Classic aptasia problem

[Royalreef22]

So abt a year ago I ordered some corals online and it ruined my tank pretty much. I am having some aptasia growing in my main tank no w something like 7-9 polyps so far. Ik that there is no way of getting rid of them now without restarting the tank completely so what are the other options? I have a few corals and nems but they could be temporary removed of advisable. I also have a ton in my overflow should I try to remove them or just leave them? I'd try alcohol or something but I am affraid they will spread faster. I have room for more fish so I to get a file fish. Or I could buy a wand. Peppermint shrimp could be an option but I have wrasses that MIGHT eat them so probably won't be a long term solution. Any and all ideas r welcome thx!

 

[Idech]

Boiling water in a 5 or 10 ml seringe aimed directly on them should do it. Do 2-3 shots.

If there wasn’t enough, it will reappear a few weeks later, so keep checking and do more of the same treatment again.

 

[Royalreef22]

Boiling water in a 5 or 10 ml seringe aimed directly on them should do it. Do 2-3 shots.

If there wasn’t enough, it will reappear a few weeks later, so keep checking and do more of the same treatment again.

Should I be conserned about that making them spread quicker?

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Should I be conserned about that making them spread quicker?

I would see if the filefish works. I have also had luck with Aiptasia -X

 

[Royalreef22]

I would see if the filefish works. I have also had luck with Aiptasia -X

I do have some aiptasua x I could try it

 

[Idech]

Should I be conserned about that making them spread quicker?

I’m not an expert on boiling aiptasia, but i’ve done it 4-5 times and it has worked. The last one took three shots because my seringe was too small. I used a bigger one when it came back and it was gone.

When it comes back, I don’t think it’s new ones that have grown. It’s just the same one that managed to survive.

So no, there shouldn’t be more that appear because you boiled one. There will be more if they were there before.

 

[Tired]

Aiptasia-X should also kill them, or covering them (while out of the water) in liquid superglue. You need to remove the ones in the sump, or they'll get back into the display.

Berghia nudibranchs are generally distasteful to critters, guaranteed to eat aiptasia and nothing but aiptasia, and will multiply to get all of 'em. They can be a bit pricey, though.

 

[BVF]

Nudibranch is a good solution. My tank had it bad, and 10 of these cleaned it up quickly. Later, I took apart the overflow and cleaned it up. I still see the nudis in the tank, but no Aiptasia, so I guess they’re keeping it in check.

Berghia Nudibranch - The Natural Choice for Aiptasia Control

the Berghia Nudibranch has evolved to feed on the Aiptasia anemone, a natural choice for Aiptasia Control

www.saltyunderground.com

 

[Royalreef22]

Aiptasia-X should also kill them, or covering them (while out of the water) in liquid superglue. You need to remove the ones in the sump, or they'll get back into the display.

Berghia nudibranchs are generally distasteful to critters, guaranteed to eat aiptasia and nothing but aiptasia, and will multiply to get all of 'em. They can be a bit pricey, though.

do they need 2 to multiply?

 

[Royalreef22]

I have a 180g btw forgot to mention that

 

[Pico bam]

I’ve never been able to get rid of them with anything but a filefish or a copper banded butterfly fish. I tried nudibranch’s once and they just disappeared. If you go with nudibranchs probably need at least 5 maybe more. at that point you could afford a filefish witch are fairly hardy or a copperband. Some people have difficulty keeping copperbands but there my preferred aptasia remover. Mine was a little finicky at first so I fead blackworms for a week or so then switched to mysis.

 

[Tired]

I'm not actually sure if the nudibranchs can clone themselves. For that matter, I'm not sure if they're hermaphroditic or not.

 

[Gatorpa]

I’ve never been able to get rid of them with anything but a filefish or a copper banded butterfly fish. I tried nudibranch’s once and they just disappeared. If you go with nudibranchs probably need at least 5 maybe more. at that point you could afford a filefish witch are fairly hardy or a copperband. Some people have difficulty keeping copperbands but there my preferred aptasia remover. Mine was a little finicky at first so I fead blackworms for a week or so then switched to mysis.

