Whaddaya do once a critter has served its purpose?

elefink · 01/17/2019, 04:53 PM

I got some live rock from the Gulf in December, so of course its having a huge outbreak of aiptasia. There seem to be new ones every day. Last week, once the chemistry seemed under control from the cycle, I put in a couple of peppermint shrimp.

I'm not sure I want peppermint shrimp forever. I'm not cool with the idea that they could eat the nicer critters later. But this anemone problem is getting to be a problem, so there they are. A few of the offenders have gone missing, mostly ones deep in the rockwork where the shrimps live.

Presuming that catching them later is even possible, what do you do when an animal like this has served its purpose and the anemones are gone? Put them on Craigslist?

FishTri · 01/17/2019, 05:14 PM

Scampi

Crooked Reef · 01/17/2019, 05:29 PM

Sump them, trade them to local reefer, trade in to LFS. You may also have a fish that eats them by then like some wrasses.

outssider · 01/17/2019, 06:28 PM

I would leave them for as long as possible....just because you think it's... "all clear".....
Doesn't mean it is......

Uncle99 · 01/17/2019, 06:35 PM

Mine cleared and keep clear all aptasia.
Been in my DT for two years now, no issues
They usually die within a few years so I just let him be.
Sump is fine, back to the LFS...

mcgyvr · 01/17/2019, 06:42 PM

Pep shrimp are often harmless in a tank...let them be...

jacksonpt · 01/18/2019, 10:17 AM

I don't buy animals I don't intend to keep long term.... to me, that's just part of being a responsible animal owner. But that's me.

If you're looking to get rid of them at some point, you can...
- squish them
- trade them in (most LFS will take trade-ins), just don't expect to get much for them
- trade/give to another local reefer
- move them to the sump, assuming you have a resaonable spot for them.

ReefWreak · 01/18/2019, 11:50 AM

Your aiptasia are still in your plumbing and equipment. If you get rid of the peppermint shrimp now, you'll just end up buying more once the aiptasia spread from the hidden areas back to the tank again.

I'd just leave them in the display and treat them as you would any shrimp. Just be glad they're eating your aiptasia!

elefink · 01/18/2019, 02:06 PM

Good point. I'm not even sure what if anything is growing in the back. I can't turn my head, so I can't look behind the tank and see in. Plus the whole system in only 2 months old.

Sk8r · 01/18/2019, 02:14 PM

THey don't hurt much. They'll sample say, a poci, and then decide it didn't taste good. Rarely will they bother a 'wrong' item twice. And they're insurance against aiptasia arriving on another specimen: happens a lot.

elefink · 01/20/2019, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jacksonpt

I don't buy animals I don't intend to keep long term.... to me, that's just part of being a responsible animal owner. But that's me.

If you're looking to get rid of them at some point, you can...
- squish them
- trade them in (most LFS will take trade-ins), just don't expect to get much for them
- trade/give to another local reefer
- move them to the sump, assuming you have a resaonable spot for them.

When I got them, I had thought they would be good long term addition. However, I read on ReefCleaners.org that they might eat certain types of coral, like zoanthids. I'd like to put zoanthids in later, and am now worried about that; hence the question about options.

jacksonpt · 01/21/2019, 07:35 AM

Gotcha. Live and learn, no biggie.

FWIW, I've never had a problem with them picking at anything they shouldn't be picking at. But I don't keep zoos, so take that for what it's worth.

ReefsandGeeks · 01/21/2019, 10:09 AM

I've also never had them pick at my coral, including alot of zoas. I don't have any now as I never seem to have much lick keeping shrimp for more than 6 months. They were always well behaved when I did have them though.

ReeferSutherlnd · 01/21/2019, 10:48 AM

You will never be rid of the aptasia. Like they said, it’s all in the plumbing. You can only manage if now, so keep em!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

elefink · 01/22/2019, 08:22 AM

Now the shrimp have been in the tank for a couple of weeks, we're starting to notice that the number of anemones is going down. Several of the larger ones are gone. It's a good thing, too. They were starting to reproduce at an alarming rate.

The shrimps come out predictably shortly after the sunset mode on the lights comes on. My husband has taken to going to watch the tank at this time because he likes to see if he can watch a shrimp taking out an anemone.

01/17/2019, 04:53 PM	#1
elefink Regurgitated Fender Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Silver Spring, MD Posts: 721	Whaddaya do once a critter has served its purpose? I got some live rock from the Gulf in December, so of course its having a huge outbreak of aiptasia. There seem to be new ones every day. Last week, once the chemistry seemed under control from the cycle, I put in a couple of peppermint shrimp. I'm not sure I want peppermint shrimp forever. I'm not cool with the idea that they could eat the nicer critters later. But this anemone problem is getting to be a problem, so there they are. A few of the offenders have gone missing, mostly ones deep in the rockwork where the shrimps live. Presuming that catching them later is even possible, what do you do when an animal like this has served its purpose and the anemones are gone? Put them on Craigslist? __________________ MB In my universe, Spock has a beard. Current Tank Info: Returning to hobby after a 10 year hiatus with a Biocube 32.

