Peppermint Shrimp: Reef Safe or Not?

[kobe6710]

Greetings all, I’ve ran into my first problem of aiptasia in my nano tank. Thinking about getting a peppermint shrimp before they spread.

I’ve heard so many conflicting things about peppermint shrimp, from different tendencies regarding the specific species of peppermint shrimp, potential danger to coral after the elimination of aiptasia, and overall effectiveness.

What are your experiences in this situation? Any tips or other suggestions for peppermint shrimp from reliable sources or other aiptasia eaters?

Pygmy filefish are very cool looking but I’ve heard they ultimately will nip at coral. I don’t want to spend a lot of money on berghia nudibranchs but I’ll bite the bullet if that is the only option.

Thanks

 

[BonnieB]

I got aiptasia early on when I started back up reefing. I opted for a peppermint shrimp because they general are reef safe. Mine adapted quickly to the tank, molted once a month and even after he had taken care of all the aiptasia would eat whatever I feed the tank. I loved watching him bob up and down while hanging! upside down in a ledge! My LFS said they usually don’t last after they’ve cleared the problem but my guy hung out with us for the entire first year. Miss him but not the aiptasia he decimated! I’ve heard bad things about filefish and corals so wouldn’t risk it and nudis only eat aiptasia do they’ll be gone sooner than later unless you have a massive snot that they can’t fully clear so they always have food!

 

[kobe6710]

I got aiptasia early on when I started back up reefing. I opted for a peppermint shrimp because they general are reef safe. Mine adapted quickly to the tank, molted once a month and even after he had taken care of all the aiptasia would eat whatever I feed the tank. I loved watching him bob up and down while hanging! upside down in a ledge! My LFS said they usually don’t last after they’ve cleared the problem but my guy hung out with us for the entire first year. Miss him but not the aiptasia he decimated! I’ve heard bad things about filefish and corals so wouldn’t risk it and nudis only eat aiptasia do they’ll be gone sooner than later unless you have a massive snot that they can’t fully clear so they always have food!

Where did you get your peppermint shrimp from?

 

[kobe6710]

Upon further research, it seems Lysmata boggessi would be the best species of peppermint shrimp, is this correct?

 

[Dread Pirate Dave]

I have had one that absolutely took care of the aiptasia in my tank. But when I first introduced it to my tank it also tried to take care of my blue raven blasto. I moved the frag to a qt tank and fed a little heavier. To my surprise the blasto recovered. A couple of months later I put the blasto back in the display tank. Other blastos were not touched so I figured it was safe.

I did not witness the shrimp attack the blasto. I only suspected it since the blasto was perfectly fine one evening at lights out but decimated in the morning.

I never had any further issues with my corals and aiptasia were restricted to my refugium where the shrimp could not get to them.

I would say they are reef safe with caution. If hungry enough then nothing is off the menu.

 

[Reef.]

Peppermints are hit or miss, I had two, one never touched aiptasia the other cleared them in less than 2 weeks, I did loose 2 lps at the same time, can’t be sure if it was the aiptasia eating peppermint that eat them too or my halloween crab, I still have the non aiptasia eating peppermint and no more dead lps,( the halloween crab is gone now) so it might be a case of if the peppermint likes aiptasia it may also like eating lps?

 

[BonnieB]

I got aiptasia early on when I started back up reefing. I opted for a peppermint shrimp because they general are reef safe. Mine adapted quickly to the tank, molted once a month and even after he had taken care of all the aiptasia would eat whatever I feed the tank. I loved watching him bob up and down while hanging! upside down in a ledge! My LFS said they usually don’t last after they’ve cleared the problem but my guy hung out with us for the entire first year. Miss him but not the aiptasia he decimated! I’ve heard bad things about filefish and corals so wouldn’t risk it and nudis only eat aiptasia do they’ll be gone sooner than later unless you have a massive snot that they can’t fully clear so they always have food!

Where did you get your peppermint shrimp from?

My local LFS. They got it for me since they didn’t usually have them. But they knew which type would be the aiptasia eaters.

 

[Pome]

I tried peppermint shrimp & they vanished (eaten I assume?) so now I’ve gone for an Australian stripey/convict fish. Still known to nip coral if not well fed, but no issues yet & some of the Aiptasia is gone, even though it’s still tiny (about 1 inch long). That said, the moment I see any coral damaged, off to the sump it goes, for a time out!

 

[CedarReef]

Greetings all, I’ve ran into my first problem of aiptasia in my nano tank. Thinking about getting a peppermint shrimp before they spread.

I’ve heard so many conflicting things about peppermint shrimp, from different tendencies regarding the specific species of peppermint shrimp, potential danger to coral after the elimination of aiptasia, and overall effectiveness.

What are your experiences in this situation? Any tips or other suggestions for peppermint shrimp from reliable sources or other aiptasia eaters?

Pygmy filefish are very cool looking but I’ve heard they ultimately will nip at coral. I don’t want to spend a lot of money on berghia nudibranchs but I’ll bite the bullet if that is the only option.

Thanks

Peppermint shrimp in my experience are safe to keep with SPS corals and zoas while absolutely decimating any aiptasia. I added three to my mostly SPS tank and all aiptasia anemones were gone within a couple days. Two of the shrimp even became "berried" and bred in my tank. I was lucky enough to see one release it's planktonic fry after the lights entered their darkest setting. I just wish I was set up to rear them.

I think true peppermint shrimp are the natural predators of aiptasia anemones, as long as you get the real ones that come from the Atlantic (if you are in USA then most likely)

 

[CedarReef]

Peppermint shrimp are not just good at removing aiptasia, they are also great pets. I hand feed mine pieces of clam or any food (they are not picky) by hand and they come right out and take it out of my hand. I highly suggest that these shrimp are well fed, they seem to have an appetite. I suspect any problems with these shrimp likely occur because they are under fed...

 

[kobe6710]

Thank you everyone for the replies, I added a peppermint about 10 days ago and I don’t see any more aiptasia (I had about 3-4 visible growths).

However I have yet to see the shrimp after the first two days or so. Think it molted or possibly died, hopefully the little bugger makes it

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

tes they are

 

[BryanM]

Not reef safe IMO.