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09/28/2012, 09:04 AM
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#1 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: South Florida
Posts: 183
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Peppermint Shrimp-little hero's
I have used aptasia X, which seems to work until a few days later when you find them coming back and in greater numbers! I put a couple of peppermint shrimp in the DT which dissapeared after 2 days (my small carribean Mantis was happy for the meal) so I put 2 more peppermint shrimps in the refugium with a rock which had 4 aiptasia, and within hours they were all gone.
This morning I took a rock out of the DT with 3 aiptasia on it and within minutes the shrimp were inspecting the rock and I saw one of them approach the aiptasia which shrinks back into its hole in the rock-then I saw the shrimp pull the aiptasia out of the hole, it looked like a spider rolled up into a ball, the shrimp took it away and ate it. Very satisfying to see this happen, the shrimps are small about 1 in, so now any rocks I can move to the sump will be food for the PS instead of the PS being food for the Mantis. I took a few pics.
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95g with 29g 3 section sump with skimmer/ref/return. |
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09/28/2012, 09:16 AM
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#2 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Fort Smith AR
Posts: 579
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That's awesome, that stuff can be a real challenge to get rid of completely
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09/28/2012, 11:29 AM
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#3 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 50
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Yeah, I am definitely pro-peppermint! Cool pix!
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09/28/2012, 11:30 AM
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#4 |
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♥Acropora Aficionado♥
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Hollister,Ca.
Posts: 5,163
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Nice piks, love to see the pepp's get 'em! Thank's for sharing...
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Live everyday as if it was your last, take time to smell the flowers, enjoy all things living, never take anything for granted, you just never know when your number might be up... Current Tank Info: * 90g. Reef Ready TruVu tank with 30g. Platinum Filtration Series Sump SpS Acro enthusiast * |
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09/28/2012, 11:43 AM
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#5 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 50
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I think just like everything, some peppermints have a taste for Aiptasia and some don't. If you buy a handful, chances are you will get a good one.
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09/28/2012, 11:46 AM
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#6 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 92
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Now just hope the Mantis isn't living in a rock with Aiptasia, or your shrimp might get a surprise!
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09/28/2012, 11:55 AM
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#7 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 303
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I just got 4 for my tank, can't wait to see them eat the aiptasia up.
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09/28/2012, 12:10 PM
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#8 | |
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Moved On
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 2,564
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Quote:
1. The size of the aiptasia (they only seem to eat the little ones). 2. Where the peppermints were collected from. Was aiptasia on the menu there and they got used to eating it? Interestingly, LA now sells two different species of "Tank Bred Aiptasia Eating Peppermint Shrimp", in addition to their regular peppermint shrimp (which they don't directly advertise as "aiptasia eating"). What makes them so confident that the tank bred eat aiptasia, I don't know. Maybe the fish farm feeds them aiptasia or something as a baby. 
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09/28/2012, 12:17 PM
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#9 |
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Registered Member
 Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Pittsburgh
Posts: 2,174
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There are several factors at play. The aiptasia eating peppermint shrimp originate from the Caribbean but are not available all year round. Another species is sold during these times of year and don't do squat for it. Many LFS aren't even aware which kind is in what shipments. Additionally many LFS mislabel camelback shrimp as peppermint and this leads to more confusion, and aiptasia. I've had good luck with mine. My refugium is full of aiptasia yet I rarely see one rear its head in the DT. When I do it is usually gone the next day.
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Jer Current Tank Info: 40b basement sump, 40b refugium, 30g frag |
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