A good case why to quarantine corals

Idoc · Dec 29, 2017

Received this rock with a couple of mushrooms from our local reef clubs dirty santa exchange. I dipped it and all sorts of stuff came out, but I didn't see any hitchhikers that were actually bad. I have a 20g long tank setup as a coral/invert QT... glad I did. 2 weeks later, and it looks like an aptasia anenome pops up on the rock. I'm glad I followed so many people's advice on R2R sand chose to quarantine! Thanks all for the advice!
Now...I gotta get rid of the little bugger!

Velcro · Dec 29, 2017

Pull the rock out and completely cover it in glue. I’ve found that to be the best way when you can actually remove the rock, since it prevents it from making one hundred babies.

Mikedawg · Dec 29, 2017

Maybe two bubble algae as well?

Idoc · Dec 29, 2017

Mikedawg said:
Maybe two bubble algae as well?

Ahhh...good catch, I didn't even notice that! Frustration.... but at least it's not in the DT now!!! Looks like I have a little work ahead of me today.

5altkreep · Dec 29, 2017

Aptasia and bubble algae, worse than a lump of coal lol...You must have been at the top of Dirty Santas list!

In all seriousness, you did the right thing with qt. Much easier to deal with now. Happy New Year!

Highgrade · Dec 29, 2017

You never know what is on frags plugs or rocks. I've had several frags I've purchased from large coral retailers with Aiptasia on the frag plugs. Aiptasia is the least of your worries. I learned my lesson a long time ago by adding some frags that had Velvet. Wiped out all my fish in two days. Another time it was Monti Eating Nudi's. Which are a pain to get rid of. Always quarantine corals.

Mikedawg · Dec 29, 2017

Idoc said:
Ahhh...good catch, I didn't even notice that! Frustration.... but at least it's not in the DT now!!! Looks like I have a little work ahead of me today.

Your post got me to looking at a symphyllia I've got in quarantine, and guess what - aiptasia and after using two different coral dips; pretty tough stuff I guess.

Highgrade · Dec 29, 2017

Mikedawg said:
Your post got me to looking at a symphyllia I've got in quarantine, and guess what - aiptasia and after using two different coral dips; pretty tough stuff I guess.

Aiptasia is the Dandelion of the sea.

Mikedawg · Dec 29, 2017

Hmmm...........I was thinking more like something a stray dog leaves in your yard for you to step on.

Idoc · Dec 29, 2017

Mikedawg said:
Your post got me to looking at a symphyllia I've got in quarantine, and guess what - aiptasia and after using two different coral dips; pretty tough stuff I guess.

I don't think coral dips work on aptasia, but i may be wrong. I think they are mainly for bugs hiding in the corals.

Oldsalt01 · Dec 29, 2017

Carefully pick off the BA (don't pop 'em) and spot treat the rock with peroxide. Put it back in the QT for more observation and spot treat anymore that show up. Get it now, before it takes hold. I ended up stripping/sterilizing my 14g, replacing all the rock and practically starting over. It all started with 2 tiny bubbles that came in on an Acans frag that I was too stupid to QT. The night I put the frag in the tank, my Peppermint's attacked and ate the centers out of the 3 heads on the Acans, which I lost 3 weeks later. By then, the BA had spread it's spores and it was everywhere. Compared to that, Aptasia's easy.

Mikedawg · Dec 29, 2017

Idoc said:
I don't think coral dips work on aptasia, but i may be wrong. I think they are mainly for bugs hiding in the corals.

Yeah, I usually use Aiptasia X on them; it was just kind of disappointing to be so careful to quarantine the coral, dip it twice to get rid of any problem hitchhikers and then end up with good old common aiptasia. Well, at least I hadn't put it in the DT.

Idoc · Dec 30, 2017

Oldsalt01 said:
Carefully pick off the BA (don't pop 'em) and spot treat the rock with peroxide. Put it back in the QT for more observation and spot treat anymore that show up. Get it now, before it takes hold. I ended up stripping/sterilizing my 14g, replacing all the rock and practically starting over. It all started with 2 tiny bubbles that came in on an Acans frag that I was too stupid to QT. The night I put the frag in the tank, my Peppermint's attacked and ate the centers out of the 3 heads on the Acans, which I lost 3 weeks later. By then, the BA had spread it's spores and it was everywhere. Compared to that, Aptasia's easy.

By spot treating with peroxide, do you mean just pouring it directly on that part of the rock without diluting it?

Swayne_07 · Dec 30, 2017

Go Bucks!!!!

Oldsalt01 · Dec 30, 2017

Idoc said:
By spot treating with peroxide, do you mean just pouring it directly on that part of the rock without diluting it?

NOOOOOOO! You use 100% peroxide but if you just pour it on the rock it will kill everything it touches. Peroxide works by lyesing (breaking down) cellular walls. The bubbling you see is actually the oxygen (per-OXIDE) releasing as the cell dissolves. To spot treat, take a Q-tip, dip it in 100% peroxide and apply it ONLY to the spots where the BA was. It can be a tedious process to make sure you get every spot, one at a time, if there is a lot of it. You don't have to soak the spot, just make sure it gets wet. When ur done, swirl rinse the rock well in tank sw, in a separate bucket and return to the tank. Diligence now will pay off as this stuff can take over. Some people like it and choose to leave it alone, but I found it undesirable when it started covering my rock. Unfortunately, it appears I've deleted all the pics I had of the infestation, but trust me this stuff was EVERYWHERE, partly due to the fact my phosphate test kit was giving very skewed readings, and mostly due to my lack of diligence when I put the frag in the tank.

Idoc · Dec 30, 2017

Swayne_07 said:
Go Bucks!!!!

Big10 representing wrk in the bowtie

Oldsalt01 said:
NOOOOOOO! You use 100% peroxide but if you just pour it on the rock it will kill everything it touches. Peroxide works by lyesing (breaking down) cellular walls. The bubbling you see is actually the oxygen (per-OXIDE) releasing as the cell dissolves. To spot treat, take a Q-tip, dip it in 100% peroxide and apply it ONLY to the spots where the BA was. It can be a tedious process to make sure you get every spot, one at a time, if there is a lot of it. You don't have to soak the spot, just make sure it gets wet. When ur done, swirl rinse the rock well in tank sw, in a separate bucket and return to the tank. Diligence now will pay off as this stuff can take over. Some people like it and choose to leave it alone, but I found it undesirable when it started covering my rock. Unfortunately, it appears I've deleted all the pics I had of the infestation, but trust me this stuff was EVERYWHERE, partly due to the fact my phosphate test kit was giving very skewed readings, and mostly due to my lack of diligence when I put the frag in the tank.

Thanks for the info! Good advice and direction!

geniusgio · Dec 30, 2017

What I’ve done with aptasia in the past was a syringe with a needle and put the needle right in the middle of it and squirted liquid calcium right on it. Took care of it for me

Idoc · Dec 30, 2017

geniusgio said:
What I’ve done with aptasia in the past was a syringe with a needle and put the needle right in the middle of it and squirted liquid calcium right on it. Took care of it for me

Ive heard you can do the same with lemon juice.