Are lasers still a good way to get rid of Aiptasia

[Estonian Reefer]

I have heard good successful aptasia eradication/management reports with a fish called " Australian stripey'' . Perhaps worth a research and a try

 

[Foneman02]

I resolved my display tank problem with the purchase of a file fish. I never saw him eat them but there all gone.

 

[Betex]

For general clean up I followed someone's suggestion here to just use straight lemon juice concentrate in a syringe and that has worked wonders. I do have a copperband but for the hard-to-get places that's my new go-to

 

[thefeds]

Best luck I’ve had is with a child’s pharmacy dosing syringe and boiling water.

This...I did this on the 2 I had in my nano. I also have a tiny pep shrimp that so far has done nothing.

 

[mdanchqst]

I've had a few filefish and they work well to take care of the aptasia, but they also munch on the LPS corals. They seem to like the corals even better than the aptasia. I have peppermint shrimp and they don't even bother the aptasia. I've tried Berghias as well and they just disappear into the rocks never to be seen again.
I'm going to try the lemon juice concentrate and boiling water trick to see if that helps the next time they pop up, and they will pop up again. I just don't want to put another filefish in there and have him destroy my zoas and acans.

 

[jbrady429]

The laser technique works if you can get the laser beam directly on the aptaisia. If they’re hidden behind a rock or crevice it won’t work. You’ll need at least a 1 watt laser from a company like Wicked Laser, and you’ll need a focusing lens with a 20cm focal length or so (maybe not, but this works best in my experience). The number one thing to remember about lasers though is safety. There are reflections off of the glass outside the tank that can quickly burn holes in your clothes (and skin), as well as do immediate and permanent damage to your eyes. Always wear laser-safe glasses (anyone selling lasers should sell the glasses appropriate for your laser), and make sure that no one else is in the room. A reflection off of the glass could easily injure someone on the other side of the room. Also, watch out for your tank inhabitants. There are reflections inside the tank too, and you definitely don’t want a fish swimming straight into the laser beam.

Others have mentioned Berghia nudibranchs. I have also used those and would definitely recommend them, especially if your aptaisia problem is getting out of control. By far the best solution.

 

[mfinn]

I've been using Aiptasia X and it works sometimes if I smother them but I'm looking for a none chemical way and a quicker way. Does the Laser method still work and if so what laser should I buy.

IMO they never really were a good option for killing aiptasias.

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

I have heard good successful aptasia eradication/management reports with a fish called " Australian stripey'' . Perhaps worth a research and a try

They work, just hard to get in this (northern) hemisphere.

 

[Johnic]

I resolved my display tank problem with the purchase of a file fish. I never saw him eat them but there all gone.

I heard they can eat soft corals to ?

 

[FishRFriends!=Food]

I've been using Aiptasia X and it works sometimes if I smother them but I'm looking for a none chemical way and a quicker way. Does the Laser method still work and if so what laser should I buy.

Depends, are we talking space lasers

 

[Shevlin77]

17 years in the hobby dealing with aiptasia and it’s finally under control after I got a filefish. Everything else was just a constant battle of killing one for another 10 to pop up.

 

[Jelbin]

This might work

lol