, there were no more Aptasia. I also haven't seen the shrimp since (it's been about 6 weeks). I think my clown ate them.

I think my point here is that they do work, but make sure they are big enough to fend for themselves.

[ZephNYC]

I'm still very much a noob, so take this with a grain of salt so to speak.

One day I noticed about 3-4 little Aptasia pop up in my tank. Went to local fish store and he recommended peppermints. I bought 3 little ones. Within a day, there were no more Aptasia. I also haven't seen the shrimp since (it's been about 6 weeks). I think my clown ate them.

I think my point here is that they do work, but make sure they are big enough to fend for themselves.

 

So far so good.That was how it was with me too when I used to have them. I wonder if anyone has kept them long term?????

[chrssprngs]

Same experience here. Never saw any signs of them eating coral. All the ones I have put in the tank eventually disappear after a few weeks.

[patback]

Mine pulled food out of every thing I fed even If I justs gave him a bunch of pellets or mysis to keep him occupied. Mine also routinely ate chunks out of both of my carribean rose cups. Never showed interest in my aiptasia either. I fed an aiptasia pellets to get the shrimp to realize it was food but it just pulled them out instead.

[Tbone675]

I had a aptasia prob in my solana 34. They were everywhere, so I went with the pep solution. I hear not every pep likes aptasia. They can be hit and miss on eating it. I got 6 small peps for my solana. They got every last one. They even got all the small ones on the frag rack. They did a wonderful job. I didn't alter my feeding habits. At first they were very reclusive only saw them at night but now they are out much more. I'm going to trap them out. They are not a problem but I have too many and I want something different.

[GokesReef]

I had a big aiptasia problem (still a few stragglers). Here's my story:

 

- Bought 2 peps. They disappeared within a week. Never touched it

- Bought 1 pep. Same story.

- Bought 3 peps - 1 disappeared. 2 still alive and munching away on the aiptasia (yay) but I'm also pretty sure they ate 4 heads of my torch and 2 of my frogspawn (boo)

 

Also, I feed flake, they get their share, hasn't stopped them from tearing through the aiptasia.. but it took 4 duds until I got two that were into it. And they eat coral.

 

So.. yeah. I consider it a necessary evil still since an aiptasia infestation is about as bad as it gets.

[uglyfish]

I have 3 peppermint shrimp that did a thorough job of removing aiptasia. Overall a nice addition to the tank.

I have heard of some stores selling camelback shrimp as peppermints.

[ZephNYC]

I have 3 peppermint shrimp that did a thorough job of removing aiptasia. Overall a nice addition to the tank.

I have heard of some stores selling camelback shrimp as peppermints.

 

 

I'm going to order a bunch and will report my results. THanks guys!!

[lagunastudio]

I have one that would tear off tentacles from a frogspawn and torch. I bought a torch that was in bad shape, it had a crack in the skeleton. When I put it in my dt the peppermint shrimp reached into the crack and ripped flesh out of it. The torch never made it after this. He also made it impossible to spot feed my ricordeas, he would reach in their mouths and pull out the swallowed mysis. I finally caught it and put it in my fuge. He was not happy in there and ended up getting back in to the dt. But since he got back in the dt he's great, never messes with anything.

[skyline377]

I had 2 and I caught one eating my frogspawn

 

 

http://i1263.photobucket.com/albums/ii640/.../Picture005.jpg

[GokesReef]

I have one that would tear off tentacles from a frogspawn and torch. I bought a torch that was in bad shape, it had a crack in the skeleton. When I put it in my dt the peppermint shrimp reached into the crack and ripped flesh out of it. The torch never made it after this. He also made it impossible to spot feed my ricordeas, he would reach in their mouths and pull out the swallowed mysis. I finally caught it and put it in my fuge. He was not happy in there and ended up getting back in to the dt. But since he got back in the dt he's great, never messes with anything.

 

I had 2 and I caught one eating my frogspawn

 

 

http://i1263.photobucket.com/albums/ii640/.../Picture005.jpg

 

 

Well son of a #####.. that certainly does explain (and confirm what I thought) what happened to by 2 heads of frogspawn and 4 of torch. $60 in coral gone because my two shrimp were hungry.

 

Guess I'll stay LPS-less until this aiptasia is gone

 

However, I will say that they seem to target (as you noted) dying coral. When I got my 4 heads of torch, the pistol shrimp buried one head. The next morning when I cleared it off, it wasn't dead, but not happy.. figured it'd bounce back.

 

Next day it was gone. Next day the 2nd head was gone.. etc. I'm guessing they jumped on the head agitated by the sand and ate it. In doing so, they agitated the next head which made it seem tasty and on down the line.

[ZephNYC]

I had 2 and I caught one eating my frogspawn

 

 

http://i1263.photobucket.com/albums/ii640/.../Picture005.jpg

 

So far so good. I dont have frogspawn or torch corals, but I do target feed my gonioporas often. Certain shrimp, especially cleaner shrimp, literally would make that impossible. I've known peppermints to usually stay hidden when the lights are on, so hopefully they wont mess with my lps when i feed them, although Lagunastudio did say he had that problem.

[patback]

So far so good. I dont have frogspawn or torch corals, but I do target feed my gonioporas often. Certain shrimp, especially cleaner shrimp, literally would make that impossible. I've known peppermints to usually stay hidden when the lights are on, so hopefully they wont mess with my lps when i feed them, although Lagunastudio did say he had that problem.

Everytime you see it, make it seem like your out to kill it. After about 2 weeks, the shrimp was smart enough to associate me with food. Even with the bright LEDs, he would come out and attatch to my hand, letting go only when I would flick him. Other than that and when food was in the tank, my peppermint stayed in the shadows behind my live rock. I've caught him munching 2 sponges from behind their before also.

[GokesReef]

I've known peppermints to usually stay hidden when the lights are on,

 

Where did you get that? Mine are out and about all day. They chase flake when I feed the tank and they're all over my arm/hand whenever I'm in the tank - just like a cleaner.

[pablom617]

Where did you get that? Mine are out and about all day. They chase flake when I feed the tank and they're all over my arm/hand whenever I'm in the tank - just like a cleaner.

 

 

Wow.. your lucky. When I used to have a peppermint it would hide like nobodies business.

[ZephNYC]

Wow.. your lucky. When I used to have a peppermint it would hide like nobodies business.

 

 

I have had them before and almost never saw them, but the aptasias were slowly vanishing. I figure they usually stay hidden for a pretty long time until they feel VERY comfortable, then usually will come out more during the day and be a pain for target feeding.

[patback]

Doesnt intense lighting cause somthing along the lines of "shell rot" on animals like shrimp? Are peppermint included in that group of animals?

[pablom617]

I have had them before and almost never saw them, but the aptasias were slowly vanishing. I figure they usually stay hidden for a pretty long time until they feel VERY comfortable, then usually will come out more during the day and be a pain for target feeding.

 

Good point.

[ward827]

Well, all was going well with my pep shrimp . . . until this past Saturday. Put a new 3 head frag of hammer coral in my tank. Caught the bugger basically making a meal of the hammer. 1 head - all polyps gone. Tried to catch him and he bolted. Other 2 heads all retracted. Hoping they survive until I can catch him and make him part of a shrimp cocktail. Kidding! But he's gone, asap. He served his purpose and got rid of the few aiptasia I had. Really more of a pest now. W-