Aiptasia control in a sps system

[StarF]

No matter how hard i try, i cant remove all my Aiptasia, so i was thinking about getting a fish for it, i am looking for either a Chaetodon kleinii or a Chelmon rostratus. From what i know the Kleinii would be more likley to take the Aiptasia, than the rostratus. Does any have any experience with them?

my system is primary a sps system, with lps (acans) so i would prefere a fish that dident kill anything, i had a rostratus in a sps system before, with out to many isues. It dident go on a killing spree on any corals, but it would do a little damage here and there, but nothing serius. Dont know how they are against acans/lps though, any experience?

is there a better fish suited for the job? if the fish goes into my system, i probaly wont be getting it out, as there isent any room for my fish trap anymore.

 

[redhanded77]

good luck with the fish route. i tried a copperband, kleins and a stripey. they did "ok" with aiptasia, but they went after my sps and clams rather quickly. you may or may not have better luck that i did.

i then went with a couple of berghia nudibranch, and about 4 months later, i am visibly aiptasia free. i had 100's of aiptasia in my tank....and they did an awesome job. ever since, i recommend these little creatures to everyone who wants to rid their system of aiptasia.

 

[64Ivy]

And, of course, my experience has been the exact opposite of redhanded77's. When I tried the berghia's several years ago, I got nothing. In fact, they couldn't have disappeared faster if I'd dropped them in battery acid. I subsequently tried a Copperband (Muelleri) and have had complete success ever since. They don't touch my SPS or LPS. The Indo-Pacific Rostratus are 'iffy'; at least over here anyway. So if you can find an Australian caught specimen, a muelleri or marginallis you'll have a much better shot at keeping it alive.

 

[StarF]

I cant get any of those nudebranch and i am pretty sure my wrasses would wipe them out pretty fast

i can get both muelleri or marginallis, how safe is it that they take the aiptasia? compared to the kleinii ?

 

[returnofsid]

I have used both Berghia Nudibranchs, and a Copperband Butterfly, in 2 different systems, both with exceptional results! The CBB never messed with any corals at all and ate prepared food, very well. These tanks were predominately SPS, but also housed clams, Acans, Zoanthids and a few other LPS.

Now, I'm dealing with Majano anemone. After much research, I decided to take the risk and purchased a Acreichthys tomentosus, Matted Filefish, which is doing a great job of eating the Majanos and, so far, is ignoring all corals. I've been keeping a close eye on it, and on my Zoanthids, since introduction. I don't have any Aiptasia, but have read a lot about the Acreichthys tomentosus doing a great job on them, as well.

 

[Dynamic_Reef]

have you tried peppermint shrimp? unless you have some wrasse that will eat them! I had an infestation once in a smaller tank dropped 5 pepermint shrimp in in a couple weeks was free of infestation! now I keep peppermint shrimp in all my systems no matter what

+1 on the copperband as well have had several friends that report success with them.

Good luck on what ever you go with

 

[StarF]

I have used both Berghia Nudibranchs, and a Copperband Butterfly, in 2 different systems, both with exceptional results! The CBB never messed with any corals at all and ate prepared food, very well. These tanks were predominately SPS, but also housed clams, Acans, Zoanthids and a few other LPS.

Now, I'm dealing with Majano anemone. After much research, I decided to take the risk and purchased a Acreichthys tomentosus, Matted Filefish, which is doing a great job of eating the Majanos and, so far, is ignoring all corals. I've been keeping a close eye on it, and on my Zoanthids, since introduction. I don't have any Aiptasia, but have read a lot about the Acreichthys tomentosus doing a great job on them, as well.

the Acreichthys tomentosus sounds interesting, any idea on clams? gonna try and read some more on him, sounds like a interesting fish aswell.

 

[StarF]

have you tried peppermint shrimp? unless you have some wrasse that will eat them! I had an infestation once in a smaller tank dropped 5 pepermint shrimp in in a couple weeks was free of infestation! now I keep peppermint shrimp in all my systems no matter what

+1 on the copperband as well have had several friends that report success with them.

Good luck on what ever you go with

yes i tryed them, but tbh in all my years in reefkeeping i havent seem them really do anything to them. Mabye i feed them to well with other foods?

 

[M88A2]

+ on Lysmata wurdemanni. it worked great for me when i just started my tank. if u dont have anything that will eat them and have a sump. you could try "starving" them for a bit in the sump and release them into the DT. or you could put some rubble with Aiptasia with the shrimp in the sump to entice them to eat. gl

 

[ja4207]

A filefish wiped out 3 acan colonies and 2 complete zoa colonies in a night..... Never putting one of them in my tanks again!

 

[texgv]

If you decide to use technology instead of a natural resource, have a look at this majano wand/aiptasia zapper

at www.tbaquatics.com

Renato.

 

[msp307]

That aptaiser works awesome and so do peppermint shrimp

 

[Piper27]

We had great results within a few days of buying a copperband (which just died last week from a mean kole tang when we combined tanks) and there is now a few that popped up on a rock from the 150. We have two pepperment shrimp and they don't really eat but what is near their area in the tank.

 

[msp307]

That's weird my peppermints wiped out all aptasia within a few weeks then had babies all over the place was pretty cool

 

[NatureNerd]

I tried everything possible and only had succes with Lysmata wurdemanni. Over a year with every concoction and secret sauce. A lot of time and effort for no gain.

Nudi's were a little better and did reduce numbers but did not solve the problem. Finally, Pep shrimps took 3 weeks to completely eradicate aiptasia and I haven't seen another in the past five years.

I did not try CBB or other butterfly fish as they did seem suitable for a 75g tank.

 

[StarF]

Mabye i will give the pepermint a try again. I cant use the manual way salt acid, kalk paste or the electric killing thing, impossible as they are places i cant reach..

 

[JT3069]

Try kalk 2 and mix to a paste, use a surnge to apply to the aptasia
it burns them
pep shrimp will not eat them if they get to big
also watch your cal and mag with kalk 2

 

[msp307]

My peps ate huge ones

 

[ritter6788]

That aptaiser works awesome

No it doesn't. Not the one I used anyway. Worst made piece of junk I ever used. A friend of mine bought 1, sent it back and got another and neither lasted more than about 10 minutes. When it did work the aiptasia would shrink back into a hole before you could zap them good. It did work on some mushrooms but I only wiped out about 3 before the unit crapped out.

 

[msp307]

Where did u get yours