View Full Version : Will Trade First Born for Useful Peppermint Shrimp
:wall:
So lets see...I found my first aiptasia early this summer. One itty bitty thing that was kinda pretty but I knew what it would bring. More. And more it did. I probably have about 18+ of the little things. All small to tiny in size. They grow on a few choice locations on the rock (where I can't reach) and even have been known to grow in the sand bed. The sand bed ones I like because I can get them easily with a turkeybaster.
I have tried lime juice
I have tried lemon juice
I have tried boiling water
I have tried boiling lime juice
I have tried boiling lemon juice
I have tried 2 peppermint shrimp
I have tried 5 peppermint shrimp
I have tried removing one of the rocks and qting it while I blasted the suckers.
The liquid methods don't seem to do anything but make them temporarily go poof. I probably have a big nasty mother aiptasia deep in a rock (Max you cursed me didn't you?).
The shrimp just sway back and forth mocking me:
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i152/grinssmi/1113_pep.jpg
While this lurks mere inches from them (guess what doesn't belong here):
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i152/grinssmi/1113_aip.jpg
I'm about ready to hang christmas decorations on the things and call them seasonal decor for the fish. :headshake2:
Oh and not all is bad in the tank, my beautiful purple sponge is staying quite lovely:
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i152/grinssmi/1113_sponge.jpg
salty420
11-13-2007, 9:01 PM
do we get to see a pic of that son of yours first :lipssealedsmilie:
chucke
11-13-2007, 9:13 PM
Still dont know what these things are ill google
Mr.Firemouth
11-13-2007, 9:19 PM
Oh, young reef Jedi...So much to still learn!
Tell Lisa That Mr. Firemouth sent you!
http://www.saltyunderground.com/
chucke
11-13-2007, 9:27 PM
Wowzers watch the you tube video on that site
do we get to see a pic of that son of yours first :lipssealedsmilie:
lol, yes but be warned that he seems to be willing to start reef projects but isn't so keen on finishing them.
Oh, young reef Jedi...So much to still learn!
Tell Lisa That Mr. Firemouth sent you!
http://www.saltyunderground.com/
yes, been considering them. My club was going to do a group buy on some but we all opted to add more peppermints first this month. All it has done is give me 5 swaying peppermints versus the two and give Terrance and Phillip the cleaners someone else to play with.
Mr.Firemouth
11-13-2007, 9:46 PM
WARNING>>>
Some pepps get hungry and eat zoas.
Watch them.
Thanks, I had heard that with camels of course but not the peppermints. I also looked at Lisa's site and like the others she recommends not using the berghias if your aiptasia population is low. Mine really are small and probably less than 18-20. I've seen some tanks so infested my jaw dropped.
gomrjoe
11-13-2007, 10:16 PM
:mad2: Burn them all, Aiptasia die!
I had two mother Aiptasia and took the rock out and fried them, I have since found one more in my tank and I cannot do to it what I did to its parents! He is right smack in the middle of my small halloween zoa colony!
:eek3:
I too have tried most of the list of home remedies that you posted, and all they do is make them shrivel up for a couple of days. I have thought about taking my zoa colony out and performing surgery with a pair of tweezers, no idea if that would really work or not.
As for your peps, my buddy that got me into this years ago has no luck with them either, I personally have never tried though.
archer772
11-13-2007, 10:17 PM
Hey have you tried White Vinegar, all you need is a diabetic needle and stick them where ever you can get the needle in and give them a little shot and they will be gone, I have never had one come back after they got the vinegar
Grins
11-13-2007, 10:28 PM
I do have a few needles for the tank (used it to inject the first few rounds of juice and boiling water. I'll try the vinegar.
salty420
11-13-2007, 10:52 PM
sorry i can't help with the aiptasia grins i (thankfully) haven't had to deal with it (yet at least *fingers crossed*) but hope you can get that miracle solution soon!
archer772
11-13-2007, 10:57 PM
I do have a few needles for the tank (used it to inject the first few rounds of juice and boiling water. I'll try the vinegar.
If they are diabetic needles try 10 units if they are small aps that has always worked for me and everybody that has used the vinegar. Good luck
Morel
11-13-2007, 10:59 PM
sorry i can't help with the aiptasia grins i (thankfully) haven't had to deal with it (yet at least *fingers crossed*) but hope you can get that miracle solution soon!
I had a Hermet crab who (for reasons that i fail to grasp) Ate the few I used to have in my Small FOWLR tank.. I know.. You may call me a lair.. But I sware on everything that is holy..