01/17/2019, 05:14 PM	#2
FishTri Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Delaware County, PA Posts: 598	Scampi __________________ ...be right there, Honey... Delaware Valley Reef Club (DVRC) Current Tank Info: 210

01/17/2019, 05:29 PM	#3
Crooked Reef Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 1,765	Sump them, trade them to local reefer, trade in to LFS. You may also have a fish that eats them by then like some wrasses. __________________ “In wine there is wisdom; in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.” - Benjamin Franklin Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef. Biocube 29 lionfish tank. Mantis tank.

01/17/2019, 06:28 PM	#4
outssider Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Reseda, Ca. Posts: 1,717	I would leave them for as long as possible....just because you think it's... "all clear"..... Doesn't mean it is...... __________________ Please don't feed the bears because the bears will become dependent on free handouts and forget how to take care of themselves …... Current Tank Info: 75 Gal. Mixed reef mostly sps

01/17/2019, 06:42 PM	#6
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	Pep shrimp are often harmless in a tank...let them be... __________________ Who me?

01/17/2019, 06:35 PM	#5
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,906	Mine cleared and keep clear all aptasia. Been in my DT for two years now, no issues They usually die within a few years so I just let him be. Sump is fine, back to the LFS...

01/18/2019, 10:17 AM	#7
jacksonpt Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Vestal, NY Posts: 3,679	I don't buy animals I don't intend to keep long term.... to me, that's just part of being a responsible animal owner. But that's me. If you're looking to get rid of them at some point, you can... - squish them - trade them in (most LFS will take trade-ins), just don't expect to get much for them - trade/give to another local reefer - move them to the sump, assuming you have a resaonable spot for them. __________________ Jackson - All advice I give is based on my first hand experience. YMMV. Current Tank Info: 38g (mostly LPS) with a 20g sump/fuge and all the other standard goodies

01/18/2019, 11:50 AM	#8
ReefWreak Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Astoria, NYC Posts: 10,159	Your aiptasia are still in your plumbing and equipment. If you get rid of the peppermint shrimp now, you'll just end up buying more once the aiptasia spread from the hidden areas back to the tank again. I'd just leave them in the display and treat them as you would any shrimp. Just be glad they're eating your aiptasia!

01/18/2019, 02:06 PM	#9
elefink Regurgitated Fender Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Silver Spring, MD Posts: 721	Good point. I'm not even sure what if anything is growing in the back. I can't turn my head, so I can't look behind the tank and see in. Plus the whole system in only 2 months old. __________________ MB In my universe, Spock has a beard. Current Tank Info: Returning to hobby after a 10 year hiatus with a Biocube 32.

01/18/2019, 02:14 PM	#10
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	THey don't hurt much. They'll sample say, a poci, and then decide it didn't taste good. Rarely will they bother a 'wrong' item twice. And they're insurance against aiptasia arriving on another specimen: happens a lot. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

01/21/2019, 07:35 AM	#12
jacksonpt Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Vestal, NY Posts: 3,679	Gotcha. Live and learn, no biggie. FWIW, I've never had a problem with them picking at anything they shouldn't be picking at. But I don't keep zoos, so take that for what it's worth. __________________ Jackson - All advice I give is based on my first hand experience. YMMV. Current Tank Info: 38g (mostly LPS) with a 20g sump/fuge and all the other standard goodies

01/21/2019, 10:09 AM	#13
ReefsandGeeks Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 1,708	I've also never had them pick at my coral, including alot of zoas. I don't have any now as I never seem to have much lick keeping shrimp for more than 6 months. They were always well behaved when I did have them though.

01/21/2019, 10:48 AM	#14
ReeferSutherlnd Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 28	You will never be rid of the aptasia. Like they said, it’s all in the plumbing. You can only manage if now, so keep em! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

01/22/2019, 08:22 AM	#15
elefink Regurgitated Fender Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Silver Spring, MD Posts: 721	Now the shrimp have been in the tank for a couple of weeks, we're starting to notice that the number of anemones is going down. Several of the larger ones are gone. It's a good thing, too. They were starting to reproduce at an alarming rate. The shrimps come out predictably shortly after the sunset mode on the lights comes on. My husband has taken to going to watch the tank at this time because he likes to see if he can watch a shrimp taking out an anemone. __________________ MB In my universe, Spock has a beard. Current Tank Info: Returning to hobby after a 10 year hiatus with a Biocube 32.