Ugh Algae & Aiptasia???

[Tarabelle]

For months I have been trying to identify what I thought was Aiptasia on a snail shell. After multiple hospital stays in the last two months and very minimal tank care because my kids don’t know what to do, I’m home and I see this Should I just remove the whole rock? The tank is struggling now. Almost all of my crabs have died and that algae is starting to take over rocks.

 

[Lavey29]

You can take the rock out and scrub it clean in some old tank water during a water change.

 

[Tarabelle]

You can take the rock out and scrub it clean in some old tank water during a water change.

I have 5 big rocks should I pull them all out? Would that be too much?

 

[vetteguy53081]

For months I have been trying to identify what I thought was Aiptasia on a snail shell. After multiple hospital stays in the last two months and very minimal tank care because my kids don’t know what to do, I’m home and I see this Should I just remove the whole rock? The tank is struggling now. Almost all of my crabs have died and that algae is starting to take over rocks.

If only a few aptasia, keep it simple by using a syringe or pipette, inject either lemon juice or better yet. . kalkwasser powder mixed with tank water into a paste the consistency of toothpaste and inject into the very center core and it will melt away
Once you have dealt with aptasia, the algae is next. One thing im concerned with is the type of algae which looks like derbesia (similar to bryopsis) versus hair algae. With either, you can pull as much as you can by hand, With hair algae, you then add snails and let them finish the job. If derbesia, you have to eliminate the roots. If you have pulled the algae and it keeps returning - Likely derbesia and best removed with a dental pick or small crochet needle, pull the roots off the rock. YOU MUST GET EVERY ROOT OR IT WILL SIMPLY RETURN !!