Best way to kill aiptasia

[fishybizzness]

I see them feeding at night going over all areas of the rock work including the rocks that I had the most aptasia. They feed mostly at night with lights off so no I have not seen them directly eating the aptasia. I was just wondering if maybe someone else had the same results after adding banded coral shrimp.

 

[Stacyod]

I am new to reef keeping and unfortunately acquired an aiptasia ( one that I’m aware of). I hit it with aiptasia x. Now I’ve noticed four little buds that I think she developing spores. I asked my lfs about these nudis but was told no because if they die they would poison the entire tank. Please elaborate as I would like something that would police the tank for developing spores before this becomes an issue.

 

[Acro maniac]

I am new to reef keeping and unfortunately acquired an aiptasia ( one that I’m aware of). I hit it with aiptasia x. Now I’ve noticed four little buds that I think she developing spores. I asked my lfs about these nudis but was told no because if they die they would poison the entire tank. Please elaborate as I would like something that would police the tank for developing spores before this becomes an issue.

It would seem that everyone has a different remedy that works for them. Ime non of them worked and most made things worse. This thread was a last chance to ask the masses if there was something i missed.
Funny thing, I remember a system I had many years ago had an Lps coral I bought that was on a little rock. After a couple weeks it grew an aiptasia on one side. It was there for years with out spreading moving multiplying.
I never missed with it was on the backside the lps grew the other way, no issue.
A buddy I used the watch after the tanks while on vacation said he took care of it for me, when i got back. (Mojo wond). A month later I had little aiptasia on rocks, glass, in overflow, sump, etc.
Seemed fine until it was messed with. I broke that tank down, so after.
I have tried nudis, peppermint shrimp, mojo wand, cutting them off rocks, gluing them in rocks, file fish, aiptasia x, everything I tried would offer short term fixes only for thr return to be multipled.
So for me Im starting over.
Dry out, acid and bleach start fresh. Thats just me.

 

[Acan man]

Does anyone know of a site to get berghias

 

[CoralFanaticDano]

Sadly I cannot run nudibranchs. My 6 line and canary wrasse would gobble them up before they had a chance to do anything.

Does anyone know if I would have a problem with a Yellow Coris Wrasse or Pink Margin Fairy Wrasse attacking and eating the Nudibranchs? Thanks

 

[CoralFanaticDano]

I am new to reef keeping and unfortunately acquired an aiptasia ( one that I’m aware of). I hit it with aiptasia x. Now I’ve noticed four little buds that I think she developing spores. I asked my lfs about these nudis but was told no because if they die they would poison the entire tank. Please elaborate as I would like something that would police the tank for developing spores before this becomes an issue.

This is the first I've heard this! I too would like to know if they do indeed poison the tank when they die off. As I just ordered 6 Nudi's from Salty underground for my 75g. Thanks

 

[JCOLE]

Nothing worked for me except adding a Copperband Butterfly. Took care of over 60 Aiptasia in 3 days. Aiptasia free for over 5 months.

 

[CoralFanaticDano]

Nothing worked for me except adding a Copperband Butterfly. Took care of over 60 Aiptasia in 3 days. Aiptasia free for over 5 months.

Thanks for the input h2oh2o. I love the Copperband butterfly fish, but unfortunately I tried a little one in my 75g and couldn't ever get him to eat the three months I had him and then he perished. Mine never really took to the Aiptasia either.

 

[Travis Stewart]

Nothing worked for me except adding a Copperband Butterfly. Took care of over 60 Aiptasia in 3 days. Aiptasia free for over 5 months.

Did you take him out after that?

 

[Dburr1014]

I too have been battling aptasia for awhile now. To me, keeping a reef tank is like an ongoing experiment. I first tried a filefish and was very successful. All the aptasia were visibly gone in about 2 weeks at which point it took a liking to my zoas and Duncan. It had to go. Within a few weeks the aptasia were everywhere again. I then tried kalk paste which was partly successful but never really under control unless I was applying it bi-weekly. I then tried lemon juice with very little success. I then read somewhere that some people had success with banded coral shrimp. I got a banded pair a few months ago to try. The first month had no noticable effect. After that, I started noticing that I wasn't seeing any new aptasia popping up. The last few weeks I have noticed that there are less and less every week. Today I counted about 5 and noticed that they have shrunk down to less than 1/2 their previous size. My question is, has anyone else had success with banded coral shrimp or is this all in my mind...

 

[Dburr1014]

I have had a bcs for 5 years and never seen it touch aptasia. You just might have a purple unicorn.

 

[Panky]

Scat by far has been the best. Remarkable!! 600 gallon display infested with thousands of not tens of thousands. Scat took them out within 2 weeks. Has not touched any corals or shrimp. Now he eats what I feed the tank.

 

[Back where it all began]

As I said before - Aiptasia had start to grow in my aquaria. Probably because I have not seen my pepparmints for a while. I could easily count around 15 aiptasia allaround my DT.

I add 6 cm of this - around 2 grams monday afternoon

​

Today - I can only find 6 smaller aiptasia´s in small cavities - the large is gone

Sincerely Lasse

What “type” common name is your file fish Lasse?

 

[Pistondog]

So aiptasia x just made everything way worse. Spreads them all over the tank. I even turned off pumps and siphoned them out during a water change. I have two peppermint shrimp that aren’t touching them. I’ve heard boiling hot water works in the mouth and of course the other types like nudibranch and file fish. Anyone else have any special methods for removal!

Filefish, but little other food in tank.
If there are oreos, will you eat the peas?

 

[Backreefing]

Isn’t is just as simple as removing the affected rock the aiptasia is on ? I mean if it’s on one or two rocks take them out , and let them dry in the sun . DONE

 

[Slaviak]

Lemon juice no1 for me. Just turn off all pumps,and burn them with lemon juice. Then suck them with pippete. That's it

 

[Belgian Anthias]

Deal with Aptasia using Bergia.?
if one has aptasia then one will probably never get rid of it and one will have to focus on keeping it under control; after all, they are also somewhat attractive. One can start a culture in a seperate small tank, or use them in a refuge as a biofilter ( exit UV treated) If succesfull one now can buy a few Bergia and start a Bergia culture. The same time one has started up a second aptasia culture in an other small tank. On a regular base one harvests most Bergia and put them in the main display. They will eat aptaisia untill they starve or are eaten. The rest of the Bergia culture you now put in the second ( new) aptasia culture to support the Bergia . One may now clean the first culture tank and start up a new aptasia culture.

 

[WestMI-Reefer]

Diluted kalkwasser in a pipette, target the aiptasia.