chaeto aiptasia...

[OrchidMiss]

Hi guys.
Not a question as far as ID.... I know aiptasia when I see it.
That being said, I've found 3-4 visible aiptasia in my chaeto in my 1g HOB refugium... The chaeto ball has grown from about a baseball size to the size of a softball and running out of room.

Question is, can I do a freshwater "dip" or wash or soak to kill off the aiptasia? Or would it be better if I CAREFULLY remove the chaeto (which does need to be thinned out) and only put back a small amount that is pest free? Or do I just chuck it all?
Thoughts?

 

[Llyod276]

Depends if you don't need a lot of cheato and are growing it well, then just trim off a chunk that's aptasia free. Let it regrow. Pitch the rest.

Cheato is cheap usually. So replace is easy ask in FB market place people give the ****e away.

 

[OrchidMiss]

Depends if you don't need a lot of cheato and are growing it well, then just trim off a chunk that's aptasia free. Let it regrow. Pitch the rest.

Cheato is cheap usually. So replace is easy ask in FB market place people give the ****e away.

I definitely don't need a lot. Honestly, I think my tank would benefit if I thinned it out and let it regrow again.
I think I'm gonna try to remove the whole lot, trim it down generously, and make sure whatever I put back is aiptasia free

 

[Llyod276]

You should check your display, "as it is above, so it shall be below."

 

[OrchidMiss]

You should check your display, "as it is above, so it shall be below."

I keep a close eye on the display. I found and destroyed 2 in there.
It's a dirty, nasty cycle.... find one here, they spread there. Find one there, they spread here.
They're like the herpes of aquatics...
Enter my ninja nurse skills here.

 

[Llyod276]

Good luck thought I killed em all through neglect and tank crash of December 2020. Last week I found some in my rocks. Just like herpes. I hope I don't get either again...

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi guys.
Not a question as far as ID.... I know aiptasia when I see it.
That being said, I've found 3-4 visible aiptasia in my chaeto in my 1g HOB refugium... The chaeto ball has grown from about a baseball size to the size of a softball and running out of room.

Question is, can I do a freshwater "dip" or wash or soak to kill off the aiptasia? Or would it be better if I CAREFULLY remove the chaeto (which does need to be thinned out) and only put back a small amount that is pest free? Or do I just chuck it all?
Thoughts?

Snip off the strand that has the aptasia attached and discard.

 

[OrchidMiss]

Snip off the strand that has the aptasia attached and discard..

how likely is it that any parts exposed could regrow the pest?

Good luck thought I killed em all through neglect and tank crash of December 2020. Last week I found some in my rocks. Just like herpes. I hope I don't get either again...

I appreciate your input! I will soon be performing chaeto surgery and cut out anything that looks like it could be infected.
As asked above, how likely is it that the entire ball has been exposed and is potentially infected??

 

[Llyod276]

They tend to release spores or some something when aggravated. I was trying to kill these wankers a syringe filled with H2O2, hydrogen peroxide, and lemon juice and sure enough one ended up landing 3 feet away on a different rock.

I have a filefish and well he kinda takes care of it. But idk. It is what it is.

 

[OrchidMiss]

They tend to release spores or some something when aggravated. I was trying to kill these wankers a syringe filled with H2O2, hydrogen peroxide, and lemon juice and sure enough one ended up landing 3 feet away on a different rock.

I have a filefish and well he kinda takes care of it. But idk. It is what it is.

I've been using F Aiptasia, and it has been working better than anything else!
I had a couple peppermint shrimp, and they worked excellently until my spotted hawk thought I was giving him a fancy buffet....
In my 1 gallon refugium, I have no room for any fish. I only have a couple hermits and snails in there. I don't even think I have room for a peppermint in there.

 

[Llyod276]

Then trim and replace.

 

[vetteguy53081]

how likely is it that any parts exposed could regrow the pest?

I appreciate your input! I will soon be performing chaeto surgery and cut out anything that looks like it could be infected.
As asked above, how likely is it that the entire ball has been exposed and is potentially infected??

Likely- they’re like dandelions. Will release seeds and populate

 

[Wyvern]

Wouldn't a prolonged FW dip kill them all?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Wouldn't a prolonged FW dip kill them all?

And the chaeto too would be dead and aptasia are like roaches- They Survive

 

[sixty_reefer]

And the chaeto too would be dead and aptasia are like roaches- They Survive

I second this, prolonged fresh water dip will only kill the algae. The aips will recover in no time from it best to just trim the ones you see and observe for babys.

 

[Wyvern]

And the chaeto too would be dead and aptasia are like roaches- They Survive

Lovely, I had one and killed it with aptasia-X.

Hopefully I don't get any more.

Go figure that only the desirable stuff is difficult to maintain and the undesirable are impossible to vanquish.