|
|
|
Average Member
 
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Today @ 12:38:02 AM
Posts: 596,
Visits: 1,378
|
|
I've been battling Apitasia for the past few months, and while the destroyers work, its time consuming and a pain in the ***.
I've heard Peppermint Shrimp will eat these things, had anyone had any first hand experience with these guys?
And out of curiosity what salt do all of you use?
I use instant ocean right now, mostly due to price and I only have a FOWLR and seems to work for me.
*****************************************
29 gallon f/w various plants and fish.
40 gallon s/w
29 gallon s/w
|
|
|
|
|
Junior Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 1/3/2009 11:00:52 PM
Posts: 300,
Visits: 416
|
|
| Hey jsmith11618, The peppermint shrimp are IMHO the best way to get rid of aiptasia. The main problem with any chemical is that it only works on the ones you can see. The peppermint shrimp will get rid of them all!! There's a thread in SW somewhere that is along this same line. Same question was asked and same answer given. That individual came back later and reported all aiptasia eliminated. My personal experience is the same. I have however heard from people that it didn't work for. I thing part of being successful is limiting feeding (so the shrimp will seek out alternative foods aka aiptasia) and patience. In my experience it takes 3 to 4 weeks for the shrimp to do their job! 
So many species, so little money!
|
|
|
|
|
Starting Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Yesterday @ 11:28:54 AM
Posts: 200,
Visits: 317
|
|
When I had a bad aptasia problem, i bought 3 peppermint shrimp. They ate all the aptaisia! 3 months after my banded coral shrimp killed the pepermints, one aptaisia showed up, but between the time the banded coral shrimp killed the peppermint shrimp and the aptaisia showed up, there were no traces of aptaisia in the tank. I'd say peppermint shrimp are the way to go.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------38 gallon freshwater: 1 turquoise/green severum, 2 gold gouramis, 4 red & blue columbian tetras, 1 otocinclus, 1 clown loach, 1 bristlenose pleco 30 gallon saltwater: 1 coral beauty angel, 1 clarkii clown, 1 firefish, 1 banded coral shrimp, 1 emerald crab, 1 gray serpent star, about 20 dragon eye zoanthids, 2 green rhodactis mushroom corals, 3-4 red rhodactis mushroom corals, 3 purple and green ricordea mushroom corals, 1 live rock hitchhiker bivalve, and 1 live rock hitchhiker tube worm with 2 long tentacles GO HCHS SWIM TEAM!!!!!!!!
|
|
|
|
|
Average Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Today @ 12:38:02 AM
Posts: 596,
Visits: 1,378
|
|
I got one today, its in quarantine for now, I am gonna buy 2 more when I go into the city next, the stores sell them there for 7-8 bucks each vs 25 bucks locally.
*****************************************
29 gallon f/w various plants and fish.
40 gallon s/w
29 gallon s/w
|
|
|
|
|
Average Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Today @ 12:38:02 AM
Posts: 596,
Visits: 1,378
|
|
I had a piece of live rock covered in apitasia in my quarantine tank where the peppermint shrimp is residing currently, and when I got home from work tonight, there are 2 left on the rock.
*****************************************
29 gallon f/w various plants and fish.
40 gallon s/w
29 gallon s/w
|
|
|
|
|
Junior Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 1/3/2009 11:00:52 PM
Posts: 300,
Visits: 416
|
|
| Always cool to find a natural fix to a problem -vs- pumping in chemicals. A couple more plusses for the peppermint shrimp: They broadcast spawn like crazy so they constantly produce a natural plankton source for your filter feeders. They can be kept in realtively large numbers so say five in a 40g wouldn't be out of line. They're also good scavengers. Help clean up after fish feeding. You might say they really earn their keep.
So many species, so little money!
|
|
|
|