That guy had weird tastes.. Though if he kills ONE MORE #%$%#$ SNAIL to house his fat butt, I make no promises!
Grins
11-13-2007, 11:10 PM
If they are diabetic needles try 10 units if they are small aps that has always worked for me and everybody that has used the vinegar. Good luck
Thanks Archer! And if this works where should I ship the teenager off to?
Grins
11-13-2007, 11:11 PM
I had a Hermet crab who (for reasons that i fail to grasp) Ate the few I used to have in my Small FOWLR tank.. I know.. You may call me a lair.. But I sware on everything that is holy..
That guy had weird tastes.. Though if he kills ONE MORE #%$%#$ SNAIL to house his fat butt, I make no promises!
At least yours would move into the snail shell. Mine would kill them for the sport of it.
archer772
11-13-2007, 11:12 PM
Thanks Archer! And if this works where should I ship the teenager off to?
:eek: I dont need any more my 3 are all out of the house and I dont need anymore
Grins
11-13-2007, 11:13 PM
:eek: I dont need any more my 3 are all out of the house and I dont need anymore
Too late! I have witnesses!
clown-lover
11-13-2007, 11:18 PM
Grins.. If that doesn't work try Joe's Juice.. While I get a couple here and there they never come back in the same spot.. My Pep's are doing their job as instead of finding 8 to 10 a week in the display area I'm now only finding 1 or 2.. I have started turning over the rocks and looking for any more "mother breaders" but have been fortunate in that aspect.
I to have tried the vinegar and that has worked as well.. And that joke I used in that one thread about you never getting rid of them was really a joke.. Wishing you all the best.
Mark
archer772
11-13-2007, 11:27 PM
Too late! I have witnesses!
LOL
Germanman
11-14-2007, 12:41 AM
use this (http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+18180+16828&pcatid=16828)i had the same problem as you as well did many of my clients. its the "only" commercial product that seems to work as said. i had many aiptasia and my peppermints took care of most of em but i always had just a few......then i tried every commercially available and homemade solution...this worked the best...it kills them in 3 visible ways for full effectiveness and is totally reef safe i even go it on other corals and they were fine. first it melts them/their tentacles, then it poisons/kills them...and then it encapsulates the area for at least a few weeks. cant beat it as far as im concerned.:headbang2:
Grins
11-14-2007, 10:01 AM
Grins.. If that doesn't work try Joe's Juice.. While I get a couple here and there they never come back in the same spot..
I might Mark, I've avoided it thus far because it seemed to just be a commercial mix of the homemade remedies. But perhaps it has something in it I'm not considering maybe even just a higher concentration.
Grins
11-14-2007, 10:02 AM
use this (http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+18180+16828&pcatid=16828)i had the same problem as you as well did many of my clients. its the "only" commercial product that seems to work as said. i had many aiptasia and my peppermints took care of most of em but i always had just a few......then i tried every commercially available and homemade solution...this worked the best...it kills them in 3 visible ways for full effectiveness and is totally reef safe i even go it on other corals and they were fine. first it melts them/their tentacles, then it poisons/kills them...and then it encapsulates the area for at least a few weeks. cant beat it as far as im concerned.:headbang2:
If the vinegar doesn't work I'll try this GMan...oh and if it works you'll have a new bouncing 18 year old boy.
Germanman
11-14-2007, 2:12 PM
If the vinegar doesn't work I'll try this GMan...oh and if it works you'll have a new bouncing 18 year old boy.
yea see im only 20....so i dont want a brother....lol
See my response to Archer about witnesses.
Germanman
11-14-2007, 2:25 PM
See my response to Archer about witnesses.
well i could use a roommate so it could work....he lazy?:rofl:
No, but he does insist on food and college tuition for some odd reason.
Germanman
11-14-2007, 2:29 PM
No, but he does insist on food and college tuition for some odd reason.
hummmm......well i have $5 in the bank so were set
Reefkid 07
11-14-2007, 7:30 PM
:wall:
The shrimp just sway back and forth mocking me:
OMG, I used to think my peppermint was retarded!! It also ate out of my hand.
Their are actually 5 different "sub" species of peppermint shrimp, only 3(i think) of them are aptasia consumers. How much lemon/lime juice did you use? Did you put it directly in the mouth? Are they big enough to insert a syrenge of boiling water into the stem?
Jake
Yes, used a needle to inject it and used quite a bit on them (forget how many CCs but could check). I do think the ones I have (from 2 different sources) are not the ones that like the aiptasia except for maybe one of them. Other than them obviously not chowing down on them all they aren't as red as the one that Niko posted. Which might explain why so many here in Charlotte aren't having luck with them...the sources aren't supplying the correct ones perhaps.
