aiptasia--once and for all

[LawAce16]

okay, I can deal w/aiptasia no longer.

What's everyone's suggestion for a definite way to get rid of the stuff? I've had no luck w/the kalk injection method, and I prefer a "natural" way of exterminating the things (e.g. no Joe's Juice, etc.).

Any suggestions?

 

[dymaxiun]

1000 Peppermint shrimps..... well not that many, but it would work. how big of a tank do you have? how bad is the problem?

 

[LawAce16]

I have a standard 60g. I've got probably a couple dozen of them or more. I'm just sick of seeing them.

Any place where I can get peppermints cheap? I usually rely on Tong's for just about everything, but paying $12 for peppermint shrimp seems obscene.

 

[ReefLife1680]

pepermint shrimp for 12? that's just crazy! you can get them for around 5 or 6 bucks only .... yes peppermints will do the job ... get enough of them and you are BOUND to get ONE that likes eating it ...

LawAce16 ... which school?

 

[bryang6286]

tongs has the worst prices, cool store but horrible prices

 

[LawAce16]

Chapman Law.

So, any recommendations for a source of peppermints?

 

[kusanagiz]

peppermints worked to an extent for me as well. they won't tackle the big aiptasias. you'll need to handle that yourself using kalk or joe's juice.

what I did was for every new peppermint shrimp i got...i founjd a way to stick an aiptasia in the bag while acclimating. the shrimp would attack it. plus if you feed it other food, i think that might spoil the peppermint shrimp to not go after aiptasia. i've been guilty of that recently so hopefully it doesn't stop eating aiptasia. only downside is that it also eats the filter feeders.

oh yeah i have 2 cleaners and 2 pepps in my 60 gallon and it's an interesting power struggle w/ those shrimps. the biggest is the cleaner and anytime i feed a piece of meet to the shrimps, the pepps will come out and if they get tooc lose the big cleaner will chase it away.

 

[BlueStag]

I just bought 4 of them from Seaside in Huntington Beach. I don't remember exactly, but I think they were $5 each.

 

[yeloyoshi]

what about the aiptasia eating nudibranch... i saw a thread once on RC about it and it's success

 

[Frankysreef]

You could attack the problem a different way and try to cut down on your nutrients...

Wet skim, add carbon, change more volume of water when it comes to water change time...

You'd be surprised... all my aiptasia went away by themselves when I added a second skimmer and 2 more bags of carbon...

My xenia quit growing too... it lives... looks good, but just doesnt grow like a weed any more and I am happy with that.

 

[Zaphod]

Pepermints it only took 2 for my 90.

 

[DANNY G2004]

I had some aiptasia I bought a goldflake angel and they are all gone could it be the Angel?

 

[Entropy]

I used peppermints as well. I bought three, and they cleaned house (all except one). Haven't seen any (or the peppermints) since, but I still have the one aptasia.

 

[frekcles]

I tried to add a couple of peppermints. They both disappeared. I'll try adding more than a couple next time. What worked for me though was a shot of hot water through a syringe.

 

[LawAce16]

thanks everyone--I'll try the multiple peppermint shrimp approach and see what happens

 

[tptp279]

there's also the copperband butterfly... they'll go after feather dusters though...

 

[Gooli]

joe's juice works great

 

[Crusty Old Shellback]

I've tried them all, CBB's, Shrimp, Nudies, and none of them have worked. Even the Joe's dosen't work all that well. Any other advice?

Danny, want to loan me your goldflake?

 

[supaboy1981]

Kliens butter fly works well too

 

[So Cal shaggy]

peppermints worked fine for me on aptaisia a few years ago I need to get some more since they are all gone now I agree that Tongs is a bit pricey especially on dry goods they have decently priced frags though