Peppermint shrimp works

Discussion in 'Inverts' started by Blazindealz, Jan 6, 2009.

to remove this notice and enjoy 3reef content with less ads. 3reef membership is free.

  1. Blazindealz

    Blazindealz Plankton

    Joined:
    Jan 1, 2009
    Messages:
    4
    I just wanted to let everyone know I had great success with a peppermint shrimp (Lysmata wurdemanni ) in ridding my nano tank of aiptasia/glass anenomes. I bought the little guy last Friday and as of this morning he has wiped out about 40-50 of the pest. I see a few deep inside some old braching coral frags but I'm sure he went after the easy stuff first. He far exceeded my expectations as I had read mixed results. I made sure I went to a knowledable LFS that had an actual peppermint shrimp (Lysmata wurdemanni ) as I garnered from all my reading that a lot of people thought they had a peppermint shrimp but had something else hence the poor results. Often the Camel back shrimp is mislabeled/sold as a peppermint shrimp. I hope this was informative and helpful.
     
  2. Click Here!

  3. missionsix

    missionsix Super Moderator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2007
    Messages:
    5,734
    Location:
    Bend,Oregon - USA
    I have had good luck with them also. Thanks for the info.....8)
     
  4. LCP136

    LCP136 Sailfin Tang

    Joined:
    Aug 9, 2008
    Messages:
    1,722
    Awesome. There are definitely mixed results, so congrats on having a positive one.
     
  5. John Alston

    John Alston Astrea Snail

    Joined:
    Oct 11, 2008
    Messages:
    73
    Location:
    Toronto, Ontario
    I had an outbreak of 3 or 4 aiptasia that appeared in my tank a few weeks ago. I purchased 2 peppermint shrimp and I can now only see one aiptasia that seems to be intermittently popping up out of the live rock. Interestingly my yellow tang was seeking the shrimp out but they both managed to allude him. I'm not sure if he was trying to make a peaceful offering or looking for something more sinister.
     
  6. Aqualung

    Aqualung Stylophora

    Joined:
    Oct 30, 2008
    Messages:
    993
    Location:
    Buffalo, NY
    Sweet, I may go out and get one. I have but one aptasia, with many lives! I've "kalk pasted" him thrice! Melted his azz, and he comes back a few weeks later.
     
  7. bc219

    bc219 Millepora

    Joined:
    Oct 21, 2008
    Messages:
    937
    Location:
    Mishawaka, IN
    I get a little aiptasia here and there but am afraid to get a peppermint shrimp because everyone says they die when they run out of aiptasia to eat. :( And since I only ever seem to have 1-3 at a time, I don't think he'd last long if that's true.
     
  8. Click Here!

  9. Aqualung

    Aqualung Stylophora

    Joined:
    Oct 30, 2008
    Messages:
    993
    Location:
    Buffalo, NY
    I would think that to be not true. Peps are scavengers, and they will eat uneaten food ,too.
     
  10. stepho

    stepho Panda Puffer

    Joined:
    Dec 2, 2008
    Messages:
    2,118
    Location:
    Orlando FL

    I have two peppermint shrimp in my tank. They cleared up my aiptasia, I only had about 6-7 small ones. They are still alive, and finished off my aiptasia a couple weeks ago. Most people probably think they are dead because they will hid in the rock work for days and not come out. Mine eat sinking pellets, frozen plankton, hermit crab molts, etc.
     
  11. bc219

    bc219 Millepora

    Joined:
    Oct 21, 2008
    Messages:
    937
    Location:
    Mishawaka, IN
    This is good to know, I wonder if I was confusing them with copper banded butterflys for some reason. I think I'll pick up a peppermint next time I'm at the lfs.

    :)
     
  12. abraKADAV3R!

    abraKADAV3R! Feather Duster

    Joined:
    Sep 30, 2008
    Messages:
    202
    Location:
    Boca Raton, FL
    I had three...didnt have any apitistia problems but the shrimp looked cool, they would sway back and forth as if they were still in the ocean...they started to tear apart all my feather dusters so I spent like 6 hours trying to net those suckers for gourmet anemone food;D;D;D