Aiptasia treament if you can remove rock...

[Coxey81]

Hi, long story short I bought a used tank a little over a month ago and moved it and have not permanently set up the rock (which was started as dry but is now mostly covered in green and purple corraline). So I basically have a FOWLR system, no coral, and the rock is arranged, but not adhered in any way. Planning on doing later and adding coral, but was gonna try to master FOWLR first.


Didn't really know what aiptasia when I got the tank, but I do now. Don't know how I missed them the first month, but the last two weeks I have had a few pop up now that I saw the first and stated looking.

First one was on a very small rock and I just took it out and discarded it. But the last three have been on larger rocks. They have all been very small. Size of a pencil eraser or so.

With the last three I have gently taken the rock out, at that time the aiptasia likes to retreat to its hole and just be a slimy blob. Then I have removed it with a knife and then taken a qtip heabvily soaked in vinegar and heavily stabbed the area. Then took a lighter to the area. Then rinsed area with rodi and replaced the rock. These "areas" are about penny size I'm treating.

I would like to be rid of them before I permanently place the rock and introduce coral. Does this seem like a good method considering I can take out the rock and do this?

Any other better ways considering I can remove the rock?

Obviously not trying to kill all the corralline, bacteria, etc... but figured treating small areas this way would be ok.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[GHOSTLY]

If it’s out of the tank dry it or pour vinegar on it

 

[Coxey81]

Hi, long story short I bought a used tank a little over a month ago and moved it and have not permanently set up the rock (which was started as dry but is now mostly covered in green and purple corraline). So I basically have a FOWLR system, no coral, and the rock is arranged, but not adhered in any way. Planning on doing later and adding coral, but was gonna try to master FOWLR first.


Didn't really know what aiptasia when I got the tank, but I do now. Don't know how I missed them the first month, but the last two weeks I have had a few pop up now that I saw the first and stated looking.

First one was on a very small rock and I just took it out and discarded it. But the last three have been on larger rocks. They have all been very small. Size of a pencil eraser or so.

With the last three I have gently taken the rock out, at that time the aiptasia likes to retreat to its hole and just be a slimy blob. Then I have removed it with a knife and then taken a qtip heabvily soaked in vinegar and heavily stabbed the area. Then took a lighter to the area. Then rinsed area with rodi and replaced the rock. These "areas" are about penny size I'm treating.

I would like to be rid of them before I permanently place the rock and introduce coral. Does this seem like a good method considering I can take out the rock and do this?

Any other better ways considering I can remove the rock?

Obviously not trying to kill all the corralline, bacteria, etc... but figured treating small areas this way would be ok.

Thanks for any advice.

Also, I have read all the different ways to go about ridding a tank of it, but looking for what everyone thought was the best way with the fact I can remove the rock. Would like to get peppermint shrimp, but heard my coral banded might eat them, they are a toss up if they'll eat aiptasia, and might eat coral later on. Willing to do a nudibranch if needed, but thought I'd try this first.

 

[Coxey81]

If it’s out of the tank dry it or pour vinegar on it

 

[Coxey81]

K, yeah that's basically what I've done. Also hit the area with a flame for a while afterwords. First two I scraped off, then applied vinegar to the area. The last one was in a complex hole and I couldn't scrape it out first. So I poured vinegar in the hole and out it came. In the future I think I'll skip the scraping and just squirt it with vinegar.