Will Camel Shrimp eat Aiptasia?

[Spork3245]

I know peppermint shrimp MIGHT eat Aiptasia, but I've heard camel shrimp WILL eat it. Any truth?
My refugium has been hit with it after using berghia nudibranches for it in my DT, so there's no worry of the camels going after coral (since they'll be in the fuge). Hunting it down and using kalk paste isn't really an option due to how my refugium is set up unfortunately.

 

[drillsar]

yes they will eat corals as well. I see though will be in fuge.

 

[Hal]

Camel shrimp aren't supposed to eat aiptasia. Not to say that there aren't a few that don't.

 

[Spork3245]

Camel shrimp aren't supposed to eat aiptasia. Not to say that there aren't a few that don't.

The double negatives here are a bit confusing. (And I'm NOT trying to sound like a pretentious jerk, I think it was just typos and I'm confused as to what you are saying)
Did you mean that "[they] do not usually eat aiptasia but some do"...? That would put them in the same category as peppermint shrimp, which are hit or miss. Ugh... Looks like I may need purchase more nudibranches, which I really didn't want to have to do since they'll starve once the aiptasia is completely gone. I have some hermits in the refugium currently, any danger of the hermits eating the nudibranches before their job is complete?

 

[Hal]

Sorry for the confusion. Allow me to clarify: I've never heard of a camel shrimp eating aiptasia. Now, I don't claim to have observed every camel shrimp in the world, so maybe a few of them do eat aiptasia, but I wouldn't bet on it.

Hermits are opportunistic predators, so it's possible.

Berghia's work, but I've found them to be delicate.

I prefer copperbands. Never had one fail me yet. And it's a pretty fish in your tank too. It'll do fine in a sump for a few weeks.

 

[heathlindner25]

Thermite butane blowtorch....

 

[JamesFWB]

Go with peppermint. They are the best.

 

[Spork3245]

Go with peppermint. They are the best.

They've yet to work for me with aiptasia unfortunately. All they did was eat all of my Dragon's Breath macroalgea in my refugium when I first tried them

 

[Spork3245]

Thermite butane blowtorch....

As I mentioned, hunting the Aiptasia down in my refugium will be neigh impossible due to all of the live rock rubble and what-not. Not to mention it's probably infested within my chaeto.

 

[Justintegra]

Hal is correct. Camel shrimp do not eat aiptasia. Peppermint shrimp tend to, but it is hit or miss. I think some of the miss is attributed to people mistaking a camel shrimp for a peppermint shrimp then being upset when he doesn't eat aiptasia.

That being said, I have a peppermint shrimp that I know without doubt really is a peppermint shrimp (not a camel with mistaken identity). All he eats is some crab bites that I throw in and he frequently molests my pulsing xenia. I like to think if I had aiptasia he will eat it.

Or maybe I do have it but he keeps me from knowing about it

 

[ScienceRulez]

As somebody who has the same issue with apostasia, my LFS suggested two filefish to eat it. They said that given the size and number of apostasia in our tank that it would take somewhere around 3 dozen peppermint shrimp and they would never control it satisfactorily.

 

[snorvich]

Sorry for the confusion. Allow me to clarify: I've never heard of a camel shrimp eating aiptasia. Now, I don't claim to have observed every camel shrimp in the world, so maybe a few of them do eat aiptasia, but I wouldn't bet on it.

Hermits are opportunistic predators, so it's possible.

Berghia's work, but I've found them to be delicate.

I prefer copperbands. Never had one fail me yet. And it's a pretty fish in your tank too. It'll do fine in a sump for a few weeks.

There is no biological way that is 100% effective and reef safe. FOWLR can be treated with a racoon butterfly.

 

[Spork3245]

I've debated on getting a filefish but am cautious as I know they might go after coral as well. This isn't always the case but is a worry of mine. Copperband is a no-go for my reef tank.
Also, I have true peppermint shrimp, have tried both the darker atlantic variety and the more common one, none have touched aiptasia in my tank.

 

[shred5]

Throw peppermints in a fuge and do not feed them, if no other food is available they will eat them.
In main tank they are hit or miss because there usually are so many better things to eat.

 

[shred5]

I've debated on getting a filefish but am cautious as I know they might go after coral as well. This isn't always the case but is a worry of mine. Copperband is a no-go for my reef tank.
Also, I have true peppermint shrimp, have tried both the darker atlantic variety and the more common one, none have touched aiptasia in my tank.

ok I thought you said fuge.

 

[BeanMachine]

They've yet to work for me with aiptasia unfortunately. All they did was eat all of my Dragon's Breath macroalgea in my refugium when I first tried them

You could always cycle some new live rock or rubble rock, and remove all the aip infested rocks from your fuge.

 

[JamesFWB]

I think there are two different types of peppermint shrimp, one that eats and the other that doesn't. you should be able to google this.

I have 3 and they eat all the aptasia in the tank.

 

[BeanMachine]

There is no biological way that is 100% effective and reef safe. FOWLR can be treated with a racoon butterfly.

Just to clarify, couldn't the same thing be said with anything other than berghia nudibranchs?

Peppermint shrimp are not totally reef safe. I've had them go after certain corals once the aiptasia are gone.

 

[BeanMachine]

I think there are two different types of peppermint shrimp, one that eats and the other that doesn't. you should be able to google this.

I have 3 and they eat all the aptasia in the tank.

I've read that, but not sure how true that is. I have read that the ones collected in the waters around the Florida area are what you want. Again not sure on the validity of it.

 

[BeanMachine]

As somebody who has the same issue with apostasia, my LFS suggested two filefish to eat it. They said that given the size and number of apostasia in our tank that it would take somewhere around 3 dozen peppermint shrimp and they would never control it satisfactorily.

Filefish definitely work, and are rather slow so easier to catch than other fish, but they will also take a liking to your corals unless you get lucky.