What is the WORST pest in the hobby?

vetteguy53081

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Newbies who don't do a lil research before asking questions
and those that ask questions and argue what the right answer is .
 
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KingTideCorals

KingTideCorals

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I have been seeing a lot of references to humans being the real pest... is this true?

Shock What GIF


Could this be true?!?!?! (The earth probably would agree...)
 

brandon429

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Ive seen dinos beaten before at least 20 times but never seen a single neomeris invasion about ten sprigs or more beaten not once ever in reefing, so I guess its #1

the plant that the marine algae database calls moderately easy to grow lol

vs 1 sprig of that plant, I'd input 4 mils of someone's best prorocentrum slurry.

marine-macroalgae-neomeris-annulata.jpg


They're digging in the rocks via acidic holdfasts like dandelions from hades. Go ahead kill them here, put bleach on them, put some windex on it they'll just pop up on the underside where there is no light. You will never escape, quit reefing if you get one of these it's a sign.
 
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rcillig

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dinos, aptasia then the pocket book...... if I got cash I cant say no!
 

M Stein

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At the moment Aptasia. I just can't get rid of them in the 75 gal I take care of.
 

Jon F

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Aipstasia. Easily... Don't have any at the moment, but have had serious infestations in previous tanks. Don't buy rocks or coral from infested fish shops

I had a small hitchhiker on a frag in my current tank, peppermint shrimp took good care of it. Only problem is it upsets my zoas by picking at them, doesn't eat them though.
 

Lady of Babylon

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Micro jellyfish. Cannot seem to get rid of them. They feel like nettle stings if you put your hand in the tank. Since they are around the same size as a couple pod, dragon hits, pipe fish, and other fish that eat primarily copepods gets stung when they eat them and die. When they float around, they sting corals and leave white spots. Having a peppermint shrimp helps keep the population down, but then my pom-pom crabs are always on the run because the peppermint shrimp will chase and harass the crabs for their anemones. *insert sad defeated face* they are also the worst to photograph because of their size and speed.
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Lady of Babylon

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Yeah, I can’t get the asternia stars to populate more than 10 in a 60 gallon tank. I would love to have them populate so I can keep harlequin shrimp... but no such luck for me.

Bristle worms, and asternia stars aren’t even pests. The trick for monti nudis is super glue the underside around anywhere you see eggs/ bites after scraping off what you can. Aefw are annoying and if you don’t keep a close eye will kill things but once aware you can keep a tank healthy and thriving with regular blasting of corals/wrasses that eat them, or dips if your corals are easily removed. They also tend to have favorite acros which can act as a canary.

hmm so with that said if You take unchecked aefw off the table, I’m going with vermetid snails... but even those tend flair and the sorta exhaust whatever they consume and die back..
 

Lady of Babylon

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I want to know more about those guys! Sounds like they would be good in a tank with polyp eating fish? Would you be willing to send me some if so?


Captain jerk palys. In all fairness, I did willingly introduce them, but they’re a menace to my LPS frags. Every time I think I eliminated them, they find a way to return. Here’s some pics of a trumpet coral I had that started with one or two attached to it.
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They come back in a matter of weeks. They give me a harder time than any aiptasia or vermetid. Luckily, I think I finally managed to control them. That is until they turn their attention to my new frogspawn....
 

Lady of Babylon

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Can you send me some of those? I can’t seem to get my hands on them.

Ive seen dinos beaten before at least 20 times but never seen a single neomeris invasion about ten sprigs or more beaten not once ever in reefing, so I guess its #1

the plant that the marine algae database calls moderately easy to grow lol

vs 1 sprig of that plant, I'd input 4 mils of someone's best prorocentrum slurry.

marine-macroalgae-neomeris-annulata.jpg


They're digging in the rocks via acidic holdfasts like dandelions from hades. Go ahead kill them here, put bleach on them, put some windex on it they'll just pop up on the underside where there is no light. You will never escape, quit reefing if you get one of these it's a sign.
 

stanlalee

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Of the ones I've had (asterina, red planaria flatworms and aiptasia) flatworms are the worst, asterina aren't far behind and aiptasia doesn't even bother me. If your in this hobby for any amount of time you will eventually deal with aiptasia.
Basically the harder they are to prevent reproducing the worse pest they are and you can suck out every visible flatworm you see and come back the next day or two looking like you did nothing. Asterina aren't far behind Once they explode you'll have them forever unless you want a harlequin and risk starving it. Aiptasia is easy to keep in check if you kill instead of aggravate (which usually involves turning all flow off and closing them in with epoxy, glue or thick kalk/vinegar paste that hardens and it nor spores can penetrate when you launch your attack
 

vlangel

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None of my tanks have had anything worse than green bubble algae. However, I have maintenanced tanks with aiptasia problems and that is tough once they get out of control. It is way easier to deal with aiptasia before they get a foothold in the tank rather than when they become a full blown plague!
 

Sharkbait19

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I want to know more about those guys! Sounds like they would be good in a tank with polyp eating fish? Would you be willing to send me some if so?
They’re neat corals! Not sure about them being edible for fish, but I can’t see why they wouldn’t work. I totally would send some out, but I have a lot of trouble removing and/or fragging them off the rock, and would probably wind up killing them in the process. They’re very common and cheap though, because they’re considered pests more than designer zoas. You can probably find them at any lfs in the $5 bin.

Here’s a place you can get them, if you’re interested:
 

saltyhog

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I've had asterina starfish in my system for 10 years. They've never caused a problem and seem to vary in numbers with whether I'm over feeding (oh, ok, how much I'm over feeding......I just like fat fish!)

Aiptasia. I've had them also for a long time. Right now there are hundreds in my overflow.....can't find a single one in the DT. Matted file fish keeps them undetectable in the DT. Previously my Copper Band butterfly did that honor but I lost him a couple of years ago.

My answer....dinoflagellates. They are the only pest that has ever kept me from enjoying my tanks or made me consider throwing in the towel. They too can be beaten but the journey can be long and difficult IME.
 

Lady of Babylon

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Thank you! None of the lfs around me have $5 bins. Closest to cheapest is $15. I am checking out the link you sent! *happy!*

They’re neat corals! Not sure about them being edible for fish, but I can’t see why they wouldn’t work. I totally would send some out, but I have a lot of trouble removing and/or fragging them off the rock, and would probably wind up killing them in the process. They’re very common and cheap though, because they’re considered pests more than designer zoas. You can probably find them at any lfs in the $5 bin.

Here’s a place you can get them, if you’re interested:
 
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