Aiptasia taking over sump

doodledreads

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I can definitely put some in the sump. My concern about the display is I have a cleaner and yellow corris wrasse. I have two more wrasse but they are fairy wrasse, so I do not believe they would be a problem. Do you think the berghia would be wiped out in the display?
Great question, yes wrasses can pick them off. Copperband/filefish can help but they have their downside of munching on coral and ignoring aptasia. I would try CBB if your display is big enough. I have mine for about 3 years now and my display is free of aptasia (as far as I can tell).
 
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sanzz18

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Great question, yes wrasses can pick them off. Copperband/filefish can help but they have their downside of munching on coral and ignoring aptasia. I would try CBB if your display is big enough. I have mine for about 3 years now and my display is free of aptasia (as far as I can tell).
My tank is 6’x2’. Only problem is my bioload is a bit high I think. I have the 4 wrasses, 2 clowns, 2 anthias, 3 cardinals, 1 foxface, 5 tangs, 1 dartfish, midas blenny, 1 goby, 1 springeri damsel. They all get along pretty well. I don’t think a copperband would be too much of a problem as long as I get one that is eating well already. I had a couple more wrasse I wanted, but I think the copperband is going to conclude the fish list if I get it.
 

Dburr1014

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I can definitely put some in the sump. My concern about the display is I have a cleaner and yellow corris wrasse. I have two more wrasse but they are fairy wrasse, so I do not believe they would be a problem. Do you think the berghia would be wiped out in the display?
If you go that route, put them in the sump. Let them build up in numbers before you add a few to the display. If you add them at night and right next to the aptaisia you should be fine. They hide during the day in crevices so they all won't get picked off. The problem is if you see 2, how many are you not seeing? They hide pretty well. You almost have to stare into the tank a while before you start really seeing them.
The plumbing can always be dismantled and cleaned with bleach. (yes bleach)
I have tried vinegar before and the buggers lived. I could not believe it if I didn't see it with my own eyes. Dump some in the overflow too when putting some in the display. You have to attack at all angles if you want them totally gone or they will be back.
 

Tamberav

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I would pull out the sump and clean it and use something to kill the tiny ones you can’t see. Bleach then dry?

I do not see a filefish working by moving it from chamber to chamber. Not only can the Nems just repopulate the chamber you moved the fish out of but they can be almost microscopic in size as well. Natural means can work when a fish is kept there but I don’t see it working by moving it around. I suppose you could try a peppermint in every single chamber but when my peps took a trip to the sump… the skimmer pump sucked them up and killed them.
 

Tamberav

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My tank is 6’x2’. Only problem is my bioload is a bit high I think. I have the 4 wrasses, 2 clowns, 2 anthias, 3 cardinals, 1 foxface, 5 tangs, 1 dartfish, midas blenny, 1 goby, 1 springeri damsel. They all get along pretty well. I don’t think a copperband would be too much of a problem as long as I get one that is eating well already. I had a couple more wrasse I wanted, but I think the copperband is going to conclude the fish list if I get it.
the main potential problem is sometimes tangs will beat the snot out of a new Copperband since they are flat bodied fish.
 

T-J

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the main potential problem is sometimes tangs will beat the snot out of a new Copperband since they are flat bodied fish.
This is very true.
I was lucky and my Tang and CBB get along. Yeah, the Tang will sometimes back into the CBB and push, but they don't fight and no injuries.
Nudies are the only sure fire animal that will eat Aiptasia.
I have a CBB, peppermint shrimp and a Filefish. I've never seen them eat an Aiptasia, unless they are sneaking off at night. Having said that, my Aiptasia problem isn't a problem anymore. Something ate them.
 
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sanzz18

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If you go that route, put them in the sump. Let them build up in numbers before you add a few to the display. If you add them at night and right next to the aptaisia you should be fine. They hide during the day in crevices so they all won't get picked off. The problem is if you see 2, how many are you not seeing? They hide pretty well. You almost have to stare into the tank a while before you start really seeing them.
The plumbing can always be dismantled and cleaned with bleach. (yes bleach)
I have tried vinegar before and the buggers lived. I could not believe it if I didn't see it with my own eyes. Dump some in the overflow too when putting some in the display. You have to attack at all angles if you want them totally gone or they will be back.

Great advice, thanks. I like the idea of berghia in sump to try to get numbers up.

I would pull out the sump and clean it and use something to kill the tiny ones you can’t see. Bleach then dry?

I do not see a filefish working by moving it from chamber to chamber. Not only can the Nems just repopulate the chamber you moved the fish out of but they can be almost microscopic in size as well. Natural means can work when a fish is kept there but I don’t see it working by moving it around. I suppose you could try a peppermint in every single chamber but when my peps took a trip to the sump… the skimmer pump sucked them up and killed them.

