Peppermint Shrimp for Aiptasia Control - Good or Bad idea?

[PrettyFishies]

I eventually want a copper band butterfly, but I don't want the aiptasia to get out of control in the meantime.

I hear good and bad and I don't want to put my soft corals at risk.

Thoughts?

 

[trackfast]

I've read that Peppermint Shrimp can be used but it depends on the size of the Aiptasia. It also depends on the shrimp; some won't eat them. If you have a problem with just a few, you can use lemon juice and a syringe.

 

[pat8you]

Peppermint shrimp will not harm any coral. There is another shrimp called the camel shrimp that looks similar that is a threat to coral. If you google both of them and click on images you can clearly see the large bump on the back of the camel shrimp that is the easy way to tell it apart from peppermints which have a more or less flat back.

As far as eating aiptasia it is not a sure bet. There have been a few who don't eat them or will only eat a few. If you have really large aptasia they will sometimes not eat the big ones. If you just have two or three I would just pick up some joe's juice and take them out yourself.