How much rock can I remove from aquarium to get rid of aiptasia - Help

[Lou Raffael]

I am at the end of my patience with aiptasia in the tank and have tried everything. My last option is to remove two large rocks from my tank that seem to be the last rocks with large aiptasia on them. There is a file fish in the tank as well as peppermint shrimp which seem to keep one half of the tank clean but do not attempt to clear these two rocks. My thought is to take the rocks out and put them in a quarantine tank to kill off the aiptasia. I understand it will basically kill the rock as well. I will try killing the aiptasia in the Q tank with aiptasia-X then give it some time to make sure they're gone before putting back in.

I have tried aiptasia-X which does kill it, but what it really does is spread the aiptasia in the tank. When the big one dies it shoots off tons of babies and I have them everywhere.

These two rocks are probably 30% - 40% of my live rock in the tank which has been running for ~6 years. There is minimal coral in the tank at the moment as I had a slight crash last year during a change in salt. The fish are doing fine, total of 6 in the tank.

Looking for advice if this will be a drastic mistake or given it's longevity if it will be fine to take the rock out, kill the aiptasia and basically the rock and then put back in? Will this start a whole new set of new tank problems with dinos, algae and other more annoying issues?

Thanks for your help

 

[mike550]

This might be a bit too aggressive. But depending on how much rock or sand you would have after removing the two big pieces, I’d consider spraying them with hydrogen peroxide (let it sit for a few minutes), scrubbing them, and then rinsing them out in new salt water or your DT tank water. You should be able to place them back in your tank. Hydrogen peroxide doesn’t have the same after effects as bleach

 

[Joe's Coral Reef]

Berghia nudibranch is what has worked for me in the past. sometimes it takes 2 introductions of them to completely kill them off. Berghia eat only one thing aiptasia.

 

[Matt Bravo]

Don’t remove, just get a few peppermint shrimp and everything will figure itself out. That rock is full of bacteria, don’t just throw It out

 

[brandon429]

thats not your last option, it's just that along the discovery path in aiptasia removal you weren't shown the guaranteed way. I've been trying to get article material on the procedure for 3 years but people keep refusing, and choosing the common path which always arrives here for others (anyone responding in a common aiptasia thread had X work for them, they sell it as a fact, then it doesn't work for others)

the way you and I can run here live time in the thread so I can get my article info and proofs does work for others. it's why you don't see pico reefers with aiptasia problems. we're willing to share some tricks with big tankers / do you want to keep your rocks and still lose the aiptasia

aiptasia I've seen is purely a matter of psychology when it comes to invasion, not biology or chemistry. either the information that removes them has been traded, or it hasn't. either a choice has been made to affirm the info when given, or it hasn't. the info is what removes the aiptasia, that and the human will to apply it vs not apply it, and opt to keep the anemones which is what the masses do. none of that was biology, being rid of them is a choice, not a science.

it's not an injection, a paste, a chemical applied in any way to the system, it's not an animal, and it works instantly and you have the tools already at home. it requires literally only will and a few steps. it's a physical removal action you do to them

 

[Tuan’s Reef]

Don’t remove, just get a few peppermint shrimp and everything will figure itself out. That rock is full of bacteria, don’t just throw It out

He isn’t going to throw the rocks away , but take out of the DT and treat it in a QT tank. Which sounds like a solid plan to me. I would do the same except I would I use F Aiptasia . It’s way better then Aiptasia X

 

[Matt Bravo]

He isn’t going to throw the rocks away , but take out of the DT and treat it in a QT tank. Which sounds like a solid plan to me. I would do the same except I would I use F Aiptasia . It’s way better then Aiptasia X

Oh I misread, yeah qt is also a good option

 

[brandon429]

for sure that's ideal. if we made the aiptasia gone in the next fifteen minutes, which is possible, he could then qt them to check for any misses.

