How long should I expect Peppermints to take before they start eating Aiptasia?

[GroktheCube]

I added two dozen of them about two weeks ago, and they've made virtually no progress. I've seen them pick on one or two, but that's it. For the past 3 days I've only fed the fish once in the morning, and that's it.

I can see them running all over the tank like crazy little headless chickens at night, but they don't seem to take much interest in the Aiptasia. I figured with two dozen of them, ordered from different vendors, I was pretty safely hedging my bets.

What the heck is going on? Does it take them some time to settle in before they start going to town? Should I stop feeding completely? Do my Aiptasia just taste bad? Are Peppermints such a hit or miss solution that I had the bad luck to miss 24 times in a row?

These little anemones are REALLY starting to annoy me.

Given the luck I've had thus far (managed to create a multi-hundred Aiptasia infestation out of two of them by using chemical "control", Berghias did nothing after 3 months, and now this), I'm somewhat hesitant to add a filefish, as I'm fairly sure it would eat absolutely every other coral in my tank before it even contemplated going near my Aiptasia.

 

[devimik]

I'd think they would go after them right away. Mine attacked the Aiptasia within one or two days. It took them longer (about a week) to find a couple that were somewhat hidden. Have you thought about a Majano Wand?

 

[Dashiki]

Mine ate the all in 3 days. About 15 aptasias. I have 3 shrimp.

They only will eat small ones from my experience.

 

[GroktheCube]

I took advantage of marinedepot's black friday sale to order the shorter (5") one, as I figured that would let me reach more of them.

At the very least, I figure that will be a good catharsis. I got next day shipping hoping it would arrive yesterday, but looks like I've got to wait until monday. They idea of watching the little aholes vaporize before my very eyes seems quite satisfying.

How much were you feeding your tank when the peps ate your Aiptasia?

It seems really strange to me that with all the good reviews I've read from people, two dozen of them are barely making a dent. Even if it's only one in four peps that actually like aiptasia, ordering two dozen of them should be close to a statistical guarantee that at least ONE of them will have an appetite. They're all pretty good sized too.

I also ordered a half dozen "tank bred aiptasia eating peppermint shrimp" from LA that are in the sump until they grow large enough to not be bite sized for my flasher wrasses. To their credit, they've cleaned the entire return section of my sump (where I placed them) of Aiptasia. I may order a dozen or two of those, finally take the time to catch my hitchhiker crabs, and try adding them after lights out.

 

[ggsteve]

I put three peppermint shrimp in my 65. I didn't notice a whole lot of difference in the first two weeks, but then about week three I realized the Aiptasia were gone and I haven't seen one since. It sounds like your infestation is worse than mine was. I saw one, then a couple weeks later there were about a dozen. That's when I took action and got the peppermints.

 

[GroktheCube]

Of course, just after I type this, I look over to a spot where I just pruned some macro, and see a large peppermint brutally ripping an aiptasia, messentarials and all, right out of the rock.

 

[devimik]

Of course, just after I type this, I look over to a spot where I just pruned some macro, and see a large peppermint brutally ripping an aiptasia, messentarials and all, right out of the rock.

It's fun to watch them decimate an Aiptasia - they really tear it up and get every last piece - leaving nothing. Hopefully, they'll get 'em all in a couple of weeks.

 

[RxMike]

Aiptasia

Aiptasia

IS it only the peppermint shrimps? What about the candy red shrimps do they eat apitasia also?

 

[ViktorVaughn]

If the peppermints lose interest in the aiptasia look into berghia nudibranches. Unlike peppermints, their sole food source is aiptasia and without it they will starve to death. They don't eat coral, leave fish alone, and add very little bioload from their small size. Peppermints, from what I have read and heard are sort of hit and miss with aiptasia. You'll get some that will nibble on it when other food can't be found or others that just ignore it completely. Berghia's have sensory organs that can detect where the aiptasia is located and with their small size they can fit in real tiny crevices and get to even the ones you can't see.

 

[3dees]

I got 5 peppermints for my tank and after two weeks they didn't touch the aiptasia. took my two butterflies ( threadfin and dot dash) from qt and within 12 hours no more aiptasia. of course my tank is fowlr so no problems with coral.

 

[Sohal Tang Tim]

peppermints my A** !!! lo

peppermints my A** !!! lo

Peppermints did not work for me...at all.....

What worked was a copper banded butterfly...amaaaaaazing!!!!!!!

I have 300 gallon and had quite a few aptasia enough that 20 min per week was spent zapping them with Joe's juice etc...

The copperband eliminated them completely in a few short weeks...
You cannot FINDDDD an apatasia in my tank now..he ate every single one!
and thats ALOTTTTT of aptasia for a 2 inch fish!

Tim

 

[patsfan1130]

I've had very good results using peps & files. Most recently though Aptasia X has worked wonders for me. It's been nearly 2 months since I've seen one since using the product

 

[GroktheCube]

If the peppermints lose interest in the aiptasia look into berghia nudibranches. Unlike peppermints, their sole food source is aiptasia and without it they will starve to death. They don't eat coral, leave fish alone, and add very little bioload from their small size. Peppermints, from what I have read and heard are sort of hit and miss with aiptasia. You'll get some that will nibble on it when other food can't be found or others that just ignore it completely. Berghia's have sensory organs that can detect where the aiptasia is located and with their small size they can fit in real tiny crevices and get to even the ones you can't see.

I spent many hundreds on Bergs, they did virtually nothing after 3+ months, that's why I bought the peps.

Peppermints did not work for me...at all.....

What worked was a copper banded butterfly...amaaaaaazing!!!!!!!

I have 300 gallon and had quite a few aptasia enough that 20 min per week was spent zapping them with Joe's juice etc...

The copperband eliminated them completely in a few short weeks...
You cannot FINDDDD an apatasia in my tank now..he ate every single one!
and thats ALOTTTTT of aptasia for a 2 inch fish!

Tim

A filefish maybe be in the future for me if these peps dont start carying their weight. I just got a Mojano wand, and interestingly enough, the peps showed some interest in the half cooked ones.

My experience with chemical kill products has not been positive. They seem to kill them about half the time, but often end up triggering a population explosion.

 

[aquatictec]

video of peppermint shrim eating an aiptasia

video of peppermint shrim eating an aiptasia

https://www.facebook.com/AquaticTechnologyOhio


go down the page

The shrimp pounced on the rock as soon as it was dropped into the tank

 

[jamone]

I bought four peppermint shrimp and they did absolutely nothing to the aiptasia. I had an outbreak of smaller ones and two huge ones size of a quarter. They only came out at night because of my Klein butterfly fish would pick at them during the day. After about two weeks, I noticed that the infested rock was missing some of the smaller aiptasia! And this week, I noticed the big ones just gone. It appears the shrimps came out at night and just went to work on them. I have some left so will be monitoring to see when they all disappear.

 

[NatureNerd]

Had a couple dozen of the pests. Added two shrimps. Nothing happened for about two weeks. Then suddenly there were fewer aiptasia. A couple weeks later all were gone. My pep shrimps only ate at night with lights off. It has been several years and I have never seen an aiptasia since.

It may be worth noting that i am a very light feeder. Only put food in the tank 3-4 times per week.

 

[mpderksen]

Mine got this bad...

I didn't even try. I started over...... Lol

 

[jamone]

Holy.....