Same here CB pain my experience are the best.
Also injecting with kalkwasser will zap them cheaper than aptasiaX….

 

[topjimmy]

So abt a year ago I ordered some corals online and it ruined my tank pretty much. I am having some aptasia growing in my main tank no w something like 7-9 polyps so far. Ik that there is no way of getting rid of them now without restarting the tank completely so what are the other options? I have a few corals and nems but they could be temporary removed of advisable. I also have a ton in my overflow should I try to remove them or just leave them? I'd try alcohol or something but I am affraid they will spread faster. I have room for more fish so I to get a file fish. Or I could buy a wand. Peppermint shrimp could be an option but I have wrasses that MIGHT eat them so probably won't be a long term solution. Any and all ideas r welcome thx!

Check out the reef builders episode where they use sodium hydroxide in a small amount of water and injected it with a syringe. I use that method to murder the little buggers.

 

[Katrina71]

Nudis are the way to go!

 

[Johnz]

I've had them for over 10 years, never managed to eradicate them, only keep them in check. Here's what I've tried.

Peppermint shrimp: I've added peppermint shrimp from different sources many times over the years, I've never seen one touch them. Maybe they keep them from spreading and I just don't notice, but they don't work for me. That being said, they are cheap and nice to look at.

Aiptasia x: Works good, just gotta make sure and use enough to cover the foot. If you don't cover the whole thing it will be back in a week. I know there are other brands and DIY recipes but I've never tried them.

File fish: I've had 2. The first ate all visible aiptasia but when it died after about a year, they came back. The second file fish is still in my tank after about 2 years, he's never touch the stuff.

CBB: The first one I had was awesome. Eradicated the stuff and grew huge and gorgeous. Had him for years until he passed for no obvious reason. Again, when he died they came back. Basically, I've learned if you get a fish to eat the stuff, they will never get them all. The ones deep in the rocks, overflows etc will still be there. I tried CBBs twice after that and they were short lived, so I've given up on them for now.

Berghia nudibranches: Expensive. Tried them twice. I carefully acclimated them, put them near aiptasia, and never saw them again. Maybe I didn't buy enough, but like I said they're expensive. I was considering a 3rd try and I called one of the vendors that bred them. He said in a tank where there are only a few and spread out to not bother. It's only when there is a huge infestation does he recommend them.

My current routine is just to kill them with aiptasia x one every couple of weeks when I am doing maintenance. It's important to completely cover them so they don't come back and don't spread. I don't think it's worth restarting a tank over them. Just part of reefkeeping for many of us.

 

[situationlol]

Some CBs will eat them. Some inverts will eat them. The only surefire way to deal with them is to do it yourself with aiptasia x, injecting lemon juice, etc. As long as you keep it under control and stop it from complete takeover I wouldn’t even consider starting over. I had some come in on live rock from the gulf when I started my tank. Every now and then a new head pops up. I just nuke it with aiptasia x. Takes 5 minutes. No big deal.

 

[Katrina71]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2344148570...XuyOnPvgTv-&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=SMS Tell him I sent you.

 

[Royalreef22]

ok I think I'll try aptasia x for the ones in the main tank. Do y'all think if I through 2 of the nudibranches in the back overflows to take care of those that'll be ok? There r enough back there to feed them for a few months at least lol

 

[mikedgrok]

bringing in two peppermint shrimp is what brought my aptasia problems to a swift end... literally a week or two. i had gone the berghia nudibranch route as well (bought 3 small ones ... wa interesting to watch them eat!) but the shrimp said THANK YOU and so then i said thank you to them. i think my tank might be too high-flow in a lot of areas for the nudibranchs ... nano with some SPS so i try to keep the water movin'

similar ... was using the old "superglue the tube" technique on vermatid snails (thanks AGAIN, LFS!)and my tank started to look stupid... 3 bumblebee snails - THANK YOU, and so then i said thank you to them