Peppermint Shrimp & Berghia

[SaltyCrew4u]

I purchased two Peppermint shrimp roughly two months ago for my aptasia outbreak. I'm not sure if they are even going after the aptasia because more and more are popping up. I purchased six medium Berghia from Reeftown, they arrive next week. I have read that Peppermint shrimp will eat the Berghia, is this true? Do I need to try an catch the peppermint?

 

[SaltyCrew4u]

I purchased two Peppermint shrimp roughly two months ago for my aptasia outbreak. I'm not sure if they are even going after the aptasia because more and more are popping up. I purchased six medium Berghia from Reeftown, they arrive next week. I have read that Peppermint shrimp will eat the Berghia, is this true? Do I need to try an catch the peppermint?

Forgot to mention it's only a 36 gallon.

 

[UnnamedReef]

Did you get a specific species of peppermint? Only one or two really attack aiptasia. Most LFS peppermint shrimp aren't the right species.

 

[chip shop]

Yes they will eat them get rid of your peppermints

 

[SaltyCrew4u]

Yes they will eat them get rid of your peppermints

What's the best way to catch these little guys?

 

[chip shop]

there generally nocturnal and fast so would be hard to catch them not sure how you would do it to be honest other than putting a long nose hawk fish in

 

[William Bruckmann]

Just a note on this. Peppermint shrimp eat Berghia. So always try the Berghia first and then peppermint shrimp if that does not work. Berghia have one food source, Aiptasia. They eat it or die. The only way they fail is if something eats them first.

 

[SaltyCrew4u]

Just a note on this. Peppermint shrimp eat Berghia. So always try the Berghia first and then peppermint shrimp if that does not work. Berghia have one food source, Aiptasia. They eat it or die. The only way they fail is if something eats them first.

So I had two Peppermint shrimp but I was only seeing one of them. I managed to catch the one. Ordered 6 Berghia and the next day after I added the Berghia, I found where the shrimp was hiding. I also noticed a patch of Aptasia was getting smaller. So now all I can do is hope they make it a little while. I thought about making a trap but If the shrimp is also eating Aptasia I didn't want to take it out. I probably just fed the shrimp $130.

 

[exnisstech]

Inverted bottle trap works great for catching peppermint shrimp. I catch mine two at a time when I need to move them.

 

[SaltyCrew4u]

Inverted bottle trap works great for catching peppermint shrimp. I catch mine two at a time when I need to move them.

That's exactly what I was going to do. Ut I don't want to give it to a LFS if it ate the Berghia already.

 

[revenant]

I just purchased 12 peppermint shrimp from Salty Bottom Reef Co in Florida... I have an aptasia issue which is starting to explode in my 300g.. never had such an issue with them. I had none for four years and I added one rock from my LFS and that was it. Blammo now I have loads of them... these peppermints are pretty small, I hope they start munching on these soon.. I think I should add some berghia nudis too... it's a large tank and I need to attack this situation before it gets out of hand. I should wait a bit but I'm worried these 12 little shrimp will barely put a dent in this... I hope hope hope though!

With the berghia I guess the shrimp eat them too? Maybe it's time for a file fish or copperband? just going to pause for now and wait + watch.

 

[SaltyCrew4u]

I just purchased 12 peppermint shrimp from Salty Bottom Reef Co in Florida... I have an aptasia issue which is starting to explode in my 300g.. never had such an issue with them. I had none for four years and I added one rock from my LFS and that was it. Blammo now I have loads of them... these peppermints are pretty small, I hope they start munching on these soon.. I think I should add some berghia nudis too... it's a large tank and I need to attack this situation before it gets out of hand. I should wait a bit but I'm worried these 12 little shrimp will barely put a dent in this... I hope hope hope though!

With the berghia I guess the shrimp eat them too? Maybe it's time for a file fish or copperband? just going to pause for now and wait + watch.

Well I have zero Aptasia in my tank now. Haven't seen any Berghia, so idk if they were eaten or if they died. Or possibly still surviving. I'd say a file fish is the best bet if it's just fish no coral. I have heard plenty of stories where file fish haven't touched coral. I have also heard of stories where peppermint shrimp have a taste for LPS. Recently I lost an expensive hammer and now my holy grails health is declining. Not sure if it's the shrimp or the new pitho crabs I added for my bubble algae problem.

 

[eliaslikesfish]

I got a filefish despite having anemones, LPS and softies in my tank because the aiptasia was getting so bad, he killed a small zoa frag i had but other than that he’s only muched away at aiptasia, it was worth the risk in my experience.

 

[SaltyCrew4u]

I got a filefish despite having anemones, LPS and softies in my tank because the aiptasia was getting so bad, he killed a small zoa frag i had but other than that he’s only muched away at aiptasia, it was worth the risk

I got a filefish despite having anemones, LPS and softies in my tank because the aiptasia was getting so bad, he killed a small zoa frag i had but other than that he’s only muched away at aiptasia, it was worth the risk in my experience.

When the aptasia comes back, that's the route I'll probably take. I'm down a $250 hammer, possibly a grail and $150 in berghia.

 

[eliaslikesfish]

When the aptasia comes back, that's the route I'll probably take. I'm down a $250 hammer, possibly a grail and $150 in berghia.

after me saying that i’m gonna go home to a torn up holy grail also probably :(

if/when you go down that route I got mine from ORA. probably doesn’t make a difference anyways but just in case.

 

[revenant]

Wow.. yikes. I have a lot of caulastrea which I fragged off a large mother colony I have been growing for four years... I also just got a goni - those are my only LPS... the rest is nems, cloves, gsp, and zoas...

I guess we're rolling the dice on anything we add.... I have to wait and watch for now but every day seems like there are new aptasia heads.

 

[SaltyCrew4u]

after me saying that i’m gonna go home to a torn up holy grail also probably :(

if/when you go down that route I got mine from ORA. probably doesn’t make a difference anyways but just in case.

You also have a 300 gallon to my 36 gallon. You should be good.

 

[William Bruckmann]

Correct….once the shrimp are in, Berghia are just a waste of money.

I just purchased 12 peppermint shrimp from Salty Bottom Reef Co in Florida... I have an aptasia issue which is starting to explode in my 300g.. never had such an issue with them. I had none for four years and I added one rock from my LFS and that was it. Blammo now I have loads of them... these peppermints are pretty small, I hope they start munching on these soon.. I think I should add some berghia nudis too... it's a large tank and I need to attack this situation before it gets out of hand. I should wait a bit but I'm worried these 12 little shrimp will barely put a dent in this... I hope hope hope though!

With the berghia I guess the shrimp eat them too? Maybe it's time for a file fish or copperband? just going to pause for now and wait + watch.

 

[William Bruckmann]

Well I have zero Aptasia in my tank now. Haven't seen any Berghia, so idk if they were eaten or if they died. Or possibly still surviving. I'd say a file fish is the best bet if it's just fish no coral. I have heard plenty of stories where file fish haven't touched coral. I have also heard of stories where peppermint shrimp have a taste for LPS. Recently I lost an expensive hammer and now my holy grails health is declining. Not sure if it's the shrimp or the new pitho crabs I added for my bubble algae problem.

If the tank is clean of Aiptasia the Berghia have about 4-7 days to live. It is their only food source.

 

[revenant]

Correct….once the shrimp are in, Berghia are just a waste of money.

copy that.. Thanks. Well at the very least my Flame Hawk will have fun hunting these shrimp down lol.

I guess I can try x-aptasia if things do get out of control, but i am really trying to avoid going that route.