Aiptasia dilemma

[Maxxingout]

So I've got a BOAT load of aiptasia on my rocks now. Started out with just one (typical) and I tried hitting it with aiptasia-x. I really feel that even though some say they've had success with it IMO it causes more harm then good.

My dilemmas and thoughts on how I should go about getting rid of aiptasia:
A) try a CCB. Downside is they're difficult to acclimate, may NOT eat all or any of the aiptasia. I also have a yellow tang in the tank. Remove the tang for the ccb?
B) File Fish. Hit or miss also and I have duncan, torch, hammer, zoas, and sps in the tank. Try the ff and cross my fingers?
C) Berghia Nudibranch. Downside is I have 4 wrasses (melanurus, male and female blue star, and a pearl wrasse). All these wrasses sleep in the sand. I also have 1 peppermint and 1 fire shrimp. Remove all 6 of theses known predators for 6 plus months until the Nudis do the job?

Nothing is easy with this decision. Nuking the rocks is out. I've got encrusting sps's and basically would mean starting over. On top of that I have some aiptasia growing in between my zoas and under the glue mounted sps. I'd probably miss something anyways.

Any thoughts?

 

[username in use]

Don't ever buy fish to solve a problem. All you do is complicate it and possibly introduce another problem.

How did you use Aiptasia X?

I have had success with a syringe and lemon juice injected directly into the anemones base.

 

[javimarino]

Aiptasia X works wonders for me, never been a problem...

 

[Maxxingout]

I would get the tip close to the tentacles, then release just a little of the juice. I'd try to get the aiptasia to wrap them around the pipe and then try to fully cover it's mouth the best I could. Unfortunately not all aiptasia was a downward shot and even using the bent pipe I was not always able to get a good shot. I would try to get that pause then quick retract followed by a puff of the aiptasia x. My guess is when that happens (just like in the video) that's when some of the spores get released.

 

[MJT82]

I used a bristle tail file fish myself... He eradicated my mojano/aptasia problem, and is now a model citizen and interesting addition to my tank. I never had luck with the injectables. More would just show up in the place of the ones I killed. The file fish hunted them all down and left my zoas alone. Beware, however, that they can be hit or miss...

 

[javimarino]

I start shooting from a small distiance and continue aproaching until explode, has never damage anyting in my tank. Call me crazy but after a couple of minutes coral seems happier. I apply fearless.

 

[Maxxingout]

Aiptasia X works wonders for me, never been a problem...

I've been using aiptasia x once to twice a month for the last half year. My rocks look like crab grass in spots now. I've got so much aiptasia now that even if I didn't kill all of them while using aiptasia x I def should be getting less and less. Like I said, seems like some got it to work and some do not. Wonder what the long term success with keeping them in check or completely getting rid of them using aiptasia x is?

 

[snorvich]

Any biological solution that is reef safe will be hit or miss. For fish only a racoon butterfly is guaranteed.

 

[Sounds Fishy]

My File fish and CBB both absolutely love aptasia.The CBB and my pr. of Yellow Tangs mix well too...in the last 3 months ,neither have picked on any corals either.I am pretty lucky.

 

[Maxxingout]

unfortunately, raccoon fish are not reef safe Even if fed well aside from a all you can eat aiptasia buffet I'd fear for everything else.

 

[javimarino]

ad more Perpemint shrimp, sometimes it takes a small group of PS to get them to eat aptasia.

 

[snorvich]

unfortunately, raccoon fish are not reef safe Even if fed well aside from a all you can eat aiptasia buffet I'd fear for everything else.

Which is why I said: fish only

 

[solidcore]

mine were really bad and seem to be going away slowly but surely. aptasia X or squirt with kalk helps but they just come back. I don't think its possible to be totally free of them.

 

[wildman926]

Don't ever buy fish to solve a problem.

I used a bristle tail file fish myself... He eradicated my mojano/aptasia problem, and is now a model citizen and interesting addition to my tank.

I have a matted file fish, and eradicated my mejano and aptasia problem also. He is a model citizen. Slow enough to catch if need be to put in sump for a later day.

 

[Maxxingout]

Which is why I said: fish only

Yes you did, sorry I was reading kind of fast and must of missed it.

 

[pfan151]

I'd give one of the CB bristle tail filefish a try. Cheap and if the problem is as bad as you describe I can't see aiptasia X being very practical.

 

[Capt.Nemo]

I started getting it too. knew I didn't want it to get out of hand.

I got the Peppermint shrimp. I was starting to get worried when he wasn't doing his job, then next day I looked, Aptasia gone. have not seen any since.

 

[Maxxingout]

I've tried 8 peppermint shrimp, not the camel hump type either. I tried putting 5 of them in a qt tank with aiptasia on some rock. I now only have 1 left and all aiptasia is still going strong. Put 3 in the dt and again, left with only 1. I'm assuming they kill themselves off or something.

 

[kenneth wolfe]

I had/have serious infestation .in all my tanks..I got coper banded buterfly witch did some damage, then I got a raccoon butterfly and it went to town ate all out of my large tank, so I started moving rocks from other tanks for it to eat..now the cbb is eating them..so they need trained a little..my suggestion is the raccoon butterfly, I have seen it nip at sand starfish, it sampled a few leathers , I have not seen mutch more than that..Well worth the minor damage it has done ..I feel as long as there's aptasia it will eat those mostly..

 

[snorvich]

I had/have serious infestation .in all my tanks..I got coper banded buterfly witch did some damage, then I got a raccoon butterfly and it went to town ate all out of my large tank, so I started moving rocks from other tanks for it to eat..

This is also my strategy. Means having a place and extra rock, however.