post a tank picture, nobody can estimate surface area remains without a pic of the ratio at hand. I've never seen a reef tank lack surface area, even if you're removing some rocks for work. I think it'll be fine

pics

 

[Clanger]

I am at the end of my patience with aiptasia in the tank and have tried everything. My last option is to remove two large rocks from my tank that seem to be the last rocks with large aiptasia on them. There is a file fish in the tank as well as peppermint shrimp which seem to keep one half of the tank clean but do not attempt to clear these two rocks. My thought is to take the rocks out and put them in a quarantine tank to kill off the aiptasia. I understand it will basically kill the rock as well. I will try killing the aiptasia in the Q tank with aiptasia-X then give it some time to make sure they're gone before putting back in.

I have tried aiptasia-X which does kill it, but what it really does is spread the aiptasia in the tank. When the big one dies it shoots off tons of babies and I have them everywhere.

These two rocks are probably 30% - 40% of my live rock in the tank which has been running for ~6 years. There is minimal coral in the tank at the moment as I had a slight crash last year during a change in salt. The fish are doing fine, total of 6 in the tank.

Looking for advice if this will be a drastic mistake or given it's longevity if it will be fine to take the rock out, kill the aiptasia and basically the rock and then put back in? Will this start a whole new set of new tank problems with dinos, algae and other more annoying issues?

Thanks for your help

Aipstasia control fluid ,you just have to turn flow off and syringe a drop right in its mouth and whallop ,its gone , I can't remember the name I use ,but NOT Aipsatia x ,miles cheaper

 

[Lou Raffael]

This might be a bit too aggressive. But depending on how much rock or sand you would have after removing the two big pieces, I’d consider spraying them with hydrogen peroxide (let it sit for a few minutes), scrubbing them, and then rinsing them out in new salt water or your DT tank water. You should be able to place them back in your tank. Hydrogen peroxide doesn’t have the same after effects as bleach

Thank you, I'll look into this

 

[Clanger]

Aipstasia control fluid ,you just have to turn flow off and syringe a drop right in its mouth and whallop ,its gone , I can't remember the name I use ,but NOT Aipsatia x ,miles cheaper

 

[Lou Raffael]

Berghia nudibranch is what has worked for me in the past. sometimes it takes 2 introductions of them to completely kill them off. Berghia eat only one thing aiptasia.

Thank you, I've also tried this, it was very expensive and only worked as a short term solution.

 

[Clanger]

Ps file fish might deal with any small ones easier ,mine didnt spread though and have to make sure said file fish gets fed ha

 

[thecitadel]

Berghia nudibranch is what has worked for me in the past. sometimes it takes 2 introductions of them to completely kill them off. Berghia eat only one thing aiptasia.

He has Peppermint. They eat Berghia.

 

[Mikeltee]

Peppermint will help but not fix. A file fish is ugly, but they have great personalities and are excellent aphasia hunters!

 

[Clanger]

Peppermint will help but not fix. A file fish is ugly, but they have great personalities and are excellent aphasia hunters!

I always think they look like a sea horse that's had its body removed ha ,no aiptasia since I got it though

 

[thecitadel]

I always think they look like a sea horse that's had its body removed ha ,no aiptasia since I got it though

Honestly I think they are cute. I love mine.

 

[Clanger]

Honestly I think they are cute. I love mine.

Certainly a little character in the tank with esp with its chameleon type eyes ha

 

[Jmp998]

If you are taking rock out and isolating it anyway, that is a good opportunity for a little Berghia culture. In an isolated environment like that they will thrive. Assuming you have a lot of aiptasia on the rock you could either turn a small profit or generate a bunch of Berghia to add to your main tank.

 

[Clanger]

If you are taking rock out and isolating it anyway, that is a good opportunity for a little Berghia culture. In an isolated environment like that they will thrive. Assuming you have a lot of aiptasia on the rock you could either turn a small profit or generate a bunch of Berghia to add to your main tank.

Where do you start to make said culture ??? Interesting