Fighting Aiptasia w/ Nudibranches - no longer works?!

[FlyPenFly]

Don't use dispersive foods such as lobster eggs or mysis shrimps - they are leading to the explosion of aiptasia. Use chunky live foods such as whole mussel or clam, they don't fly around your tank feeding aiptasia populations.

That way you easily control aiptasia with periodic injections of kalk slurry or vinegar..

Doesn't matter if you fish poops.

 

[DHill6]

Buy several of the large size berghias, they wiped them out without getting thrown down the overflow.

 

[Jay'sReefBugs]

If berghias don't don't work your problem is to far gone unfortunately . All that other vinger, hot water , aiptasia x does nothing but spread it I use that technique to breed aiptasia. Time for a fresh clean restart

 

[besskurz]

Anybody tried those lasers? I found two aiptasias.
I trying to decide which approach to manage them.

 

[DIYreefer]

Contrary to pretty much everyone else here, I've had great results with aiptasia x. The key is to cover the mouth of the aiptasia with aiptasia x before it can puke out more babies.

Once you do that, let it sit on the aiptasia with all pumps turned off for about an hour or so. Actually, turn off all pumps prior to tresting the tank. You will be much more accurate if there isn't any flow in the tank.

You may have to do this a few times, especially for the big ones, but it definitely does work.

 

[DHill6]

Anybody tried those lasers? I found two aiptasias.
I trying to decide which approach to manage them.

Yes, I have one, v2. It will burn a black hole where astapia was.

 

[Totroc3]

I use the boiling water with a high concentration kalk in a syringe. I hit them as soon as I see them and I’ve never had it fail. I have never had many aiptasia but the 5 or 6 I’ve had have never been seen again.

 

[AKL1950]

For me, the best way has been a combination of nudis and Aiptasia X. The nudis go after the ones in the rock structure that are hard to get to and I hit the ones the nudis won’t go to (the ones out in the open areas) with Aiptasia X. Very seldom see any anymore.

 

[mnl119]

Guys,

I understand that there are many articles on fighting Aiptasia so debating if I should post this but I am struggling here... I had now spent over $300 on buying Nudibranches from salty-underground, and have not seen any improvement. Aiptasia spreading and worried now as it is getting out of control. A few years back I used nudibranches and after 4-6 weeks all Aiptasia gone. This round, no luck, and it has been 8 weeks... I acclimated Nudibranches, etc. followed the instructions. I also know a friend of mine had the same problem.

1. I wanted to see if anyone else experienced this problem with purchasing Nudibranches and no success.

2. Is there a better alternative to Aiptasia X? I used that stuff years ago and seemed to make things worst. I just purchased Aiptasia F from BRS, but assume this is similar to the Aiptasia X but I am running out of options.

Appreciate any feedback.

Thank you,
Attila

I just had success putting 5 small nudibranchs in. Took care of about a dozen aptasia.

 

[Dburr1014]

Guys,

I understand that there are many articles on fighting Aiptasia so debating if I should post this but I am struggling here... I had now spent over $300 on buying Nudibranches from salty-underground, and have not seen any improvement. Aiptasia spreading and worried now as it is getting out of control. A few years back I used nudibranches and after 4-6 weeks all Aiptasia gone. This round, no luck, and it has been 8 weeks... I acclimated Nudibranches, etc. followed the instructions. I also know a friend of mine had the same problem.

1. I wanted to see if anyone else experienced this problem with purchasing Nudibranches and no success.

2. Is there a better alternative to Aiptasia X? I used that stuff years ago and seemed to make things worst. I just purchased Aiptasia F from BRS, but assume this is similar to the Aiptasia X but I am running out of options.

Appreciate any feedback.

Thank you,
Attila

Lots of opinions here.
My first round of berghia my tank was semi infested. They worked right away. Bought 12 I think for a 75 gallon system.

