Peppermint Shrimp Questions

[Jerad81]

After doing a search I couldn't find any threads devoted to these shrimp so I decided to start one.

 

I found my first aiptasia in my tank recently. It was in the substrate so removing it was easy enough but now I'm worried there could be more in places I can't see as well. Or maybe they just haven't shown themselves yet. Either way, I'm debating getting a peppermint shrimp to help prevent it from popping up again but after doing some research I've found some contradictory information. I decided to ask for your personal experiences to hopefully help clarify things a little better. 

 

My main question is are they reef safe or reef safe with caution? 

It seems to be a 50/50 split on this from what I can find. Some sites say they are 100% reef safe with no problem while others claim they might start munching on coral when they run out of aiptasia to eat.

 

My other big question is do they get along ok with other types of shrimp?

I have a 20g tank that is already home to a cleaner shrimp. I haven't been able to find any info on this anywhere. I know they're both peaceful and I should have plenty of rockwork for them both to hide. But will they still start a turf war in my tank because they are both shrimp and need more space to get along?

 

Those are my two main questions at the moment. If anyone has any other info about them you consider important or worth sharing please do. Also, if anyone else has any questions of their own about these shrimp please feel free to post them as well. 

 

 

[Xj reefing]

When I had my pep it never ate a coral. It did accidentally rip o bit of flesh on my blasto trying to get some food. I think they are 90% reef safe. If you do get a peppermint shrimp make sure you get a peppermint shrimp instead of a hinge beak shrimp. You have to make sure to a couple times a week feed them if there are no aiptasia. Yes these shrimp will get along with cleaner shrimp as long as there are caves available.

[WV Reefer]

2 hours ago, Jerad81 said:

After doing a search I couldn't find any threads devoted to these shrimp so I decided to start one.

 

I found my first aiptasia in my tank recently. It was in the substrate so removing it was easy enough but now I'm worried there could be more in places I can't see as well. Or maybe they just haven't shown themselves yet. Either way, I'm debating getting a peppermint shrimp to help prevent it from popping up again but after doing some research I've found some contradictory information. I decided to ask for your personal experiences to hopefully help clarify things a little better. 

 

My main question is are they reef safe or reef safe with caution? 

It seems to be a 50/50 split on this from what I can find. Some sites say they are 100% reef safe with no problem while others claim they might start munching on coral when they run out of aiptasia to eat.

 

My other big question is do they get along ok with other types of shrimp?

I have a 20g tank that is already home to a cleaner shrimp. I haven't been able to find any info on this anywhere. I know they're both peaceful and I should have plenty of rockwork for them both to hide. But will they still start a turf war in my tank because they are both shrimp and need more space to get along?

 

Those are my two main questions at the moment. If anyone has any other info about them you consider important or worth sharing please do. Also, if anyone else has any questions of their own about these shrimp please feel free to post them as well. 

 

 

In my experience mine never bothered the other shrimp and mine never ate coral or aiptasia. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[Clown79]

Caution. They are known to go after fleshy coral.

I had peppermints- and no they weren't camel shrimp. They were peppermints that destroyed 3 different brain corals.

 

There are other hobbyists with similar experiences. 

 

I'd use aiptasia x, no guarantee the shrimp will eat the aips.

[Xj reefing]

Yeah I always worried about my pep eating my flesh corals. But now I don’t have to worry about that because he got attacked by my wrasse.

[Jerad81]

1 hour ago, Clown79 said:

Caution. They are known to go after fleshy coral.

I had peppermints- and no they weren't camel shrimp. They were peppermints that destroyed 3 different brain corals.

 

There are other hobbyists with similar experiences. 

 

I'd use aiptasia x, no guarantee the shrimp will eat the aips.

That's good to know. I have a bubble coral that might attract it then. I'm a little hesitant about using chemicals in my tank which is why I'm looking at the shrimp. I did look up aiptasia x though and it does look like a safe option. I might try that first then. Thanks for the advice!

[Tired]

There are multiple different species sold as "peppermint shrimp", is the problem. That, and keep in mind that anemones are similar to corals. If something will eat anemones, you can expect it to possibly be interested in corals.

 

Aiptasia X won't hurt anything you don't put it on. It's not like the chemicals that are meant to be dumped into your tank to indiscriminately kill everything in some general category, like algaecides.

[ajmckay]

I agree with what's been said.   The reason you're seeing 1/2 of search results saying "reef safe with caution" is because they're reef safe with caution 🙂  They're reef safe - until they decide to eat corals lol.  

 

So I agree that if you have an aiptasia problem don't feel like you have to throw shrimp at it.  Aiptasia X I believe is just a kalk slurry right?  It just melts the nuisance anemone away then dissolves into the water. 

 

I've also had success with lemon juice and super hot lemon juice.   Go to the pharmacy and pick up some $0.25 5 or 10ml syringes.  Be sure to find out exactly which hole they're retreating into and really jab that needle in there a lot. Try to inject it into the stalk or mouth if you can. 

Here's a rock from a super duper long time ago that I treated successfully 🙂 

 

 

[Jerad81]

Holy crap, I just witnessed my decorator crab grab an aiptasia off the rock and stick it straight in his mouth! I didn't know they would eat it! I guess any lingering ideas I had about getting a peppermint shrimp are now gone but I am going to have to start paying closer attention to him. I knew they had a tendency to wear coral around on their backs but I didn't think there might be a chance they would eat it too. I guess if he starts I'll just have to cut my losses and rehome him. At least I know my aiptasia issue is in check for the time being.