Aiptasia update

[Shack]

I had a mild infestation of aiptasia, there were maybe 30 in the tank that I could see. I put 3 peppermint shrimp in my 30 gallon and only 10 days later the are all nearly gone(except for the really large ones) although the aiptasia is gone unfortunately my brown button polyps are mysteriously gone too. Coincidence?!? Probally not. Oh well, a small price to pay. But to all the non-beleivers, peppermints work!

BTW, can i put other shrimp in with Peppermints or will they fight?

[DAN THE MAN]

Yes, peppermints work most of the time(eating aiptasia is still an individual preferance, but most do), but your other problem > dissappering polyps is not a coincidence and is the reason many people won't try peppermints as it is common for them to eat on many types of polyps as well as aiptasia.

It depends on the shrimp and the size of the tank.

[Shack]

Do you think they'l eat my mushrooms or other corals?

[fishinchick]

Shouldnt mess with the shrooms or corals BUT.... They WILL eat your yellow polyps!!! Sometimes button polyps, zooanthids, green star polyps. But ALWAYS yellow polyps.

[blaneperun]

I swear by peppermint shrimp as a from of eradicating Aiptasia, many people insist on injections with Kalk of and over the counter product but that is very time consuming and tedious. Yellow polyps as pointed out, sometimes referred to as colonial anemones are in fact no anemones, they are parazoanthus and are often next to go in the line of fire from the peppermint shrimp. After those are consumed Zoanthus, sometimes nibble on Palythoa. If you are able provide them with some supplementary food, like shrimp pellets you may be fine. Often and outbreak on Aiptasia can an indication of excessive levels in your system, you may want to make some reductions or you are likely to encounter the problematic outbreak again.

Ps these zoos made Sprungs Book Inverts, page 51 upper right.



Regards blane

[Stromatopod]

Just to add my vote of approval ... I have had two infestations of Aiptasia in the last four years - first in my 30 gallon, which I eventually got rid of thanks to a giant (4" diameter) hairy hermit crab (Monstrosus I believe?). The crab made short work of the anemones but tore up the rockwork like a tasmanian devil. When I upgraded to a 75 PC system, I got another infestation on my new rock. I was able to keep them under control with the kalk, but it had to be done every day for an hour or they repoduced faster than I could get rid of them, plus I started having alkalinity probs. Some were just plain out of reach. I couldn't get any berghia so I got 4 peppermint shrimp. Now, two months later, I am completely free of the anemones. My zoanthids are untouched, as are my green star polyps. The shrimp are very hardy and interesting tank inhabitants, and spawn almost constantly in the tank. Two thumbs up on the little red anemone terminators!