HUGE outbreak of aiptasia

ecam

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I think I am going to be adding a larger Kliens and Racoon butterfly next week and go from there, hope I dont have problems with my other fish. If I do, I will move them to my fish only tank.
Don’t do the raccoon. He turned on my sps and softies immediately
 

Branespikin

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Thats bad man! I got rid of almost all of my aptasia with nudis. But i added about 30 of them in my 65 gallon. Took a few weeks and they were gone. If you only put 12 in your 180 I doubt they would make a dent. I wouldn’t mix nudis and shrimp because i think the shrimp might eat them. Good luck
 

VDiBenedetto

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I used aptasia eating files and they did a great job, picked on some softies but no noticeable damage
 

firefishalumacraft

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I used a file fish as well. He destroyed the aptasia in my reef. I'd get a few and then sell them when your done
 

Joseph Pagnotta

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I unfortunately have extensive experience with AIPTASIA. I too Have a Large Niger Trigger (Tyrone), do Nudibranch were a no go for me as well. I will Swear By The Matted Filefish (pictured) just because you might not see it Grazing on AIPTASIA, it does most of its work when the lights are off. I also purchased last year a Product Called The MAJANO WAND from Marine Depot. Using the wand is a Great In between AIPTASIA Controller, but with your outbreak, the Filefish is the way to go. Get a medium sized one, but I would get a little AIPTASIA piece and put it in the bucket during acclimating. Good luck I have been there whereas my tank was being overrun and more importantly it was threatening some of my coral. MAJANO WAND my Friend.
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Mark Derail

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LOL
I am positive that was just an expensive dinner for my 3 triggerfish.

Expensive dinner, that got me laughing!

I get rid of mine with simple household vinegar. A stick, air-line hose, air-tubing, zip ties, and a 2ML seringe from one of the test kits.
Makes pin-point accuracy, and doubles up as spot-feeding of Reef Roid. Really quite the 10$ investment.

I slowly creep up to them with the vinegar shot loaded, orienting the air line hose exit directly at them. They sense the arrival and shrink away, I follow that path. I then shoot into the hole they are hiding in. Rinse & Repeat.
The vinegar makes their tips become white, so I guess they can't feed themselves anymore. I usually hit them twice if they come back up the next day.

killer kit.jpg


killer head.jpg


killer foot.jpg
 

alanbetiger

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Don't know if it will help but you could try the Nudibranchs again. Get a critter keeper plastic enclosure or something similar. get it full to the brim of Aiptasia and release the nudibranchs in there so they are safe for predation to get up to a bigger population before releasing a bunch. That's my plan in a few months for my smaller outbreak
 

Ehunforfun

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As long as the Copperband is healthy and comfortable in your tank the aiptasia will disappear eventually! I added one from another tank locally and at first there was ZERO impact, after a few weeks there were less, currently there are none!

I never saw it eating them honestly, but I've noticed its pretty active at lights out, that may be why.
 

HB AL

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It's been a while since I checked my overflow box, saw someone mention that, holy smokes, looks like the ops tank in there, so if I drain it and pour a pot of boiling hot water then suck it out and dry it out will that kill off the ones in the bottom of the overflow?
 

Bronx19

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There is no point trying to kill the Aiptasia with lasers and such. I have this stuff piled up like yours in my weir. I however have a file fish that takes care of any that grow in the display. These things spread like wild fire when under attack and grow at astonishing rates. Your only solution is to nuke the tank or put the file fish or shrimp in.
 

Coronus

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Drop 2-3 klien butterfly fish and a couple of Aptaisia eating file fish. Clean it up pretty quick. Gonna need to up your water chamge schedule though to offset all the dying aptasia.
 

Capital J

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My experience has been that peppermint shrimp, fish, Aiptasia X, Nudi's, ect will help control it or possibly get rid of most of it, but eventually it will come back.

You have a lot. Don't fool yourself and try to go for the quick fix, it won't happen. Drain the tank, let everything dry out - pumps and rock, add new sand and start over in a couple weeks. Honestly, I don't know if I would risk the rock, you might even consider new rock unless you let it really dry out for a while.
 

Ben Seaver

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I currently have a pretty bad ap outbreak in my 40 gal tank. At least 200 heads poking out.. I have a large copper band, 6 peppermints and 2 filefish. I recently added the second filefish and so far they are not fighting, that I’m aware of. I’d say go buck wild add like 4 if those ******* at once..
 
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