whats best???

[carpenterwrasse]

I have an aptasia explosion which is best a copper banded butterfly or peppermint shrimp....and how many shrimp if thats the best way...i don'y have many corals to be bothered by the butterfly mainly kenya trees and button polypswith a few mushrooms hiding in there.
George

[dakar]

I'd vote for peppermint shrimp. They have worked well for us. There is an article the Greg wrote up about them a while back... good stuff! Just have had terrible luck with butterfly fish in a reef tank.

[JustDavidP]

Pepps for sure... I forget how large a system you have, but I have 3 in a 26G :) No nasty glassy anemones in there.

Dave

[iVgOnMaD]

I heard bout aptasia eating nudis, worth looking into ;)

[JustDavidP]

Nudibranchs are soo tough in that they really don't fare well in faster moving water. I've tried them, many types, but they all become power head fodder or end up living in my sump, no matter how many times I move them back up to the display.

D

[graphixx]

I will go against the majority and say copperband. I know they are notorious for nipping but I have had one and he has been a model member of the tank. but this is just one instance. I am sure people have tried them with a less than successful outcome.

[carpenterwrasse]

our fear is that they are hard to feed or so it is written....the nudibranch that was for mentioned starts with a b....baghaih or something like that i keep forgetting but it was a past descution thats why it wasn't a consideration at this time...but i was thinking i might just try both...its only money right

[AuntKaren]

I agree with those that suggest the peppermint shrimps..... I was on a website that sells peppermint shrimps and they had an eye popping video of peppermints just devouring some aiptasia.....it made a believer out of me! It only took a few minutes and a dime sized aiptasia was completely gone...eaten by 5 peppermints. They're fast and efficient and fun to watch!

[cubereefer]

Another alternative to rid a tank of aipstasia is Berghia verrucicornis. These are used in a lot of breeding/frag tanks as a natural anti-aipstasia. The only problem is that the ONLY eat aipstasia, so when your tank is rid of them the Berghia verrucicornis will die...could contaminate the water. Here's some good articles on the Berghia verrucicornis:

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/aiptasia/aiptasia.htm

http://www.berghia.net/aiptasiacontrol.html

[carpenterwrasse]

thats the nudabranch i was talking about ealier

[carpenterwrasse]

i would be willing to give the guy a chance but it doesn't seem to be readily available here in pittsburgh

[greg97527]

have you tried joe's juice? you can also use boiling water in a syringe or baster as long as they are not right next to a coral. both are good methods.

[Sparky]

I totally agree with Dakar. We had what I would consider a amall outbreak in our 65 gal. and we purchased 5 peppermint shrimp (not the look-alikes) and they have cleaned the tank up very nicely!!!!

[mandynm]

i would be willing to give the guy a chance but it doesn't seem to be readily available here in pittsburgh

I'd go with peppermints. I usually go to the Petland in robinson off park manor blvd. since I am not from the area. I bought some rock from them infested with the stupid aiptasia and got 3 peppermints from them and it took care of it. Of course, that was the only piece of rock that had aiptasia on it. But, they are my personal preference. Just need to get the right species of peppermint since not all true peppermints eat it. I'm not sure if they just requested peppermints or the specific aiptasia eating variety. I'm sure any decent LFS could try to get them in if you don't have them readily available where you go.

[carpenterwrasse]

well i got 3 peppermints on sat.lets see how long they take i might add some more when funds allow.

[AuntKaren]

So.... how have the peppermints done with the aiptasia?

[carpenterwrasse]

not very well at the momment my wife is threatening there home life if they don't get to work.