Looking for help with Aiptasia

[jimlundborg]

I've neglected the tank a little and need to now deal with the algae and the Aiptasia that has popped up and is starting to spread.

Below is a picture of the tank you can see the algae and if you look close the Aiptasia. I've been lucky enough to have never had to deal with this before. In the past if I saw one I removed it in time. My tank is a 55 cube and I need some suggestions on next steps. File fish? Berghia? something else?

 

[jimlundborg]

<a href="http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/saltcreep/media/IMG_20170305_185904_zps45mk3x6c.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af223/saltcreep/IMG_20170305_185904_zps45mk3x6c.jpg" border="0" alt="topdown photo IMG_20170305_185904_zps45mk3x6c.jpg"/></a>

 

[Vanpire]

File fish worked really well for me. Got rid of all of the aptasia in a month, but then he started going one of my favorite zoas. Left all the other zoas alone except my favorite so I took him back. Have a really cool copperband now and haven't seen aptasias forever.

 

[Stolireef]

Lasers work well. So does kalk paste.

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[AZBigJohn]

In my small tank (29 gallon) berghia worked very well. They are pricey, but I was lucky enough to find a local member who wanted to pass hers on. That was some time ago, unfortunately.

In my larger tank it got out of hand very quickly, and I kept it at bay for a period of time with aptasia X and kalk paste, but eventually they won, and the aptasia outbreak of biblical proportions defeated me... Tank got a complete reboot, with very careful frag inspections from now on (which is how it got in the big tank originally)

 

[Vanpire]

BTW, I have the laser with laser safety glasses. You can borrow it if I can find it.

Won't promise you won't blind yourself, others or your fish though.

 

[garrettp36]

Peppermint shrimp. Cheap and easy to catch it they start eating softies, but I never had issues with them.


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[jimlundborg]

How effective is the laser? I mean I know what it does but does the Aiptasia spread even worse after you incinerate them?

BTW, I have the laser with laser safety glasses. You can borrow it if I can find it.

Won't promise you won't blind yourself, others or your fish though.

 

[Stolireef]

It's very effective for the ones you can hit. Plus you get to shoot lasers at bad guys. Win/win.

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[Vanpire]

I heard it was very effective because it literally burns everything. I didn't use so I don't know.

 

[Stolireef]

I've seen them work several times. Couple of important rules:

1. Always wear protective eye gear. It takes less than a second to wreck your eyes from a stray reflection.

2. Make sure your glass is spotless and avoid using it near any scratches.

3. When the aliens appear, it's important that you shoot the laser at the soft spot just under their second set of abdominal legs.

4. Against all robotic enemies, the vulnerable part is usually directly through the eyes. It also works on hydraulic parts that use softer polymers.

5. Lasers don't work on ghosts but some demons can be killed. The Gatekeeper and the Keymaster have no defense against lasers.

 

[Stolireef]

And the first one to get the reference on 5 gets a free beer from me at the next PROP auction.

 

[AZBigJohn]

And the first one to get the reference on 5 gets a free beer from me at the next PROP auction.

My first thought was Ghostbusters, but I am not entirely sure...

I'll stick with it, what's a little public embarrassment for being wrong???

 

[Vanpire]

I think Ghost Busters is correct.

 

[Stolireef]

My first thought was Ghostbusters, but I am not entirely sure...

I'll stick with it, what's a little public embarrassment for being wrong???

Winner winner chicken dinner.

 

[AZBigJohn]

Now I wish I hadn't edited it to rein in my enthusiasm....