Aiptasia help

[Dfr06]

I got a new Zoa last week. A few days ago I thought I saw something that looked like a transparent fan worm or aiptasia, but I was in a hurry and didn’t really care too much about it. Yesterday after the lights were turned off I saw it was truly aiptasia and there had to be more then 5 as well as a lot of baby fan worms. What do I do to get rid of them? The zoas aren’t bothered by them and are always open and they are on the sand. Is their a chance for them to spread to my main rock?

 

[ScottR]

Can you take the frag out? Or did they come on a rock?

 

[Terri Caton]

Aptasia are like the flu going around China but worse! If you can try to get them out now.

 

[Dfr06]

I got it as a colony on a rock. The colony has been doing good though.

 

[fishguy242]

what kind of zoas,paly? send pic if can

 

[fishguy242]

remember if your scraping,scrubbing ,glasses and wash hands 3x, i know zoa/paly toxin in eye 4x already nasty stuff!!!!!

 

[ScottR]

I got it as a colony on a rock. The colony has been doing good though.

It’s going to be much harder to remove from rock. Can you QT it first?

 

[Dfr06]

Finally got some photos. Had to wait until the lights were out. I found 2 aiptasia that were visible. I saw 2 yesterday 2 so I think they are the only ones.

 

[Dfr06]

How should I quarantine it?

 

[mrsdixon]

good luck! currently battling aiptasia myself! I've tried lemon juice, hot ro water and I recently bought a couple peppermint shrimp. the lemon juice held them off the longest for me.

 

[Casket_Case]

good luck! currently battling aiptasia myself! I've tried lemon juice, hot ro water and I recently bought a couple peppermint shrimp. the lemon juice held them off the longest for me.

Do you think putting ice on it would work?

 

[Jake_the_reefer]

berghia nudis. I'm about to buy some myself due to an outbreak I've heard they are amazing but perish after the outbreak is gone

 

[lilgrounchuck]

I came home from out of town and found some on different rocks. I grabbed two peppermint shrimp from the lfs, dropped them in, and waited. Two days later they were all gone and I haven’t seen any since. That was back in June. It’s worth a shot and once they’re gone you’ve got something else in your cc eating stuff off that gets stuck in your rocks.

 

[Billdogg]

Those will be very easy to take care of, especially now before they spread. Use a syringe (I use a 10cc) and boiling water to carefully cook them where they sit. You can even use a syringe from a test kit - put one of the small dropper tips on the biggest one you have. Inject the boiling water directly at the base of the aiptasia.

I have had 100% success every time using this method.

Peppermint shrimp are rather hit or miss. Berghia nudibranchs will die when they run out of food. Some filefish will eat them but may also pick on the good stuff too.

FWIW - this is just another good reason to have a QT, although I know it sometimes just isn't feasible.

 

[fishguy242]

good morning,i see nudi eggs on the stalks dip, and gently scrub