Aptasia

[TwentyfiveCents]

Ok been fighting aptasia for a out 2 months now useing lemon juice and boiling water, it works but for some reason it seems like a ton of new smaller ones keep reappearing and its driving me inain.....why are they constantly coming back after I kill em with lemon juice or boiling water? Also it started with only 2 now I have very small ones growing almost everywhere

 

[Kershaw]

If spread when irritated. Use Aptasia x. It prevents them from closing up. Make sure you don’t touch them with needle. Or buy like 6 peppermint shrimp

 

[TwentyfiveCents]

I had one and it started eating lps so I relocated it to my smaller tank....so I use aptasia x then I use the lemon juice?

 

[marine2463]

If the problem is bad get the nudibrachs they will eliminate aptasia in no time

 

[CindyKz]

I have had good luck with peppermint shrimp

 

[PEP12]

Aptasia X works a treat every time if used correctly and no new ones appear after use

 

[5altkreep]

If you dont have too many (yet) smothering them in epoxy has worked well for me. The drawback is the ugly spot left behind. To hide those, I was able to change the rocks a little and the one i couldnt, i glued a frag over.

If smothering them isnt reasonable, it sounds like nudibranchs are very good at wiping them out. I think they'll starve to death afterwards though, so youd want to try and rehome them down the road)

 

[NowGlazeIT]

I have had good luck with peppermint shrimp

Same here! As along as it’s early on the peppermint shrimp will eat smaller aptasia. I recommend getting a real peppermint shrimp not a camelback take note of their similarities and differences if you decide to go this route

 

[rlman41299]

I have had good luck with berghia nudibranch but the problem is when they consume all of it they will die since they will only eat aiptasia.

 

[skiergd011013]

if it has really become a big problem and you want to solve it.......high powered laser.

 

[akaemu]

I had one and it started eating lps so I relocated it to my smaller tank....so I use aptasia x then I use the lemon juice?

You shouldn’t need the lemon juice if you use aiptasia x. Aiptasia x does a fine job of killing them alone.

 

[TwentyfiveCents]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I'm going to try aptasia x seems like its the easiest way

 

[40B Knasty]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I'm going to try aptasia x seems like its the easiest way

@TwentyfiveCents, lemon juice, boiling water, aiptasia x, peppermint shrimp, copperband butterfly fish, or file fish is not a cure to eradicate it from an aquarium. There is only one way. I know it is not what you want to hear. The problem with aiptasia is it takes only 1 cell for it to bounce back. 2nd problem is if you disturb it by using said methods listed above. They will not remove every cell attached leaving you with time before if grows back. Also when it is injected or smothered. The aiptasia will go into procreate mode and send cells off into your tank. Then you have more.
If you really want to get rid of it. My suggestion is pulling the rock it is attached to. Let it sit for 3 days out side or a screened in room and do not let it get effected by the earths elements. Like rain, bugs, dirt, etc..
Use a side burner of a grill or an out door deep frier. Fill it will water, start a boil, drop the rock in for 45 minutes to an hour. After the time is up. Hold your breath and wear safety goggles when you go shut off the burner. Just incase there is any palyathoes or Zoanthids on the rock. You do not want to palytoxin poisoning and go blind, get sick, or die. So now that the burner is off. Let it sit till it cools down. The whole point of your safety is being careful of the steam/vapors. So after it is cooled pull he rock out. Let it sit for another 3 days. Then stick it in a bucket with a powerhead. Let all the die off in the rock come out. Running it like this for a week. Change the water. Do it again for another week. Then you have killed the aiptasia and cleaned your rock(s) of detritus so you don't get an ammonia spike.
Otherwise pull the rock and get a new one and hope no aiptasia has spread.