Aiptasia

[Colin forsdick]

I feel like I'm fighting a losing battle with aiptasia and have even considered removing the rock that they are on. I'd prefer not removing as it was added, then the sand around to add extra stability due to having an eel. I've tried Aiptasia X and all they seems to do is tick em off and then they multiply. Have about 6 peppermint shrimp but they don't seem to be denting it 1 bit.

I have an eel, 2 firefish, 3 fairy wrasses, a flasher wrasse, a few snails, bunch of hermits, and 3 emerald crabs that are small (crabs are easily removable). A few mushrooms and a couple other small coral pieces,

I have an area in my 125 that they have yet to get to but know that by the time something goes through QT that may not be the case.

What creature/fish would be the best fit for what I have to rid my tank of this pest?

I had the same problem and someone suggested I add a file fish , so I added a file fish and within a month it had eaten all the aipasia.

 

[twilliard]

twilliard

What are you talking about?

To clarify the use of superglue when you touch them with the tip of the tube they will retract into the hole they are in. Once retracted then apply a small amount to fill the hole.
No chance of them releasing their spawn.

 

[WetWhistle]

I find the key is you have to hit them every few days and over a few weeks they go away. I find red sea aiptasia x the best I have used. I do my entire tank worth of them with no issues. The next day I do a small water change. The key is look for the super small aiptasia in the weird spots as well as the large ones. Put enough on the oral disk that they can't open the mouth and release little ones. If you keep hammering them they will go away.

 

[twilliard]

I find the key is you have to hit them every few days and over a few weeks they go away. I find red sea aiptasia x the best I have used. I do my entire tank worth of them with no issues. The next day I do a small water change. The key is look for the super small aiptasia in the weird spots as well as the large ones. Put enough on the oral disk that they can't open the mouth and release little ones. If you keep hammering them they will go away.

True the babies do not retract as fast as their big brothers

 

[1stNoel]

I didn't read this whole thread, so forgive me if this was brought up, but have you tried a Copperband Butterfly? I had an outbreak, tried all the "juices" and couldn't reach spots to apply the superglue method. I ended up finding a CBB that was eating frozen at the LFS. Put it in QT and it continued to eat during that time. So in the display it went. It did take it about three weeks to discover it's appetite for the Aiptasia; but I haven't seen another Aiptasia in months. I've been lucky the CBB hasn't developed an appetite for corals....yet!!!

Just a suggestion, take it for what it's worth.

+1 on the CBB

That was my first fish due to a slight outbreak of Aiptasia. I also used Aiptasia-X on the stuff I could see and easily get to. No more aiptasia issues.

 

[Anldyxp]

Berghias would work great as long as you have no wrasses. Most will eat the little guys fast!

Ah, good point! Wrasses, I have not.

Although I was afraid my clowns might nip at them. They bite my hands when I'm cleaning the return pump nozzles. It probably hurts way more than you'd expect from a clown fish. lol

 

[DeniseAndy]

One of my females drew blood. It hurts. They should not bother the berghias though.

 

[WetWhistle]

True the babies do not retract as fast as their big brothers

They get all sneaky and try and not be noticed. When I only targeted the big ones I never gained any headway. As there is always new small ones to take their place. Then I learned to target both and what a difference.

 

[Duke4Life]

Any other butterflies that eat these?

 

[WetWhistle]

Copperband works great most of the time but they have a spotty track record at best for long term keeping.

 

[Duke4Life]

Any other butterflies that eat these?

Raccoons and copperbands, any others? I know most aren't considered reef safe

 

[Crystalsreef]

The ONLY thing I've ever had truly work is the berghia nudibranchs. Tried tons of other methods to...well, not just no avail, but actually making things worse.

I accidentally introduced more aiptasia recently, and am waiting very impatiently (as they take over and slowly kill my corals) to be able to afford the good old nudis again.

Best place I've found to order them seems to be saltyunderground.com, or, if you can get there, I saw a vendor at reefapalooza CA who was breeding them and selling at a reasonable price.

As for removing them and sending them on to another person, that's fairly easy. Just wait till they come out at night and snag them gently off the glass. There's a good deal of demand for them, so your LFS might be interested in a trade...

