How Many Peppermint Shrimp

[Crabs+Shrimps-69]

I've heard 1 peppermint per 10 gallons is a rule people follow, but why is that the rule?

Is that what's most efficient for aiptasia control?
Will adding more cause aggression?
Will more shrimp pose a much more serious risk to corals?

I've heard they can be aggressive if there's too many but will adding more live rock allow me to add more?

I'm asking since I feel like I have enough rock to house more than 2 (21 gallon tank), and I plan on adding more rock.

Here's my what my tank looks like right now.
It currently has two peppermint shrimp:

 

[Ziggy17]

I've heard 1 peppermint per 10 gallons is a rule people follow, but why is that the rule?

Is that what's most efficient for aiptasia control?
Will adding more cause aggression?
Will more shrimp pose a much more serious risk to corals?

I've heard they can be aggressive if there's too many but will adding more live rock allow me to add more?

I'm asking since I feel like I have enough rock to house more than 2 (21 gallon tank), and I plan on adding more rock.

Here's my what my tank looks like right now.
It currently has two peppermint shrimp:

I had 2 in my 3 foot tank and it was enough to keep the Aiptasia at bay. Not all eat the stuff, and they won’t go near the big ones. Yes,they may eat coral. I found my file fish to be the best Aiptasia control thus far.

 

[Crabs+Shrimps-69]

I had 2 in my 3 foot tank and it was enough to keep the Aiptasia at bay. Not all eat the stuff, and they won’t go near the big ones. Yes,they may eat coral. I found my file fish to be the best Aiptasia control thus far.

Do you think there would be any issues with aggression if more were added?

 

[Ziggy17]

Do you think there would be any issues with aggression if more were added?

At one time I had 3, with zero aggression. One decided it really liked coral, so it had to go. The remaining two ended up just scavenging at feeding time, and didn’t do much Aiptasia eating. If they do get a taste for coral, they aren’t the easiest animal to net. I ended up having to set an alarm at 2am to get them when they were out. Was a whole thing.
If you can get a file fish that is proven to eat the stuff, it’s a better solution.

 

[andrewey]

Funny story- after a recent dive where I encountered a large group of pretty social peppermints, I tried to replicate this in one of my tanks. I had usually only purchased 2-3 at a time, but recently purchased 10 for a 50 gallon. Not only did they clear out the few hundred aptasia in that tank in three days, they are now super social and will free swim during feeding time and spend the majority of their time out in the daytime- unlike my previous experiences where they were mostly hiding in caves and largely nocturnal.

I wouldn't suggest this to the average reefer as they can't have any aggressive tank mates and you need to specifically feed such a large group to prevent them from targeting coral (you cannot rely solely on scavenging detritus and uneaten food in such a large group), but it's a different perspective on what happens when you design a system to maximize their group size.

 

[Crabs+Shrimps-69]

Funny story- after a recent dive where I encountered a large group of pretty social peppermints, I tried to replicate this in one of my tanks. I had usually only purchased 2-3 at a time, but recently purchased 10 for a 50 gallon. Not only did they clear out the few hundred aptasia in that tank in three days, they are now super social and will free swim during feeding time and spend the majority of their time out in the daytime- unlike my previous experiences where they were mostly hiding in caves and largely nocturnal.

I wouldn't suggest this to the average reefer as they can't have any aggressive tank mates and you need to specifically feed such a large group to prevent them from targeting coral (you cannot rely solely on scavenging detritus and uneaten food in such a large group), but it's a different perspective on what happens when you design a system to maximize their group size.

Thanks for sharing the experience!
I'll have to give this a try since I'm a big fan of invertebrates and would love to see my shrimp more often!

I don't really have a problem with feeding extra to accommodate extra inverts, and it's actually something I've known I would need to do in the future anyway.

I also don't plan on keeping any aggressive animals except a pair of clownfish, but I think you're referring to wrasses, hawkish, and other predator fish correct?

Do you have any pictures or videos of this behaviour?

 

[Crabs+Shrimps-69]

At one time I had 3, with zero aggression. One decided it really liked coral, so it had to go. The remaining two ended up just scavenging at feeding time, and didn’t do much Aiptasia eating. If they do get a taste for coral, they aren’t the easiest animal to net. I ended up having to set an alarm at 2am to get them when they were out. Was a whole thing.
If you can get a file fish that is proven to eat the stuff, it’s a better solution.

I've heard a bottle trap works well on them

 

[Anna K]

Funny story- after a recent dive where I encountered a large group of pretty social peppermints, I tried to replicate this in one of my tanks. I had usually only purchased 2-3 at a time, but recently purchased 10 for a 50 gallon. Not only did they clear out the few hundred aptasia in that tank in three days, they are now super social and will free swim during feeding time and spend the majority of their time out in the daytime- unlike my previous experiences where they were mostly hiding in caves and largely nocturnal.

I wouldn't suggest this to the average reefer as they can't have any aggressive tank mates and you need to specifically feed such a large group to prevent them from targeting coral (you cannot rely solely on scavenging detritus and uneaten food in such a large group), but it's a different perspective on what happens when you design a system to maximize their group size.

That's crazy!

 

[Ziggy17]

I've heard a bottle trap works well on them

No sir. Not for me.

 

[exnisstech]

Even a single can be entertaining and effective. This one is in a 65g and I have aiptasia in the overflow and sump but the DT is clear. I keep at least one in every tank that is too small for a copperband. I keep a pair of CBBs in my large tank.
This is chow time.

 

[exnisstech]

I've heard a bottle trap works well on them

Peppermints are the first thing to go into a bottle trap for me but only at night when they are most active.

 

[Crabs+Shrimps-69]

Even a single can be entertaining and effective. This one is in a 65g and I have aiptasia in the overflow and sump but the DT is clear. I keep at least one in every tank that is too small for a copperband. I keep a pair of CBBs in my large tank.
This is chow time.

Entertaining but cryptic

 

[JonoH]

I had about 15 in my 220 Gal when it was first started up.

None seen for month though so I added in a few just recently (also added some to my sump as i noticed a few aiptasia there).

One's added to my tank got munched by Anthias almost straight away!

 

[Crabs+Shrimps-69]

I had about 15 in my 220 Gal when it was first started up.

None seen for month though so I added in a few just recently (also added some to my sump as i noticed a few aiptasia there).

One's added to my tank got munched by Anthias almost straight away!

Didn't know a anthias were predatory!

 

[Hallowhead]

I had 2 in my 3 foot tank and it was enough to keep the Aiptasia at bay. Not all eat the stuff, and they won’t go near the big ones. Yes,they may eat coral. I found my file fish to be the best Aiptasia control thus far.

I've found my filefish to be the best eater of coral lol

 

[JonoH]

Didn't know a anthias were predatory!

Perhaps just opportunistic?

One of them was swimming with a shrimp hanging out of its mouth for close to an hour because it was too large to swallow but didnt want to give it up. So it ate it slowly!