Parasite identification (Aiptasia?)

[Twaves18]

Just noticed this apparent aiptasia looking thing on my zoas but it looks nothing like the aiptasia I see online. I’m wondering what the best course of action would be to take care of this thing and get it off my coral before it becomes a bigger problem

 

[Chuk]

definitely aptasia.
Getting it out of there without taking out some zoas will be tricky. If is the only 1 (which is not likely unfortunately) you could try and take it out of the tank and superglue over just the aptasia with a narrow tip applicator of super glue. There is a decent change you'll glue a zoa polyp or 2 though.

 

[Twaves18]

I don’t really want to move the zoa frag as it is finally growing onto the rock and I’m afraid that if I were to move it, it would either stunt or kill the growth. Would you recommend using something like Aiptasia X or some other kind of in tank remedy?

 

[Creggers]

I'd strongly recommend Aptasia eating nudibranch. I had an outbreak in my 3.3 gallon pico tank and I purchased 3 nudibranchs and they took it all out in about a week. Unfortunate that the little buggers die off cause all they eat is Aptasia, but their life cycle is rather short so if you end up buying larger ones like I did, they're most likely close to the end of their cycle.

They ate the Aptasia I had growing inside of my Zoa gardens without upsetting my Zoas - would 100% spend the $100 again to solve any future outbreaks in other tanks. I got mine from reeftown and they arrived healthy and hungry :)

 

[Chuk]

Aptasia X may work. Unless you blast your zoas they should not be affected. I my experience aptasia x tends to make them spew babies so youll kill that one but end up with 10-20 more.

I do agree with the above comment about the nudibranch. I've used berghia nudibranch in my 90 gallon tank. It took them about 3-4 months but they got all the aptasia. I ordered 7 and by the end I had about 40-50 of them once they started breeding. Unfortunately, I didn't prepare properly to keep a stock of aptasia to feed them and keep them alive after they cleaned the tank. If I ever need them again I would buy them again in a heartbeat. If you get them just be patient you add them and then you wont see them again until there isnt any food left in the tank for them. They start with the small ones you cant see easily first so it may look like its not working. The only thing I would warn about berghia is that wrasses tend to pick them off so if you have one of those the wrasse may get them before the job is finished or they have a chance to breed.