I bought a couple from reeftown. I got 2 1/2 inch ones, and a set of eggs. I have them temporarily qtd in the container they arrived in with small holes i added so they are acclimated to the tank. I placed 2 aiptasia in the container, but they are either not eating, or eating a small amount. I wanted to give them a couple of weeks to get bigger before release. They seem to be most interested in trying to mate. So i might need to seperate them.

 

[Crystalsreef]

I vote for Berghia Nudibranchs. It took a while but it was fun to watch the aiptasia disappear one by one and then my Berghia's laid eggs that eventually hatched, and then they wiped out all the aiptasia. Great watch. I couldn't find anyone locally that would take them when they were done so they starved. I got mine at my LFS but ask yours to ship you some in. They order stuff all the time and should be reasonable.

I have a tank that im purposely growing aiptasia so mine will always have food available once they clean out my main display tank, and then the 2nd tank i aquired.

 

[1stNoel]

I have a tank that im purposely growing aiptasia so mine will always have food available once they clean out my main display tank, and then the 2nd tank i aquired.

My Copperband took a few days to accept food. I made a concoction of food using Reef Chili, Reef Roids, LRS Reef Frenzy, Dr. G's SPS Max, Cyclopeeze, and Mysis. Mixed in a little garlic...and the little guy hasn't stopped eating since. Also just added a Swallowtail Angel, 3 Yellow Tangs, and a Clownfish. They all started eating right away.

I like to feed my tank and, yes, I do keep my phosphates in check. Corals have never looked better.

 

[Eienna]

I bought a couple from reeftown. I got 2 1/2 inch ones, and a set of eggs. I have them temporarily qtd in the container they arrived in with small holes i added so they are acclimated to the tank. I placed 2 aiptasia in the container, but they are either not eating, or eating a small amount. I wanted to give them a couple of weeks to get bigger before release. They seem to be most interested in trying to mate. So i might need to seperate them.

Just let them breed and lay and the new babies will begin the removal. 2.5 inches is well into breeding age and possibly even nearing the end of their lives or at least their fertility.

 

[Bruce Burnett]

Lots of things that can be tried. Aiptasia was never in my tanks 8 years ago. Berghia are expensive and everything I have read it takes quite a few and then they die. Matted file fish I purchased one that was kept in a tank full of aiptasia at LFS it was eating them no problem so I purchased it and then after about 4 days I had to remove it as it was pulling polyps off my cup coral. I have purchased peppermint shrimp that were feeding off of aiptasia and they have always done well at reducing the number of aiptasia but they may never get the large ones. Hit them with aiptasia x or joes juice regularly and even if you never get rid of them all you can keep them under control. Most people can't remove their rock work if it is not glued together then their corals are attached and if they are encrusting you can't remove. Just stay on top of it and they will be controlled. I have used peppermint shrimp a couple of time 4 at a time in 300 gallon system and they have helped every time. This is my personal experience and don't claim it will always work but you have to stay on top of it to make it work.

 

[Duke4Life]

Here's a video of my tank, crazy part is that there are 0 around my eels main den area. Thinking of pulling down a tower and placing the rock closer to them.

 

[esolo16]

Peppermint shrimp got rid of my aiptasia, as well as rid my tank of my favorite acans.

 

[Scottstank]

I feel like I'm fighting a losing battle with aiptasia and have even considered removing the rock that they are on. I'd prefer not removing as it was added, then the sand around to add extra stability due to having an eel. I've tried Aiptasia X and all they seems to do is tick em off and then they multiply. Have about 6 peppermint shrimp but they don't seem to be denting it 1 bit.

I have an eel, 2 firefish, 3 fairy wrasses, a flasher wrasse, a few snails, bunch of hermits, and 3 emerald crabs that are small (crabs are easily removable). A few mushrooms and a couple other small coral pieces, all of these can be moved to another tank temporarily.

I have an area in my 125 that they have yet to get to but know that by the time something goes through QT that may not be the case.

What creature/fish would be the best fit for what I have to rid my tank of this pest?

I bought 6 berghia nudibrancs for my 90 and in two months all the aptasia was gone! I can highly recommend these as a problem solver, as they can get anywhere the aptasia hides.

 

[armyguy]

I would just use a kalkwasser slurry and patiently apply to each disc...unless y'all like making your lives harder