Aiptasia

[Kris]

I was looking through my tank this morning and I noticed an Aiptasia growing out of one of my rocks. I have done some research and it looks like using NaOH would be the best choice. I was just wondering if anyone on this forum has ever used it and if so, how did it worked out? Also, is there any other method that I could use to be more efficient in getting rid of these unwanted pest? Thanks for your time.

[Gonzobob]

Toss in a couple peppermint shrimp. That's my method.

[chrisfowler99]

Toss in a couple peppermint shrimp. That's my method.

seconded

[pbnj]

+1.

If you see one, there are probably more you can't see. The shrimp, if they will eat the aiptasia, can get to those you can't see.

[JamesL]

Normally peppermint shrimp worked for me. But my flame angel seems to bully them, so they have been slacking. Lately I have been using Aiptasia-X to kill off the buggers. It seems to work pretty good, though I have some tough ones I have had to coat a couple of times.

[pbnj]

It seems to work pretty good, though I have some tough ones I have had to coat a couple of times.

Problem is, when you have to double-dose to kill one, they can get ticked-off in between and start spewing their offspring.

Edited April 8, 2010 by pbnj

[AndrewT]

i have an aptasia eating file fish pm me if your interested

[Zarathustra2]

I really like the one - two punch of using aiptasia-x with some sort of aiptasia predator. So you kill the big ones with the aiptasia-x then have the pep shrimp (or file fish or copperband or racoon) eat the small ones.

[prof]

Kalk paste and a syringe works well for me. I also love peppermints for aptasia. Copperband butterflys are great if you can keep one alive.

Aptasia are great filter feeders and due to their prolific nature make a great scrubber for a sump/refuge.

[JamesL]

Problem is, when you have to double-dose to kill one, they can get ticked-off in between and start spewing their offspring.

The product is supposed to prevent this. It "tastes" like food, so the aiptasia pulls it in, then it blocks their mouth prevent them from releasing the offspring. I have not had any waves of new pests, just seems like some of the existing ones just won't die....

[Starsprinkle Rainbowsmile]

Peppermints are hit and miss, but I finally got one that absolutely devoured ALL aiptasia in my tank- even the big ones, now they are all gone.  that is the best solution imo before you try calk ot aip-x or something.

[Kris]

Thanks everyone. I kinda torn between a shrimp and the chemicals. How hard is a peppermint shrimp to get out of your tank if needed? Do they go well with a banded coral shrimp or an emerald crab?

[JamesL]

Peppermints are going to be tricky to catch if you want to get them out. They are fast ... but maybe some type of fish trap would work.

I have never had issues with an emerald crab and peppermints. But not sure how a coral banded would be with them. As I noted above, my flame angel has chased all of them out of the rockwork and onto the back wall of the want under return pipes. But I do seem them out and about in the tank at night when the flame is asleep.

[+cyrus]

I'm about to give Berghia Nudibranch a run. My zoa's are officially being over run buy aiptasia and the 4 peps I put in are not doing anything. The Berghia Nudibranch are a garantee but they starve with out the anemones so you'll see me asking for aptasia donations. www.Reeftown.com

[+cyrus]

So I put the nudi's on hold! The main tank contains 1 pep shrimp and a copperband I put a rock in there with my 2 largest glass anemones (3-3 1/2" spread) I don't know who did but they are gone! so I plan to cycle all my corals through the main tank. Hope this gives you hope!

[Rjohn]

I'm about to give Berghia Nudibranch a run. My zoa's are officially being over run buy aiptasia and the 4 peps I put in are not doing anything. The Berghia Nudibranch are a garantee but they starve with out the anemones so you'll see me asking for aptasia donations. www.Reeftown.com

You have to be careful buying peppermint shrimp. There is another species that looks almost like the peppermints but will not touch aiptasia. The nudi solution takes a while. They are very very small, on the order of a 1/16 of an inch. It may be 4 to 6 months before the colony reproduces enough offspring to make a dent in your aiptasia population. Good luck.

[+cyrus]

You have to be careful buying peppermint shrimp. There is another species that looks almost like the peppermints but will not touch aiptasia. The nudi solution takes a while. They are very very small, on the order of a 1/16 of an inch. It may be 4 to 6 months before the colony reproduces enough offspring to make a dent in your aiptasia population. Good luck.

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