Two years later, aptaisia were back but worse. I blame trying to Kalk paste and f-aptaisia.
Bought 13 berghia and thought they died after 3 months. Emailed salty underground and they thought my coral banded shrimp may have eaten them. But, I swear, a couple weeks later the aptaisia started to disappear.
They just needed some more time to reach the numbers.
I was left with a couple aptaisia when they all died off. This was 3 years with the last batch.
Got the last buggers with lemon juice and a lot of patience.
I have not seen any aptaisia for a couple months now.
I say wait a little longer, check at night with a red light.

Remember, if you do try another method like peps or fish, they too will eat berghia.

 

[Labridaedicted]

Also worth noting is that the Nudis, while typically quite effective, often take a while to get to a point where they make an impact. They reproduce and attack them in groups. They also struggle in tanks with very high flow

 

[topjimmy]

I have a Filefish in each of my tanks… no aiptasia!

Same here and I love watching him hunt the rock for them.

 

[Dinkins Aquatic Gardens]

Generally it takes dozens or even hundreds of berghia to really knock out your aiptasia. Since they are prolific breeders, the strategy is usually to add 3-12 depending on tank size. After a couple months, they will have produced offspring that will have produced offspring and you’ll have enough berghia to knock out the problem.

if berghia aren’t working, it’s likely an issue with their reproduction…either something is eating the berghia or something is eating their eggs. Unfortunately, that’s a very difficult problem to track down. It could be fish, cleanup crew, etc. I wish I had better answers!

 

[clhardy5]

I have a Filefish in each of my tanks… no aiptasia!

I had a Filefish......He didn't touch aptasia after taking a liking to my zoas! He's been rehomed - LOL

 

[Dinkins Aquatic Gardens]

I had a Filefish......He didn't touch aptasia after taking a liking to my zoas! He's been rehomed - LOL

Ours ate all our acans!

 

[BuckChoklit]

I just added some nudies a few days ago. Hoping for the best

 

[Danny McElroy]

Don't worry mate, I've tried everything EXCEPT nudibranchs. It's all hit and miss. FIlefish didn't work, he just ate the food I gave the rest of the tank, Aiptasia X just seems to increase their spawn rate after killing them, and my peppermint just hides under a rock and eats whatever leftovers he can get.

Totally agree with you, none of the known remedies worked for me, and I tried everything (berghia, copper band, peppermint shrimp, file fish, f aiptasia, aiptasia x)!!! Then, I found a post about an Australian stripey, and put one in each of our 6 systems and within 10-14 days I could not find a single aiptasia in any of my systems!!! They mow it down like it's candy!!!

 

[Danny McElroy]

Guys,

I understand that there are many articles on fighting Aiptasia so debating if I should post this but I am struggling here... I had now spent over $300 on buying Nudibranches from salty-underground, and have not seen any improvement. Aiptasia spreading and worried now as it is getting out of control. A few years back I used nudibranches and after 4-6 weeks all Aiptasia gone. This round, no luck, and it has been 8 weeks... I acclimated Nudibranches, etc. followed the instructions. I also know a friend of mine had the same problem.

1. I wanted to see if anyone else experienced this problem with purchasing Nudibranches and no success.

2. Is there a better alternative to Aiptasia X? I used that stuff years ago and seemed to make things worst. I just purchased Aiptasia F from BRS, but assume this is similar to the Aiptasia X but I am running out of options.

Appreciate any feedback.

Thank you,
Attila

Try an Australian Stripey, they mow down aiptaisa so fast, it will blow your mind!!! Just beware, they will nip LPS, so you'll need to have a way to get him out after the aiptasia is gone.

 

[Daenion]

I had aiptasia thanks to the rocks I got from the lfs. They were in both my 25 and 160.

160 took awhile. I think 3 months. 25 took a week. 160 has about 5 wrasses.

I feel like the best ones I got were from TSA. They were good sized and destroyed aiptasia.

If you flashlight check about 2-3 hours after lights out you should be able to see some of them. If not they might be all gone.