I am really trying not to sterilize the whole sump as my chaeto finally started taking off as well as my pod population. I will if I have to, but that is a last resort to me.

I went to my LFS yesterday with all intentions to buy a filefish for sump compartments. I quickly felt that was wrong for the fish and got a couple peppermints that were proven to eat aiotasia to throw in the sump to try. It would be very hard for them to make it to my skimmer chamber (don’t know if aiptasia made it there).

the main potential problem is sometimes tangs will beat the snot out of a new Copperband since they are flat bodied fish.

Other than that concern, does my bioload look awful? My buddy had 4 established tangs, he added his copperband months ago, doing very well too. I am not naive to the fact that every tank and set of fish will behave differently to a new addition.
 

Tamberav

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Great advice, thanks. I like the idea of berghia in sump to try to get numbers up.



I am really trying not to sterilize the whole sump as my chaeto finally started taking off as well as my pod population. I will if I have to, but that is a last resort to me.

I went to my LFS yesterday with all intentions to buy a filefish for sump compartments. I quickly felt that was wrong for the fish and got a couple peppermints that were proven to eat aiotasia to throw in the sump to try. It would be very hard for them to make it to my skimmer chamber (don’t know if aiptasia made it there).



Other than that concern, does my bioload look awful? My buddy had 4 established tangs, he added his copperband months ago, doing very well too. I am not naive to the fact that every tank and set of fish will behave differently to a new addition.

Bioload is different for every tank as it depends on your filtration.

I guess one thing to realize is you have to feed a lot of fish and the pest nems benifit from that. Lots of food for their mouths too.
 

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I have had good luck with both peppermint shrimp and berghias. Using Kalk Paste to reduce the aips and keep them away from coral and manage a major infestation is also important - but - won't work without the predators IME.

I have tried total eradication by drying out a frag tank (when I saw the very first aip in my new system), but, if you have seen it in one part of your system... they are everywhere and will keep popping up. I would toss out any super infested rocks, other than that, a systemic solution works better.

Also, be patient. It will be six months before berhghia or pepps complete the job.
 
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sanzz18

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Bioload is different for every tank as it depends on your filtration.

I guess one thing to realize is you have to feed a lot of fish and the pest nems benifit from that. Lots of food for their mouths too.

I have a refugium with marinepure cubes and my skimmer is a regal 200int. Have about 160lbs of rock and 1 1/2 -

I have had good luck with both peppermint shrimp and berghias. Using Kalk Paste to reduce the aips and keep them away from coral and manage a major infestation is also important - but - won't work without the predators IME.

I have tried total eradication by drying out a frag tank (when I saw the very first aip in my new system), but, if you have seen it in one part of your system... they are everywhere and will keep popping up. I would toss out any super infested rocks, other than that, a systemic solution works better.

I am definitely going to look into berghias. For you and others who have used them, did you have wrasse in your tank? I am also going to get kalk paste for easy to reach ones.
 

G Santana

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Take it from experience
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Dburr1014

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I have a refugium with marinepure cubes and my skimmer is a regal 200int. Have about 160lbs of rock and 1 1/2 -



I am definitely going to look into berghias. For you and others who have used them, did you have wrasse in your tank? I am also going to get kalk paste for easy to reach ones.
I did have a leopard wrasse, didn't bother them that I saw. My ccb didn't either, or didn't get enough to make any dent that I could see.
 

Jonify

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Do you think the berghia would be wiped out in the display?
I used berghia for my tank; some in tank, some in sump, and it completely wiped them out. Haven't seen another one in at least 6 months. If you add them at night, they'll be able to get settled while the fish are asleep and find places to hide before the fish wake up.
 

YOYOYOReefer

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i woud pull the sump rocks and soak them for a day or 2 in strong bucket full of kalk paste it will kill off everyting on the rocks, then soak them in RO di for a few days, draining and refreshing the ro/di make sure they are gone and toss back in the sump
 

FishTruck

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As others have said, don't mix berghia with pepps and copperbands. This is advice that I have always heeded. I have had no problems with wrasses, hermits, other types of shrimp, or anything else. Also, once you put the berghia, you won't see them, don't worry. They come out at night.
 
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sanzz18

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As others have said, don't mix berghia with pepps and copperbands. This is advice that I have always heeded. I have had no problems with wrasses, hermits, other types of shrimp, or anything else. Also, once you put the berghia, you won't see them, don't worry. They come out at night.
Yeah, if I go the berghia route, I wouldn’t add a copperband for a few months to maintain. If I can spare their life once they are done clearing out aiptasia, I will give them away to someone local so they do not starve. Have a feeling I won’t find them in time when that time comes.
 
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