aiptasia removal?

Tabasco1 · Apr 21, 2011

I am getting a shipment of LR that will be straight out of the ocean. I understand that there is a chance that there will be aiptasia on the rock. I am planning on curing it in a dedicated storage bin and not in the tank so that I can look at it and remove any pets before putting in the tank.

My questions are these:

1. What is a good time frame to know that I don't have any aiptasia? I.e. if I cure it for 8 weeks and no aiptasia present themselves is it safe to say that I don't have any?

2. IF there is aiptasia present and I get rid of it how long do I need to wait after not seeing any to assure that it is really all gone?

Thank you!

fsu1dolfan · Apr 21, 2011

Tabasco1 said:
I am getting a shipment of LR that will be straight out of the ocean. I understand that there is a chance that there will be aiptasia on the rock. I am planning on curing it in a dedicated storage bin and not in the tank so that I can look at it and remove any pets before putting in the tank.

My questions are these:

1. What is a good time frame to know that I don't have any aiptasia? I.e. if I cure it for 8 weeks and no aiptasia present themselves is it safe to say that I don't have any?

2. IF there is aiptasia present and I get rid of it how long do I need to wait after not seeing any to assure that it is really all gone?

Thank you!

Honestly there is always a small chance something is deep inside some small crevice that you can't see. After 8 week i would think if you didnt see anything you would be good but there is always a chance. If you see them i would use either Aiptasia X or joes jucie, siphone the entire area right away and fill the hole or area with putty or glue....ensuring no return!

Tabasco1 · Apr 21, 2011

Yeah, I know you have been battling the aiptasia. How is your gun working? I was going to see if they came in with any before I got any joes juice. Are both products basically the same or does one work better than the other?

nixer · Apr 21, 2011

honestly i would just use kalk paste. its cheaper.
i have a klein butterfly that loves aptasia. it usually takes him a few days tops to find them on a new rock.

Rockadile · Apr 21, 2011

I think you will have more to worry about then just aptasia going this route. here are some photos of some of the things a guy in my club got when he did this.

User Profile > kmcgill88

fsu1dolfan · Apr 21, 2011

Tabasco1 said:
Yeah, I know you have been battling the aiptasia. How is your gun working? I was going to see if they came in with any before I got any joes juice. Are both products basically the same or does one work better than the other?

I pulled back a little on the gun to see what others are saying about it....that one comment about it exploding with tons more scared me. Nixer has a good point with the kalk paste....probably better since nothing else in the tank.

fsu1dolfan · Apr 21, 2011

Rockadile said:
I think you will have more to worry about then just aptasia going this route. here are some photos of some of the things a guy in my club got when he did this.

User Profile > kmcgill88

Wow thats some crazy stuff coming out of there...yikes and was that a mantis shrimp in there too??

Rockadile · Apr 21, 2011

fsu1dolfan said:
Wow thats some crazy stuff coming out of there...yikes and was that a mantis shrimp in there too??

yes and he found another one also. he said he spent something like 3 hrs scrubbing the rock and it still has stuff all over it. he wishes he had never gone this route.

Tabasco1 · Apr 21, 2011

Yep, I know that there will be stuff I don't want. That is why I am planning on a pretty long cure time. Not really so much as to cycle the rock, but to make sure there is nothing on it that I don't want. But I think that there will be more diversity as far as pods and bacteria so I am willing to go this route. And will definately post if it is a nightmare! haha. I don't mind being a warning instead of a beacon sometimes. I love stuff like that.

xmetalfan99 · Apr 21, 2011

For aptasia removal I use a few tricks.

If I can remove the rock the algae is on I literally cut the rock around where the aptasia is.
If I cannot remove the rock I fill the hole where the aptasia is with gel super glue.
If there is a large number of small aptasia I use a boat load of peppermint shrimp
If the aptasia population is beyond peppermint shrimp, I bleach the rock.

Tabasco1 · Apr 21, 2011

I will be ready with some traps for sure!!! :) Did he put the rock directly into his tank or did he put it into a holding system first to make sure he got everything off he didn't want?

Rockadile · Apr 21, 2011

he is cooking the rock now. he thinks it is going to take 4-6 weeks. another thing you can consider for aptasia are bangia <spelling> nudibranchs. aptasia is all they eat

fsu1dolfan · Apr 21, 2011

Tabasco1 said:
Yep, I know that there will be stuff I don't want. That is why I am planning on a pretty long cure time. Not really so much as to cycle the rock, but to make sure there is nothing on it that I don't want. But I think that there will be more diversity as far as pods and bacteria so I am willing to go this route. And will definately post if it is a nightmare! haha. I don't mind being a warning instead of a beacon sometimes. I love stuff like that.

Looking forward to see your QT tank with the rock....should make for some interesting finds. Hope it all works out!!

xmetalfan99 · Apr 21, 2011

Rockadile said:
he is cooking the rock now. he thinks it is going to take 4-6 weeks. another thing you can consider for aptasia are bangia <spelling> nudibranchs. aptasia is all they eat

Berghia nudis also do very well. They only eat aptasia so give them to a friend when your aptasia is gone or they will starve. They are also somewhat expensive. Worth a shot though

Tabasco1 · Apr 21, 2011

Rockadile-do you mind sharing who your friend got his rock through? Also do you mean the Bangai cardinal fish? Or something else.

Xmetal-might go that route with the nudis. I actually have a friend who has some aiptasia in his tank that I could pay it forward to. As well as a LFS that I visited in Denver... haha.

Rockadile · Apr 21, 2011

sorry berghia nudibranchs I have a friend that breeds them just for this purpouse heres a vid of them eating. YouTube - Berghia Nudibranchs Eating Aiptasia Anemone Time Lapse

i sent a Pm to him asking where he ordered the rock.

Tabasco1 · Apr 21, 2011

ahhaha. I had heard of the berghia nudis, but hadn't heard that bangaiis did anything for aiptasia... but that would have been cool!

Thanks for sending the pm. Let me know.

Rockadile · Apr 21, 2011

http://www.liverockranch.com/ is where he got it

Tabasco1 · Apr 21, 2011

Sweet, thanks! I got mine from Tampa Bay Saltwater. Pretty much the same premise, they have a lease in the gulf of mexico with a bunch of rock that has been sitting in there for 12 years. They have a pictorial of all the critters that can be found on their rock and pests to look out for and remove. HOPEFULLY I have a pretty good idea of what I am in for. Will let you all know tomorrow!