Pepperment shrimp are apparently snacks...alternatives that eat Aiptasia?

[Carcharodon]

So I should have known this to begin with, but for those of you that don't, lionfish absolutely love peppermint shrimp. I bought 15 from Live Aquaria to work on a nasty Aiptasia problem I've been having...they arrived happy and healthy, acclimated well, and were then mercilessly hunted and devoured by my large lion...I have not checked on them this AM, and some of them made it into the rock work, but I assume that they are not going to be given the opportunity to eat the pests before the lion makes meals of them.

Does anyone know of any alternatives? I've tried the lesser chemical treatments (only Calcium based remedies, I'm not willing to put anything else in my tank) but they are growing faster than I can kill them off. Are there any other (larger) animals that eat them?

An alternative as I understand it is to set up a hospital tank where the the shrimp will live and cycle the rock in question through that, allowing them to eat it bit by bit. Anyone had any luck there? Also, where can the cheapest Peppermint shrimp be had? At five bucks a hit, they certainly don't break the bank, but by the same tolken it's not the best value for lion food either!

Thanks in advance reefers!

 

[pvh]

Try some berghia.

 

[Carcharodon]

Good call...anyone have any experience with them? They are expensive but worth it if they curb the problem, but not if they also become meals...would they survive in a predator tank?

 

[RiverReefer]

how about just squirting kalkwasser paste in their mouth and watching them shrivel up in about 2 seconds....

 

[highpower9979]

I would look into getting some joes juice i had a few aptasia in my sump and joes juice took them out quick....With no problems

 

[Takara]

Aiptasia-x worked for me, not a complete solution but it helps you take control. I've heard Joe's Juice is a kalk mix.

Copperband butterfly fish?

 

[Carcharodon]

Thanks for the replies everyone! I do use kalkwasser to control the bigger ones, but it takes 2-3 treatments to fully kill them, and there are too many at this point to treat all of them. I've heard of joe's juice and the other treatments...I just worry about side effects, and I would still need to individually spray dozens of the little buggers (my fault for letting it get out of control).

I think I'm just going to set uo a medic tank, or use the sump for some natural predators.

 

[RiverReefer]

i don't know...i've only had about 3 or 4 aptasia in my tank...of med/small size and it took one time of me mixing up some THICK kalk paste and taking a syringe and squirting them directly in the mouth...never came back, and literally disintergrated in like 2 seconds...maybe mix it up a little thicker? turn off your power heads and cover them.

 

[JeremyAN7]

I've tried everything. I would say that by far the best was Copperbanded Butterfly. I had some luck with pep shrimp in keeping latent spores down once the CBB was done.

 

[RayD]

I've tried everything. I would say that by far the best was Copperbanded Butterfly. I had some luck with pep shrimp in keeping latent spores down once the CBB was done.

I'm unable to keep Peppermint Shrimp because of my bad a$$ Mystery Wrasse. He makes quick snacks of them.

I have had pretty good luck with a Copperband I picked up a few weeks ago. He doesn't eat frozen yet so I'm making trips to the LFS for live brine which he gobbles up like a pig. I'm trying to train him to eat frozen brine.
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[JeremyAN7]

try adding a couple dropps of garlic extract to the frozen shrimp before adding to the tank
then hand feed the CBB with a suringe. Then feed the aiptasia. worked for me..