Aptasia

[davidandliz]

Just bought a new tank and there is an outbreak of aptasia (bad) does anyone have any suggestions.. i tried Joes Juice but there are too many.. and the guy from East Coast Aquatics told me to get a Copperbanded Butterfly. Does anyone know of another solution. Help Please.

 

[kaptken]

lots of pepermint shrimp. they eat them.

 

[cmondo]

Yeah I agree with ken. They peppermints work well.

 

[kaptken]

and they are cool to watch too!

 

[davidandliz]

is it better to get the shrimp then the butterfly? Wouldnt it get expensive for that many shrimp?

 

[kaptken]

Dont know. 4-6 shrimp would cost about the same as a butterfly, I guess. that should be enough. and they will spawn fry every couple weeks making great live fish food for the tank. if you have any aptasia too big for the shrimp, zap them with a shot of Kalc paste in the mouth. I would think the shrimp can get to places the fish cant. they have long arms.

 

[cmondo]

I know that That Pet Place has them for about $4 or something real cheap often, but I am not sure what the price is right now.

You can check out the prices online.

Chris

 

[RBU1]

If you are going to get a butterfly. Make sure it is eating they are hard to get to eat. Also do not get a coperband. Get a raccoon.

 

[cdangel0]

From what I have read it can be hit or miss with the peppermint shrimp - soemtimes they eat them sometimes they don't.

I wanted to try one to control my curly-Q anemone population but I haven't been able to determine if they will eat them or not.

Kalk paste is generally the safests/fastest way, just quirt it on their mouth and siphon them out as they shrivel up.

 

[pmvalenti]

i would go with a butterfly, a couple of friends and i all had problems with pep shrimp. ill never get another one

 

[davidandliz]

what kind of problems did you have with the pep?

 

[gotasplinter]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9912184#post9912184 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kaptken
lots of pepermint shrimp. they eat them.

I would get a couple of them, i had the same problem you are talking about and they solved it for me. and they never seemed to bother anything alse. I actually still have a couple of the pepermints in my tank just to watch.

Lee

 

[pmvalenti]

they were being a nussience to my polyps, picking at the stalks and at the skirts, i caught them in the act one day, netted them out and fed them to my barracuda, i also have friends that have them with no problem, but for me im done with them