total aiptasia infestation
- Thread starter fishgate
- Start date
usingthejohn
New member
Peppermint shrimp. I tossed a few in a couple weeks ago and didn't notice a difference. Woke up one day and they were all gone
Kungpaoshizzi
In Memoriam
Peppermint shrimp.
Berghia's are too expensive.. (and delicate)
Berghia's are too expensive.. (and delicate)
Silvergryphon
Member
Although, from the sounds of it OP might be able to breed berghias and sell them lol.
fishgate
Active member
I can't keep peppermints alive. They last like 6 months at best in my tank. I was thinking of a copper band butterfly too. Maybe a combination of all three. I am most concerned about the ones in the weirs. Not sure how to get them out. I guess I could scrape them off and let the planulas loose to be eaten eventually.
Does Aiptasia sting?
Does Aiptasia sting?
usingthejohn
New member
Cbb is hit or miss. Some will eat aiptasia while othets wont. Furthermore theyre difficult to find a healthy and eating specimen. If you want to use a fish try a matted filefish. They are known to eat aiptasia.
And yes. Aiptasia will sting corals.
schatzi
Professional amateur
IME peppermint shrimp work excellent on aiptasia and yes they don't seem to live very long. For me this was a good thing. Once they cleaned out the aiptasia they started in on my LPS, so I was happy to see them die off. They are useful but evil.
I was going to attempt a filefish but it died in QT. They seem to be very delicate and just float around. Pretty neat actually, but the one I had got stuck against the intake to a hydor pico powerhead and that's where I found him.
I was going to attempt a filefish but it died in QT. They seem to be very delicate and just float around. Pretty neat actually, but the one I had got stuck against the intake to a hydor pico powerhead and that's where I found him.
Kungpaoshizzi
In Memoriam
One thing that works quite well too is get yourself a syringe, get some uhhh turbo calcium(?) and then dissolve some and inject it into the larger aptasia...
They don't like, but be careful you don't jack your calcium levels up too high..
They don't like, but be careful you don't jack your calcium levels up too high..
firemountain
New member
I have a few small ones that just popped up on my rock. Came in as a hitch hiker of my LFS live rock. Heard good things about Aiptasia -X from Red Sea, so I figured I would give that a try first. Anyone ever use this with good success without it spreading/ releasing the more larvae into the water column?
So last night I saw two Berghia for the first time in a week, and this morning one was still working on an aiptasia. These guys do get the job done I think, but at a snails pace. HAHAHAHAHAHA Couldn't resist. Maybe the number of Berghia needs to be higher, which is course expensive. They are short lived and hard to find in my tank (plenty of rock) so it's likely difficult to pass them along to another aquarist.
I just bought some a couple of months ago to try it for myself. I covered about 8 anemones stuck to glass with the stuff so I could watch it work. None of them died. They only retracted for a couple of weeks. It is a useless product IMO.
fishgate
Active member
I had good luck with AptasiaX but I have too many for that now and they are too inaccessible.
I thought of another method of eradication - lasers! I have heard good things about this and allows me to get all of them that I can see. Any advice on the laser method including what laser to buy off ebay?
If I kill like 100 of them at once I am concerned my ammonia will spike. So I will take my time getting rid of them. It is absolutely amazing how fast they grow and spread!
I thought of another method of eradication - lasers! I have heard good things about this and allows me to get all of them that I can see. Any advice on the laser method including what laser to buy off ebay?
If I kill like 100 of them at once I am concerned my ammonia will spike. So I will take my time getting rid of them. It is absolutely amazing how fast they grow and spread!
ksSTL
New member
I am a newbie and don't even have my 1st tank set up yet... just learning, so forgive my dumb question... but these aphasias... why can't you just pull them off your rock with tongs or something? Again, I know I probably sound stupid to the experienced people out there, but I really am curious.......
usingthejohn
New member
Can't scrape them off within tank cause they'll release babies that'll spread the infestation. Plus they'll retract immediately within any crevices where they set their foot.
Hi ksSTL. No stupid questions here.
Aiptasia is an exceptionally hardy and fast reproducing cnidarian. Think of it as a little anemone with the characteristic of the Greek mythic Hydra. Cut off one head and two grow back. Except each single cell can grow into a new organism. When disturbed they eject "spores" (don't know the correct term) that float in the water column and when they alight grow into new aiptasia. And any chemical that would kill them will nuke your corals too.
Tough guys!
Otoh they are used in research on corals for the same reasons.
Aiptasia is an exceptionally hardy and fast reproducing cnidarian. Think of it as a little anemone with the characteristic of the Greek mythic Hydra. Cut off one head and two grow back. Except each single cell can grow into a new organism. When disturbed they eject "spores" (don't know the correct term) that float in the water column and when they alight grow into new aiptasia. And any chemical that would kill them will nuke your corals too.
Tough guys!
Otoh they are used in research on corals for the same reasons.
