Aiptasia Control

jtinoco

jtinoco

New member
What does everyone use for aiptasia control?

They seem to be getting out of hand in my tank. I tried Joe's Juice... killed a few but most came back. I tried the boiling water trick.... pffshhh... nothing! I tried a Copperband Butterfly... wouldn't touch them at all. Tried peppermint shrimp.... nothing either. They refuse to stay in the DT and are always in the fuge.

I am now inclining to try a Nudibranch. I have been reading on the Berghia ones. Has anyone tried these or is anyone using one at this time?
 
i use aiptasia x stuff, and its been keeping them under control, but they come back after a week, i always seem to have the same 2 or 5 in the tank. luckily havent spread more than that.

i saw a youtube video of a different product called zaptasia. gonna try it next.

erick had great success with a file fish but then you got to get him out cuz it will go for clams and what not.
 
That zaptasia P is talking about is an original product from a guy in new York that invented. It's a long rod basically that emits an electrical charge that is supposed to wipe out them out. But you have to do each one individually. I think Ben started a thread on it where someone else took the same concept and is trying to mass produce it. I think they sell for $80-$100 if I remember correct. I don't think it's worth it though.
Have you tried a 6/8 line wrasse? Pretty inexpensive but they can be pretty mean. I had great success with one where it kept everything in check: flatworms, aptasia, bristleworms, etc. Might be worth a shot.
 
Wanted to try a filefish but don't want to go thru the trouble of catching him once the aiptasia is gone.

Hmmm. I'll look into the zaptasia.


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Try a 6/8 line wrasse. Most big systems I see have them for that very same reason--inavasive species control. The original inventor of that zaptasia is Paul B and you can find his thread here. He has a system that is 35+ years old. Pretty neat thread to read. But to buy the knock of version if what he invented that sells now for $80+ bills ain't worth it brotha.
 
deehz said:
That zaptasia P is talking about is an original product from a guy in new York that invented. It's a long rod basically that emits an electrical charge that is supposed to wipe out them out. But you have to do each one individually. I think Ben started a thread on it where someone else took the same concept and is trying to mass produce it. I think they sell for $80-$100 if I remember correct. I don't think it's worth it though.
Have you tried a 6/8 line wrasse? Pretty inexpensive but they can be pretty mean. I had great success with one where it kept everything in check: flatworms, aptasia, bristleworms, etc. Might be worth a shot.
Click to expand...

actually that wasnt what i was talking about, but i guess they might have the same name. here is the video of the product in question. http://www.youtube.com/user/adjusterfrank#p/a/u/1/KTFWE-mnuNA
 
nudi

nudi

You could try berghia nudibranch. They eat aiptasia in the wild and they are there only food source. They breed in your tank to take care of the aiptasia and then when there done you can sell, or they will just die off in your tank. You can look them up on youtube and see them eating aiptasia. Very effective, little pricey I think the last i checked they were like 8 dollars for an adult. Need a lot to control a large population. If you get some let me know ill buy them off you when they are done :)
 
I have used Berghia's successfully in the past. I have also used pep shrimp successfully. You will most likely need 3 or 4, maybe more, peps in the tank if you really want them to go at it. They are just like anything else though. If there is an abundance of readily available food they will eat that first. If you added the peps all at once and cut back on feeding right away I bet they do the trick for you.
 
Well got home from work and decided I would build a zapper!

I followed this thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=629


Not completely done and I need to install a switch. For now I had a friend pull out the side with the graphite here and there. He was my switch. It worked pretty good I have to say. Only issue is it sorta clouded my water. Not sure why. Here are some pics of the zapper.

Two of these.
12e2028e.jpg


f2013f33.jpg



The probe on the right is the zapper side.
b5b18a23.jpg


Graphite rod from a carpenters pencil. I put it inside a pen. Took out the ink and everything inside. I will hot glue the ends to make it water proof.
bdcea6d9.jpg


Solder gun I used.
7d74e919.jpg






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Aiptasia X, you have to reapplied a few time to get rid of them. I found Aiptasia X kills bigger ones better. I also take out heavily infested rock and dip it in vinegar solution for an hour, it works great better than anything I found.
 
I've used Aptasia X and as long as you get it in their mouth after a few minutes you can actually watch them go poof. It's actually pretty cool in my opinion.
 
I cleaned up the zapper a bit. Here are a few more pics if anyone is interested.


Switch
ea8efc1f.jpg


Old nintendo transformer.
82d84121.jpg


Zapper. Has some residue after zapping a bit today.
ed2bc5f4.jpg


Graphite. Still need to water proof it.
c4ad8472.jpg






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Well I had my 20g long full of these pests. I used a torch to get rid of them. I read someone on RC had tried it and was succesful. I have little butane tank from Lowes with the the attachment. Toasted all them and happy that they have not come back.
 
i finally got a peppermint shimp that liked them. it took a few tries though. he erradicated them from my tank and i have been aptaisia free for a year! i know he erradicated them, because he died shortly after the aptaisia were gone.

the zapper looks cool, but call me old school or whatever, but i don't like the idea of electricity and water.

how do you zap with out getting your hand in there, just make the wand bigger?

what is the graphite used for?
 
psuedopimp said:
i finally got a peppermint shimp that liked them. it took a few tries though. he erradicated them from my tank and i have been aptaisia free for a year! i know he erradicated them, because he died shortly after the aptaisia were gone.

the zapper looks cool, but call me old school or whatever, but i don't like the idea of electricity and water.

how do you zap with out getting your hand in there, just make the wand bigger?

what is the graphite used for?
Click to expand...

The graphite is the anode. Works as a conductor.

I need to modify it so that the zapper needle is shorter and the handle (wand) longer so I don't have to stick my hand in there. Right know my hand goes in the tank. I'll probably use the pex tubing like the thread I followed.


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