Aiptasia? How?!

[evrydayzawrkday]

Alright, here is the deal.
I have a relatively new tank (at this point, ~5 months old?) that doesn't have much coral. A few frags, zoa colony and GSP (branching) colony. I have dipped all the corals for at least 10-15 minutes in first revive and then fresh water. The last time I added a coral was a month back (or longer).

Yesterday my daughter's friend went "what is this"? On the sand bed was what they all described as a "flower". I looked at it, and although hard to tell looks like Aiptasia. I have no idea how I would have gotten it, and I don't have it anywhere else in the tank. That being said, I did pluck it off the sandbed and will keep an eye.

I am looking for validation that is it, and curious as to how I have only seen this one instance of it (if I haven't added anything in a month).



Edit
I also do not have anything that would eat it. Livestock is:

1) Bunch of snails
2) Brittle starfish
3) Angry little clownfish pair

 

[Sesty22]

Looks like Aiptasia to me. Probably snuck in on one of the frag plugs as something so small you couldn't see it at the time is my guess. I'm not sure revive will kill them at any stage, but I'm unsure of freshwater dips.

 

[majesticbigmac]

haha, my clowns are the same. It is definitely aiptasia from the pictures. Aiptasia can re grow from a microscopic amount to a full flower. This is likely why it took its time in growing. Best thing to do is remove it every time you see it, or use additives to encourage extinction.

 

[Spare time]

No dips seem to kill them. This is why I now qt corals.

 

[majesticbigmac]

No dips seem to kill them. This is why I now qt corals.

Indeed. This is why it will encourage extinction, rather than complete it.

 

[Spare time]

Immediately remove them or superglue over them. Avoid aiptasia killing products (except f aiptasia which I think encrusts over it).

 

[evrydayzawrkday]

Thank you all! I had no idea dip didn’t kill Aiptasia. I will most likely be investing into peppermint shrimp in the near future then to just have an insurance policy

 

[evrydayzawrkday]

Immediately remove them or superglue over them. Avoid aiptasia killing products (except f aiptasia which I think encrusts over it).

Quick Q: what I did was pull it out in one piece by using some tongs (it was luckily on the sand, none on the rocks). I didn't mistakenly spread it even worse, did I or is that only when their little bodies explode?

 

[Spare time]

Quick Q: what I did was pull it out in one piece by using some tongs (it was luckily on the sand, none on the rocks). I didn't mistakenly spread it even worse, did I or is that only when their little bodies explode?

I think that they can form new aiptasia if parts of them rip apart.

 

[Lavey29]

Quick Q: what I did was pull it out in one piece by using some tongs (it was luckily on the sand, none on the rocks). I didn't mistakenly spread it even worse, did I or is that only when their little bodies explode?

Yea not good to remove like that. They release spores into the water column.

 

[evrydayzawrkday]

Yea not good to remove like that. They release spores into the water column.

Peppermint shrimp it is

 

[Lavey29]

Peppermint shrimp it is

You just have to make sure they are the correct true species of peppers. There are very similar looking sub species that do not eat aptasia. Even then, some don't eat it. The one in my sump does great with it. The DT ones are so so, but I keep my aptasia in check with some spot killing every few weeks with aptasia X.

 

[Biochembob]

It can sneak in on snail shells.

 

[Sleeping Giant]

If it's in the substrate use a turkey baster and suck it up

 

[ShepherdReefer]

We have had a filefish for many years and no aiptasia in the tank. I know some disagree with filefish but we had no problems but some do.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Dip has literally no impact on aptasia
Using syringe, inject either lemon juice or better yet. . kalkwasser powder mixed with tank water into a paste the consistency of toothpaste and inject into the very center core and it will melt away