aptasia?

triggerman41

triggerman41

New member
I have a really bad aptasia problem in my tank. Its growing everywere and spreading really fast. I bought 5 peppermint shrimp about a week ago and the dont really seem to be helping too much. Other than a copperband is there any other way to help stop the spreading and or kill off what i already have growing? Its a 120 gallon reef if that helps any...

Thanks
 
There are a ton of aptasia killing products out there. Most of the ones that I've tried dont seem to work to well. One that has seemed to work for me is joe's juice. I killed off most of mine with this, put a couple peppermints in there and havn't had a problem since.
 
I guess I got lucky...I only had one Aiptasia that I could see, and my peppermint shrimp took it out his first night in the tank.
 
kk, thanks...But is there a risk of killing other stuff in my tank if i use chemical products rather than shrimp? Ive heard to only use chemical products as a last resort to get rid of Aptasia....
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9828418#post9828418 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by triggerman41
kk, thanks...But is there a risk of killing other stuff in my tank if i use chemical products rather than shrimp? Ive heard to only use chemical products as a last resort to get rid of Aptasia....
Click to expand...

yes with kalk paste if you use too much you can spike the ph in the tank but used in smal amounts say 10 or 12 anemones at a time it will be ok. you just have to have a lil vinegar on hand and a ph test kit and if the ph spikes add a lil vinegar.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9828953#post9828953 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by GSMguy
yes with kalk paste if you use too much you can spike the ph in the tank but used in smal amounts say 10 or 12 anemones at a time it will be ok. you just have to have a lil vinegar on hand and a ph test kit and if the ph spikes add a lil vinegar.
Click to expand...

i have 6 peppermints in my 50 and i am aptasia free. but i still use kalk to kill mojano anemones.
 
I think with joes juice, you apply directly to the aiptasia, so you dont really have to worry about the chemicals, because your not dosing the tank as a whole, you can also go the kalkwasser style of killing, like GSMguy said, but watch the pH
 
You could use Berghia Nudibranchs. I had a LOT of aiptasia in my 75g tank, 60+, got 4 Berghia and within 3-4 months they were all gone, and I have not had any return. Tha nice thing w/ the berghin is they only eat aiptasia, and they will bread, so you could sell them when they are finished.

Good luck,
Aaron
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9829016#post9829016 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RightWinger210
I think with joes juice, you apply directly to the aiptasia, so you dont really have to worry about the chemicals, because your not dosing the tank as a whole, you can also go the kalkwasser style of killing, like GSMguy said, but watch the pH
Click to expand...

you, apply the kalk in the same manner as the joes juice and both can spike ph.
 
yea i agree with apayne nudibranch is the way to go. plus they look sweet in your tank while they are consuming all of the aptasia in your tank......well ask the kind lady at marine dreams to help us monday
 
Hold on - before you start adding anything else, give it a little more time. In my experience, a week isn't nearly enough time to judge whether they're going to work.

I added 4 to my 40 gallon that was COVERED (my LFS has a problem). At first, I didn't think they were working either. After about four weeks or so I realized one day that the aiptasia were all gone.

You may decide that 5 isn't enough to cover your whole tank, but I'd wait a month or so before you decide. They're shy at first in a new tank, plus they feed at night.

I know it's probably impossible, but my advice would be to try and stop thinking about it for awhile. BTW, I have a copperband that never even looked at the aiptasia in my tank.

Maybe he was eating them at night, but other butterflies I've seen that are interested in aiptasia just attack at first sight. I still think it was the peps.
 
Peppermint shrimps (in my limited experience, anyway) take out the aiptasia at night. I was actually a bit disappointed to find out that he had done it when I wasn't watching...I really wanted to see how he was gonna get that thing.
 
Thanks everybody. I think im gonna wait a few more weeks. i was cleaning out my filter today and i found all of my peppermints in it. I took my prefilters off cuz it made my tank a little queter and i guess it gave them anough room to slip down there. anyway thanks for all the feedback. if the peppermints dont do it then ill consider all your other sujjestions...

Thanks everybody
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9832693#post9832693 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Slakker
Peppermint shrimps (in my limited experience, anyway) take out the aiptasia at night. I was actually a bit disappointed to find out that he had done it when I wasn't watching...I really wanted to see how he was gonna get that thing.
Click to expand...

I have seen it done a couple of times. The peppermint shrimp goes up to the aptasia and literally tears apart the aptaisia within a matter of seconds. Its very cool to watch.
 
There is a nudabranc that eats those little buggers. It is called berlugllia sorry for the sp but if you do a search on google you will find. Good luck
 
I'd be leery of the Berghia...once your aiptasia are gone it literally won't eat anything else. Can't those things cause some problems when they die?

At least the peppermint shrimps will eat just about any other prepared food (mine loves any sort of pellet.)
 
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