Drastic measures for eradicating aiptasia

[Treebeard]

I have two peppermint shrimp in the 90 gallon tank but I still have to use other methods to get rid of the odd aiptasia. I never see the shiftless little critters venture from the rock they hide in to the other end of the tank.

Originally Posted by jsmth321

I know not everyone has luck using peppermint shrimp, but so far they have never failed me.

Worth a try and less work if it works.

[my2rotties]

I have ten in my tank and see three of them all the time. The others I am not sure about but I see the skins from them shedding a lot these days. I put them in at night in various parts of the tank by hand to make sure nobody snagged. The three I do see are where I put them... the other ones were put in the isolated areas where I am sure they still reside but I hid them. I notice the aiptasia is receding... I just wish I could get the big ones. I see my butterfly picking at the rocks all the time, but she loves my puffer's seafood medly I make for him... She is the fattest butterfly I have ever seen.

Originally Posted by Treebeard

I have two peppermint shrimp in the 90 gallon tank but I still have to use other methods to get rid of the odd aiptasia. I never see the shiftless little critters venture from the rock they hide in to the other end of the tank.

[Marlin65]

I used the Tailored Aquatics stuff works great. You might have to do it a few times to get them all.

[Treebeard]

I have some that stuff on order from OA for the 90 gallon tank, but with the amount of Aiptasia in the 46, I would need a gallon of it!

Originally Posted by Marlin65

I used the Tailored Aquatics stuff works great. You might have to do it a few times to get them all.

[snowmoon007]

Maybe you should try a pair of peppermint shrimp from Red Coral. It took care of my aiptasia problem in about 3 weeks time. Now I don't even see a trace of them anymore.

[Rippin]

Another vote for the Peppermint shrimp. If one doesn't work, try another, or another one. They are relatively inexpensive, and if you don't want them after they've finished with the aiptasia, they're usally easy to catch at night with some bait.

[Scavenger]

Maybe you could find a local friend with a raccoon butterfly fish and see if you can borrow it for a bit. I'd say purchase one, but don't know your future tank plans and 46 is a bit small for a perminant home for one in my opinion.

[Danny]

Copper band butterfly. They eat a ton ,but pick at the rock all day.

[mark]

The hit and miss with Peppermint Shrimp and aiptasia seems can be partly attributed to mis-identification.

The true Peppermint L. wurdemanni (which eats aiptasia) is quite similar in looks to L. rathbunae (which doesn't always develop a taste).

Though I've allowed (by neglect) the aiptasia to come back, I managed them before by the ones I could reach with Kalk paste (made with mysis juice) and with Peppermint shrimp the ones I couldn't. For some reason shrimp (Peppermint or Cleaners) don't seem to last in my tank more than a couple of month.

Here's one article on the two species.
http://www.reefs.org/library/article..._redfield.html

[hillegom]

Do aiptasia move like mojanos? Can you put a shell on top of an aiptasia and have it move to the shell and then discard? I know that works for mojanos!