Can Aiptasia thrive in low light / darkness?

MadReefist

New member
I've been searching and trying to go thru all the aiptasia filter threads but can't find any specific mention of this detail.

A related question is why not use biaball type materials for the benthic zone creatures?
 
I set up a pico specifically for aiptasia. It's lit with a cheap bulb that's pretty much just a night light. I selected a beautiful large aiptasia from a local shop, and placed it in the center of the tank.

That darn thing crawled off the rock and up the glass to get near the light!

They can survive and even thrive in low light, but if there is light to be had, they want it.
 
About a year ago, I replaced my 130 with a new 180. I did have problems with aptasia in the old aquarium. During the transition, I put all my rock in large Rubbermaid trash can with the lid closed and a powerhead, just to keep things moving. I didn't want the rock to dry out. It stayed there for 2 months. I expected die off, so I did a partial water change once during that period. The powerhead added a lot of heat, so that water got very warm. Within a month after moving the rock into the new aquarium, I had dozens, if not hundreds of the things.

Long story, but my point is that I believe they are almost indestructable. Almost. Two peppemint shrimp, one week and I haven't seen any since.
 
Figures. They really are persistent.

It's common knowledge that they break apart into new ones when you try to KILL DIE ARRR them with a blunt object. So I have a hunch that to deliberately multiply them it should be possible to chip them off the rocks and then run them in a blender momentarily and then pour the mash into a seperate tank. to let them establish onto eggcrates or whatever. Assuming they survive this, can anyone say how long it might take them to rise up into little anenomes from this mad primordial goo?
 
I have a nasty aiptasia outbreak. I tried using aiptasia X from red sea and it kills them but a week or so later they are back. i have 2 peppermints in a 95g system and its like they dont even know what aiptasia is. Any suggestions on what to do?
 
I had them growing in my overflow box, that has a black cover on it. So yes they can.

As long as they get food, they dont need light. As long as they get light they dont need food.
 
Pretty sure Agu put one in a bucket in his garage and waited until death.

Know what they say about death and taxes?

50:50.
 
I had them growing in my overflow box, that has a black cover on it. So yes they can.

As long as they get food, they dont need light. As long as they get light they dont need food.

I was trying to breed berghias, halfway through I decided to experiment on the aiptasia. No light, no food, hob filter, no heater, no topoff...you get the idea, 2 months later they shrunk but not dead. Added a cheapo desk light and topoff, they boomed again.
 
So what do you guys like about aiptasia? Ive always heard people trying to kill them but you guys seem to like it?
 
So in other words after the nukes / asteroids annhilate earth, there will only be cockroaches on land and aiptasia's in the sea. Charming. At least they might polish the water off nicely once they blanket the entire surface.
 
@Karlen:

After being out of the hobby for several years, my jaw dropped last week when I learned people have been using them as elements in specialized filter chambers for final stage water polishing.
 
Yes you can buy Aptasia... on used live rock.

Side story, my wife laughed at me last week while we were at Atlantis (Nassau Bahamas) I looked in the tidepool outside the Dig and pointed out Aptasia... she said hey they have that too... :headwally:
 
I had an aiptasia outbreak on my new liverock, and since adding the copperband butterfly to the tank, I haven't seen the first one. I've had them sting and harass some of my corals and rbtas mercilessly. If it were me, I wouldn't want to be polishing my water with these guys because they'll spread to all your tanks.
 
They're apparently very good as filters, as long as you have UV on the outlet, or Copperbands and peppermint shrimps in the tank(s).
 
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