Aiptasia on zoa

[Tamarae]

Before the lights came on this morning, I was looking at the tank and found a baby Aiptasia on top of one of the zoa colonies. How should I go about removing it? Will Aiptasia-x hurt the zoa, or should I try to pluck it with tweezers?

Thanks for any input.

 

[aguila88psi]

Don't pluck with tweezers, frag the aptasia off the rock and throw away, you may lose some polyps but I think this will be best. You can also try aptasia x but it may kill your zoas as well, up to you, good luck.

 

[ItzJustinN]

inject it with lemon juice using a syringe.

not sure if the hydrogen method would work on aiptasia, you might try that too.
(dipping frag/colony in 50/50 tankwater/hydrogen peroxide for 5-10 mins)

 

[Tamarae]

Being that it's tiny it will be hard to inject. I will do my best or frag it off if I can't get at it. Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[A. Grandis]

Before the lights came on this morning, I was looking at the tank and found a baby Aiptasia on top of one of the zoa colonies. How should I go about removing it? Will Aiptasia-x hurt the zoa, or should I try to pluck it with tweezers?

Thanks for any input.

Look carefully and make sure you know where the Aiptasia is.
Take the frag out of the tank.
Make sure the polyps are closed.
Scrape the anemone side ways with a sharp/fine kitchen knife.
Run tap water on the frag to remove slime from anemone.
Place frag back in the system.

I wouldn't frag at all. No need.
No tweezers.
No juice.

Grandis.

 

[Tamarae]

Well, it may have been a false alarm. All polyps were opened this afternoon when I got home and I see no signs of what I sure thought looked like an aiptasia at 5am this morning. Will check again once they close up again tonight.

 

[Amatuer21]

Well i know for sure that i have an aiptasia on my fruitloops frag. Really ticked me off when i seen it to. Ive had the frag for nearly 2 months and no signs of a new polyp forming but i see an aiptasia. Im going to try your reccomenation Grandis!!

 

[A. Grandis]

:thumbsup:

 

[Tamarae]

I hope you can get rid of that sucker, Josh!

I still couldn't find the aiptasia I thought I saw the other morning. Maybe my 5am clinical rotation is just making me hallucinate. At least now I know what to do if I see it again!

 

[uperepik]

Look carefully and make sure you know where the Aiptasia is.
Take the frag out of the tank.
Make sure the polyps are closed.
Scrape the anemone side ways with a sharp/fine kitchen knife.
Run tap water on the frag to remove slime from anemone.
Place frag back in the system.

I wouldn't frag at all. No need.
No tweezers.
No juice.

Grandis.

Tap water?

 

[A. Grandis]

Tap water?

Yep, tap water in the sink. Running.
The zoas need to be closed!!!!!!!!

Grandis.

 

[Tamarae]

Well, I found my aiptasia again, it decided to poke out the side of the frag instead of through the sun roof where it was previously. I sliced and diced as prescribed by Grandis. Luckily the zoas werent stuck down tight at that spot and I was able to get my knife under them and clean out where the aiptasia was footed very easily. One quick rinse in tap water and back into the tank - they were open again within a couple of hours.

Thank you for the great advice, again!

 

[A. Grandis]

Well, I found my aiptasia again, it decided to poke out the side of the frag instead of through the sun roof where it was previously. I sliced and diced as prescribed by Grandis. Luckily the zoas werent stuck down tight at that spot and I was able to get my knife under them and clean out where the aiptasia was footed very easily. One quick rinse in tap water and back into the tank - they were open again within a couple of hours.

Thank you for the great advice, again!

:thumbsup:
Glad to help!

Grandis.

 

[xnetgeek]

Never Inject aptasia!

Never Inject aptasia!

Sorry, but you should never inject aptasia, you're sure to create an infestation of the nasty pest.

peppermint shrimp are a good way to keep it in check, although I have no idea if you remove the shrimp will it all come back.

I had a nano tank infested one time bought 2 peppermints, and within 2 hours half the aptasia was just gone. by morning I could not find a single one in my tank.

-XNetGeek

inject it with lemon juice using a syringe.

not sure if the hydrogen method would work on aiptasia, you might try that too.
(dipping frag/colony in 50/50 tankwater/hydrogen peroxide for 5-10 mins)

 

[fishman1234]

Ok I noticed one today and its in to tight with the zoanthids help?

 

[fishman1234]

I also have 2 cleaner shrimp already in the tank

 

[installman]

I also have 2 cleaner shrimp already in the tank

Cleaner shrimp are not the same thing as peppermint shrimp. You can try to find a peppermint shrimp or do as grandis instructed or get some aipasia x and be very careful to only feed it to the aiptasia. Good luck with whichever you decide. All have their risks.