We have had our tank for about year and upgraded recently to a 70 gallon. Our nitrate levels are a little high, but hubby recently purchased a filter for the "water change water" and its bringing the level down slowly with each water change w/ the filtered water. However, we have noticed an increase in "anatasia" - I think that is what they are and they are spreading like wildfire. They are brown tublar anemone (circular shape at the head with the tentacles). We had a couple on a live rock we purchased. Now we have a ton of babies growing all over. How do we get rid of them? Is there a natural predator? Is it because our nitrates are high? Will they go away with lower levels water? Oh, please help. They are ruining our viewing pleasure. We have muchrooms and corals, a couple tangs, couple star fishes, couple clown and one dotty back, and several dusty feathers.
Anatasias (sp?)
- Thread starter anndonnie
- Start date
drummereef
Team RC
Aiptasia.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/aiptasia/aiptasia.htm
Joe's Juice or Kalk paste can work. Peppermint shrimp may or may not help.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/aiptasia/aiptasia.htm
Joe's Juice or Kalk paste can work. Peppermint shrimp may or may not help.
Thanks a bunch! I heard something similar to Kalk Paste on the Garth website. Is it something I have to concoc up or can it be purchased at a LFS? Will the peppermint shrimp eat other things, i.e. our coral (soft and hard)? Will they require additional food once they have these annoying anatasia thingies gone? By the way...do you know why I have these annoying invaders? Thanks again for your prompt responses.
conefree
Gene Pool Lifeguard
It could have come in on live rock without you knowing, or possibly on some frags. As far as the peppermint shrimp go, they will leave your corals alone. They are scavengers and will eat pretty much anything (hopefully your aiptasia) and leftover food, etc.
The kalk you can buy at the LFS, or go to wal-mart or similar store and buy Mrs. Wages pickling lime for a lot cheaper. Then take some of the kalk, mix it with some RO-DI water into a nice paste, and use a syringe to inject it into the aiptasia. Has worked really well for me.
The kalk you can buy at the LFS, or go to wal-mart or similar store and buy Mrs. Wages pickling lime for a lot cheaper. Then take some of the kalk, mix it with some RO-DI water into a nice paste, and use a syringe to inject it into the aiptasia. Has worked really well for me.
L and L
New member
Yeah, I use Mrs. Wages Pickling lime as my Kalkwasswer. Works great.
I've had aiptasia for around 3 years. I've kept them in "check" by injecting them with lime. I got my syringe and needle from my local vet. I asked the nurses for a syringe and needle to inject anemones... and they looked at me like I was NUTS. hehe, I had to talk to the doctor vet and explain it to him ... and he gave me two of them. =)
My tank is past injecting them... that's why I bought some Berghia Nudibranchs.
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-01/ac/feature/index.php
I've had aiptasia for around 3 years. I've kept them in "check" by injecting them with lime. I got my syringe and needle from my local vet. I asked the nurses for a syringe and needle to inject anemones... and they looked at me like I was NUTS. hehe, I had to talk to the doctor vet and explain it to him ... and he gave me two of them. =)
My tank is past injecting them... that's why I bought some Berghia Nudibranchs.
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-01/ac/feature/index.php
L and L
New member
Read this article about aiptasia and getting rid of them. Bertoni (RC Mod) put it together.
Also, not sure if you saw it.... but, I got this link in this New to the Hobby forum under the 2nd thread titled * New-First Time on RC-Look Here for Answers
It has a lot of good info there.
Also, not sure if you saw it.... but, I got this link in this New to the Hobby forum under the 2nd thread titled * New-First Time on RC-Look Here for Answers
It has a lot of good info there.
catdoc
Premium Member
Aiptasia are evil! I've been battling them for a couple of months, with no luck yet. I used kalk paste at first but even after repeated doses of it, they'd bounce back. Same results with Joe's Juice. Maybe I'm doing something wrong or maybe my infestation is just too bad. I just ordered some berghia today to help me in the battle.
Trying to scrub or pull them off of the rock will only make it worse since they can reproduce with any fragmentation. If you try to kill them with the kalk or Joe's Juice, it may just irritate them which then causes them to reproduce. Copperband butterflies, peppermint shrimp, and berghia can be used. The berghia ONLY eat aiptasia, so once they've eaten it all they'll die if you don't pass them along to another hobbyist. The butterfly fish and shrimp can be hit or miss as to how they'll eat them.
Good luck clearing them up.
Trying to scrub or pull them off of the rock will only make it worse since they can reproduce with any fragmentation. If you try to kill them with the kalk or Joe's Juice, it may just irritate them which then causes them to reproduce. Copperband butterflies, peppermint shrimp, and berghia can be used. The berghia ONLY eat aiptasia, so once they've eaten it all they'll die if you don't pass them along to another hobbyist. The butterfly fish and shrimp can be hit or miss as to how they'll eat them.
Good luck clearing them up.
webbstock
New member
I had aiptasia in my tank and I tried the lemon juice/needles method, and all that really did for me was make the anemone really mad (and it "walked" to a new location). Finally I picked up a peppermint shrimp and !viola! no more aipatsia. Plus my friend picked up 3 peppermints for his tank and his aiptasia are gone too. So when people say peppermints are "hit ot miss" imo if you get about 3 then that's better than trying to find every aiptasia and hitting it with lemon juice or joe's juice.
so the short of it is , buy about 2-5 peppermints and no more aiptasia
so the short of it is , buy about 2-5 peppermints and no more aiptasia
You all have been so helpful. Since most of the responses were similar, I feel confident making the move to rid these gosh darn pests. Peppermint shrimp it is for me-I have too many "little" pests popping up that injecting would be too time consuming. Thanks again for all your advice.