FeatherDuster
11-15-2007, 3:47 PM
I really wish the true ones were more distinctive. I bet someone would make lots of money if they found a way to supply and breed the true ones.
And I sympathize with your battle. I went from 50 aiptasia to 10 and then up to 80 xD Apparently I have created a nice little vacation spot for them. I have no idea how these things are thriving either. Its not like I feed the tank.
Although I did come home to a beautiful sight today. Apparently the worms in my tank are getting hungry (lack of food). I saw one wrapped around a aiptasia. :devil:
Reefkid 07
11-15-2007, 6:09 PM
Yes, used a needle to inject it and used quite a bit on them (forget how many CCs but could check). I do think the ones I have (from 2 different sources) are not the ones that like the aiptasia except for maybe one of them. Other than them obviously not chowing down on them all they aren't as red as the one that Niko posted. Which might explain why so many here in Charlotte aren't having luck with them...the sources aren't supplying the correct ones perhaps.
Oh, there's this really smart guy named Robert at a fish store at Aquamain in Greensboro. He can catagorize all the types of peppermints.
Hmmm I might have to take a drive to Greensboro. I am going to try the vinegar and commercial product mentioned earlier first.
jojo22
11-15-2007, 6:55 PM
http://www.captivereefing.com/showthread.php?t=3818
Hmm so I need to check their gonads?!
jojo22
11-15-2007, 8:29 PM
Yep lift the skirt girly!!!!!!!
Grins
11-15-2007, 10:25 PM
:eek:
clown-lover
11-15-2007, 11:32 PM
Wow.. Grins better be careful or you might get labeled a perv.. ;)
Sonicblast12
11-16-2007, 1:16 PM
No, but he does insist on food and college tuition for some odd reason.
College tuition, food for a teenager, and a reef tank?
$$$
Yeah, tell me about it. Can you see why I have had to restrain myself from buying corals as fast as I'd like?
clown-lover
11-18-2007, 8:14 AM
Oh, young reef Jedi...So much to still learn!
Tell Lisa That Mr. Firemouth sent you!
http://www.saltyunderground.com/
I have heard that these only eat Aips.. So if I got these and put them in my system I'd have to pass them on to someone else not???
From what I've heard you want to balance it out so they only control it and not decimate them. I'm evil enough to want them decimated.
Reefkid 07
11-18-2007, 3:25 PM
Hmmm I might have to take a drive to Greensboro. I am going to try the vinegar and commercial product mentioned earlier first.
But I would call first to make sure he's there if you decide to. ;)
Jake
marine_geek
11-18-2007, 3:35 PM
copperband butterflys are supposed to be good for aiptasia removal too.
I don't trust one around my rbta.
archer772
11-18-2007, 6:44 PM
Have you tried the vinegar yet??
Yes, 3 nights ago. I think it maybe worked on a few of them but most came back looking better than ever. I'm going to risk doing it again but I can't reach the ones down at the bottom on the left hand side near the glass. I tried releasing it near them so they'd accept it on their own. They didn't retract and looked stunned for a bit but 2 hours later they were fine.
Morgadeth
11-21-2007, 2:39 PM
My peppermint shrimp was very useful...
To my LIONFISH!!
Yes they make expensive little snacks for them huh?
archer772
11-21-2007, 10:11 PM
Yes, 3 nights ago. I think it maybe worked on a few of them but most came back looking better than ever. I'm going to risk doing it again but I can't reach the ones down at the bottom on the left hand side near the glass. I tried releasing it near them so they'd accept it on their own. They didn't retract and looked stunned for a bit but 2 hours later they were fine.
You need to get the needle into them anywhere you can some how.
Grins
11-21-2007, 10:19 PM
I'm very close to just removing the one rock to qt and injecting it there when I can get to it. Butters the tank will be majorly peeved off but he can deal with it for a week or so.
clown-lover
11-21-2007, 11:31 PM
Its Butters always ticked about something?? LOL I mean since his cleaners don't pay him any attention I thought he would be in a perpetual funk...
Grins
11-21-2007, 11:36 PM
Its Butters always ticked about something?? LOL I mean since his cleaners don't pay him any attention I thought he would be in a perpetual funk...
If he learns that the cleaners are hermphrodites and they appear to have knocked one another up he is going to go into a tailspin. He really needs work on his tantrums though. I mean how scary is it to just peer out from behind the corner of a doorway to your cave?