Please tell me that I am wrong!

scubaboy

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So I am new to reefing, I am almost 8 months wet with my first saltwater tank (have had many freshwater), I have been very patient, I have been very careful adding things to the tank, my water parameters are great now, I just got through the uglys and the algae, my chaeto is finally taking off and growing, I just started seeing coralline about 2 weeks ago and now it is showing up all over my dry rock, awesome!!!

And then I see this.......


I was just starting to figure out what my first corals were going to be, I am fish only right now. So as I understand it, aiptasia can come in on coral and live rock, which I have neither. The only way I can think it got in is either my CUC from the LFS (Turbos, Trochus, Sand Conches) or from the chaeto that I got from Algae Barn.

Thought on how I got it and how to eradicate it, I don't want to just manage it.

Thanks for ya'lls help in advance!

Aiptasia 1.jpg Aiptasia 2.jpg Aiptasia 3.jpg Aiptasia 4.jpg
 

Randomwhiteguy89

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If it’s just that 1 aiptasia I would slowly remove the rock so you don’t startle it and just chip off a chunk of the rock that it’s connected to them rinse the rock and put it back in the tank
 

Cell

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Either source is a fair guess.

Personally, I'd pull the rock, pluck them off, scrape the area really good and rinse it well. But I'm sure that method might scare some people. Superglue works well too. If it was on a frag, I'd just use the glue. You can get a bit more aggressive with this newer looking rock though.
 
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scubaboy

scubaboy

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If it’s just that 1 aiptasia I would slowly remove the rock so you don’t startle it and just chip off a chunk of the rock that it’s connected to them rinse the rock and put it back in the tank
unfortunately, I just found 3 more small ones just before I posted this today. I wish I could just remove the rock, but they are on my main rock structure.
 

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Randomwhiteguy89

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I would go with the superglue method then I have had success with that method as well when I do it I usually place a small piece of fish food on the aiptasia so it naturally retracts all it’s tenticals and doesn’t feel threatened which makes it less likely to release babies then I go around it then over it with the super glue you just need to make sure you cover it well they will squeeze out of a tiny opening
 

Cell

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You are moving rapidly towards a livestock solution being your best bet. Think filefish or peppermint shrimp.
 
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scubaboy

scubaboy

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Thank you for the responses. I am thinking of using multiple things I guess, epoxy or super glue to all I can fins and then also add a filefish and a few peppermint shrimp for anything that may pop up randomly.

I currently have 1 Blood Red shrimp and 1 Skunk cleaner shrimp. Should I expect any issues adding Peppermint shrimp with these in the tank already?

Also, thoughts on how I got this, snails or chaeto?
 

TCoach

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You are moving rapidly towards a livestock solution being your best bet. Think filefish or peppermint shrimp.
Not "or" - "and" :D

Hit it from multiple sides. You can get both of these as aquacultured specimens. Make sure to get the correct species of Peppermint. Only one typically eats aptasia.
 

lazlodawg

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I would bet it was the Chaeto. That's how my tank was exposed. I ended up pulling each rock and taking a blowtorch to the little b@stards. It worked and was soooo satisfying.
 

Randomwhiteguy89

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The shrimp should be fine with the others and if you asked me this question a few years ago my answer would have been a filefish since I had one and he did an amazing job and personally I think there a cool fish but after a while he started to enjoy the taste of zoanthids then I would find him nipping at my acans so I removed him some aiptasia started to show up again so I got another and after 5 months he still wouldn’t eat them so I removed him for a different one the new one was amazing he was instantly on a mission to eradicate all aiptasia from my tank but once they were gone he to moved on to eating my corals now I’m not saying that happens with all filefish I happen to know 2 people that have them in there tanks with no problems but after my expirence I can’t confidently tell someone to add a fish to there tank that may end up causing damage
 

Cell

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Not "or" - "and" :D

Hit it from multiple sides. You can get both of these as aquacultured specimens. Make sure to get the correct species of Peppermint. Only one typically eats aptasia.

Personally, I dont advocate adding special livestock that will need a new home once the issue is fixed unless absolutely necessary.
 

schuby

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In the past, I've used Joe's Juice to eradicate Aiptasia and mushrooms (that spread via spores and then sting and kill corals). Jab them with a syringe and give them a good dose. Aiptasia are harder to jab because they retract into rocks. Don't let your shadow cross them and they won't retract as quickly.
 
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scubaboy

scubaboy

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I would bet it was the Chaeto. That's how my tank was exposed. I ended up pulling each rock and taking a blowtorch to the little b@stards. It worked and was soooo satisfying.
I bet it was! That is the only thing I didn't quarantine was the chaeto.

Didn't know I had to quarantine chaeto, how do you?
 
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scubaboy

scubaboy

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So last night I have found a total of 6 spots, the one in the original picture which is about the diameter of a dime and the remaining ones are all the size of a pencil eraser or smaller. The problem is they are in different locations with multiple spots on each of the 3 rock structures. It would be extremely difficult to get to some of them with a syringe, as some are under ledges towards the bottom and my tank is 31" deep.

To remove the rock to eradicate would be great, but it would mean completely tearing my entire system down as it would all have to come out. I currently have 15 fish in the tank, not sure starting over is the answer.

I am trying to keep a positive attitude about it.

Like termites in Texas, it's not "if" you'll get them, but "when"!

Can they be eradicated using livestock, or will that only keep them managed?

I didn't see any in my sump, but should I trash the chaeto I have and start over with new, and if "clean chaeto" from AB is where I got this from in the first place, any recommendations on where to get truly clean chaeto from?
 

dvgyfresh

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So last night I have found a total of 6 spots, the one in the original picture which is about the diameter of a dime and the remaining ones are all the size of a pencil eraser or smaller. The problem is they are in different locations with multiple spots on each of the 3 rock structures. It would be extremely difficult to get to some of them with a syringe, as some are under ledges towards the bottom and my tank is 31" deep.

To remove the rock to eradicate would be great, but it would mean completely tearing my entire system down as it would all have to come out. I currently have 15 fish in the tank, not sure starting over is the answer.

I am trying to keep a positive attitude about it.

Like termites in Texas, it's not "if" you'll get them, but "when"!

Can they be eradicated using livestock, or will that only keep them managed?

I didn't see any in my sump, but should I trash the chaeto I have and start over with new, and if "clean chaeto" from AB is where I got this from in the first place, any recommendations on where to get truly clean chaeto from?
Berghia nudibranch will eliminate if you don’t have any wrasse or filefish but may also eat other coral
 
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