Need advice - How to deal with aiptasia in existing tank before upgrading to new tank ?

[Idech]

I currently have an Evo 13.5 that’s been running for 6 months. It has 2 oscellaris clowns, 1 tailspot blenny, about 10-12 easy corals and 5 snails.

I recently noticed an aipstasia starting to grow at the foot of a Duncan coral (I didn’t know what it was and got it ID’d on R2R). I bought Frank’s F-aiptasia online to get rid of it and it should be here in a few days.

I’m setting up a 75 gallons tank and of course I don’t want any aiptasia to get transferred into it. So I’m now rethinking transferring the rocks and corals. I’m new to reefing (and Aiptasia) which is why I would like to get sound advice.

Do I transfer the rocks to the new tank or just leave them where they are ?

Should I remove the corals from their frags and glue them to new ones ? Should this be done systematically every time I get a new coral ?

Should I buy peppermint shrimps and let them do their job for a while (how long) before I transfer the rocks and corals in the new tank ?

Thanks for your input !

 

[dzeleski]

I currently have an Evo 13.5 that’s been running for 6 months. It has 2 oscellaris clowns, 1 tailspot blenny, about 10-12 easy corals and 5 snails.

I recently noticed an aipstasia starting to grow at the foot of a Duncan coral (I didn’t know what it was and got it ID’d on R2R). I bought Frank’s F-aiptasia online to get rid of it and it should be here in a few days.

I’m setting up a 75 gallons tank and of course I don’t want any aiptasia to get transferred into it. So I’m now rethinking transferring the rocks and corals. I’m new to reefing (and Aiptasia) which is why I would like to get sound advice.

Do I transfer the rocks to the new tank or just leave them where they are ?

Should I remove the corals from their frags and glue them to new ones ? Should this be done systematically every time I get a new coral ?

Should I buy peppermint shrimps and let them do their job for a while (how long) before I transfer the rocks and corals in the new tank ?

Thanks for your input !

Is there just a single aipstasia? If yes can you remove the frag from the tank? If yes ignore what you bought and use crazy glue. Gently and I really mean gently touch the aiptasia with a disposable fork until it closes up, put a very generous blob of glue on it and around it by at least double if not more. Anything you use that touches it gets thrown out.

Monitor daily for a week a few times per day, it will die in a few days and wont spread. Ive done this several times with a 100% success rate and zero chemicals required besides glue.

 

[lapin]

If it is only 1 try the above. If you find after a week or 2 you have an outbreak, get some of these and some shrimp.

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

 

[davidcalgary29]

There's probably no such thing, really, as a "single aiptasia" in a reef tank. If you see one, there's probably at least a few larvae lurking around, hidden in the live rock.

You may have just got lucky, but I'd be prepared to continue to spot treat for pop-up polyps for a while if you do transfer the rocks to a new tank. It's not a big deal unless you fail on the follow-through (e.g. superglue after the spot treatment).

 

[Idech]

Is there just a single aipstasia? If yes can you remove the frag from the tank? If yes ignore what you bought and use crazy glue. Gently and I really mean gently touch the aiptasia with a disposable fork until it closes up, put a very generous blob of glue on it and around it by at least double if not more.

I only see one but as @davidcalgary29 says, there is a good chance there are others.

I’m not sure how to go about this glueing thing. I can remove the frag, but I’m not sure if the aiptasia is set on the frag or on the rock.

Do I glue the aiptasia under water (is that really possible) or do I take it out of the water ? It sure looks easier out of the water.

 

[brandon429]

Direct aiptasia removal from surfaces as the top removal option

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/first-aiptasia-sighting-what-would-you-do.808233/page-2#post-8647852 notice in the thread the surface with aiptasia was removed from the reef, and what was beside the aiptasia frag was taken off and moved back onto the reef allowing the aiptasia + the surface...

www.reef2reef.com

aiptasia can't beat surgery.

Ill tell you something ironic about aiptasia. the #1 guiding fear is fragmentation so people will choose indirect control methods over direct ones that comprise all the cure runs. even though there's no pics of aiptasia regrowth in our collections, that's still the fear. its amazing psychology. with a cleaned off new/sharp flathead screwdriver anyone's first round aiptasia can be stopped cold in its tracks, one pass. to hesitate is to earn extra aiptasia

I think we subconsciously want them in our reefs as a challenge, its why we do hesitant moves that produce more vs instant stop the issue in one pass.

anything other than the above is the equivalent of sashaying up to an aiptasia and giving it a white glove slap, lightly, with wrist on alternate hip and a smirk of discontent.

 

[davidcalgary29]

Do I glue the aiptasia under water (is that really possible) or do I take it out of the water ? It sure looks easier out of the water.

You can glue it under water (at least you can with the gel form of the glue), but it's obviously much easier to do this if it's out of the water.

 

[LeftyReefer]

2 Peppermint shrimp worked for me.
I spotted a few aiptasia in my tank for the first time. Once I spotted the first one I started combing the tank looking for more of them and found 4 or 5. Got the 2 shrimp from the lfs and the following morning all the aiptasia were gone and I haven't seen a another one since. I'm keeping the shrimp for a bit to make sure no more pop up.

They were $8.99 each and took care of the problem in 1 night.

 

[dzeleski]

There's probably no such thing, really, as a "single aiptasia" in a reef tank. If you see one, there's probably at least a few larvae lurking around, hidden in the live rock.

You may have just got lucky, but I'd be prepared to continue to spot treat for pop-up polyps for a while if you do transfer the rocks to a new tank. It's not a big deal unless you fail on the follow-through (e.g. superglue after the spot treatment).

Only time I have ever seen it is on a new frag in QT. I've had it come into my tank 5-6 times and every time it was just a single one that was able to be removed via the glue method. Its been months since the last one and there is no sign of them. If they are small enough they have not had enough time to split and reproduce.

I only see one but as @davidcalgary29 says, there is a good chance there are others.

I’m not sure how to go about this glueing thing. I can remove the frag, but I’m not sure if the aiptasia is set on the frag or on the rock.

Do I glue the aiptasia under water (is that really possible) or do I take it out of the water ? It sure looks easier out of the water.

Do it outside of the tank. If you cannot get it out of the tank, stop your flow, gently touch it to get it to close and then use a coral epoxy to cover it up.

 

[acropora4u]

If it is only 1 try the above. If you find after a week or 2 you have an outbreak, get some of these and some shrimp.

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

t

.they are out of stock on nudis now...

 

[davidcalgary29]

.they are out of stock on nudis now...

OP is in Canada. Candy corals (Ontario) has them in stock; that's where I got mine.

 

[Idech]

OP is in Canada. Candy corals (Ontario) has them in stock; that's where I got mine.

That’s where I’ll buy mine but it will be about 50$ for 2 shrimps. Pretty expensive.

 

[Idech]

I’ve done the glue method. I’m hoping that’s the end of it.

I will be ordering peppermint shrimps if I see anymore.

Thanks everyone !

 

[adittam]

FYI, getting berghia nudibranch and peppermint shrimp is a waste, the shrimp will eat the nudibranch. Also, I’ve read that peppermint shrimp will eat corals as well.

 

[LeftyReefer]

My Peppermint shrimp have not eaten any corals, but they are opportunistic feeders and will take food away from corals if given the chance.