![]() ![]() The newly hatched shrimp larvae are great food for corals and small fish. It is not uncommon for peppermint shrimp to spawn when kept in groups of 2 or more. The Peppermint Shrimp is non-aggressive with fish and other invertebrates, and groups of them can cohabitate peacefully in the same reef aquarium. During the day the shrimp will generally hide in live rock and come out at night to forage for food. In a reef system, the shrimp can control the spread of aptaisia by eating the small, developing anemones. The Peppermint Shrimp is famous for eating the nuisance Aiptasia anemone. It is also a scavenger sifting sand for food and promoting a healthier aquarium. It is a cleaner shrimp, meaning it cleans the parasites off its tankmates. ![]() The Peppermint shrimp serves two important functions in a reef system. This attractive shrimp is named for the red stripes running the length of its transparent to cream-colored body. The name Peppermint Shrimp applies to a variety of Lysmata species that are distributed along the Eastern Seaboard, Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. Peppermint shrimp eating aiptasia anemones reefsecretsaquariums 622 subscribers Subscribe 218 35K views 6 years ago Our shrimp will eat them Show more Show more Update: Adding. ![]() These small shrimp (when kept in groups) can make quick work of an Aiptasia outbreak though are reported to occasionally nibble on coral polyps.Home 1 › Aiptasia Eating Peppermint Shrimp 2 The peppermint shrimp ( Lysmata wurdemanni) is another gallant warrior in the never-ending fight against Aiptasia. It will take the little hermits some time to start making a real impact against the Aiptasia. Remember that these crabs are small so don’t expect stellar results overnight. These small crabs are reef safe and normally one or two per infested reef aquarium is all that it takes to help control Aiptasia outbreaks. Your best bet at a biological control comes in the form of the inexpensive and easily kept red-legged or hairy hermit crab ( Dardanus megistos). I have heard that raccoon butterflyfish are far more aggressive coral eaters than the copper-banded butterflyfish, so bad in fact that most hobbyists do not consider them reef safe. These tropical fish generally eat well in captivity and are reasonably hardy though it is not above them to make a total meal out of coral polyps and beneficial anemones. ![]() Hobbyists often have better results using raccoon butterflyfish ( Chaetodon lunula). While I am nearly certain the copper-banded butterflyfish would correct your Aiptasia problem, its unlikely chance of surviving in the reef aquarium removes it from the list of realistic remedies. Some hobbyists have compared the copper-banded butterflyfish’s dismal survival rate to that of the Moorish idol because many of the fish imported into retailers perish within months of introduction into the reef aquarium. Oftentimes copper-banded butterflyfish will rid a reef aquarium of all Aiptasia anemones then refuse to eat anything else and perish shortly after. It is tough to recommend a copper-banded butterflyfish as a control measure for Aiptasia. It also appears that any flesh left behind will in time just grow another anemone and some hobbyists believe that spreading the flesh around while scrubbing causes the Aiptasia to multiply. As soon as you try to nip, scrub, or snap off Aiptasia anemones, they quickly withdraw into even the tiniest crevice or hole. Physically removing these tiny tissue-based animals is nearly impossible. ![]()
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