Widespread Aiptasia Removal

[johnike]

I received a small Raccoon Butterfly from LA this morning. After acclimation, I released into the QT where he swam to the bottom and ate a aiptasia.

Good deal.

Does a raccoon prefer aptasia over coral? Put another way, can you introduce a racoon and then remove them after they have cleaned up the aptasia.

From what I've witnessed, yes.
They are like candy to them.

 

[JohnnyB in SD]

If you take out 2/3 of your rock, you will not take care of your problem, just delay it a few months.
There is aiptasia in all of your rock, they may be very tiny and you don't see them.
Your only real options to solve the problem are;
1. Completely tear down the system and sterilize in whichever way you choose
2. Get something that will help control them...Butterfly or filefish
3. Get something that will eradicate them...Berghias

As bbaz says, acid bath for your rock will not eliminate them, just reduce the population for awhile. Look around carefully, they can be throughout your whole system, not just in the display rock. They will be back.
Natural control methods if you don't want to sterilize everything and start over with strict QT protocols.
CBB works for me but it takes awhile to make an impact on that large an infestation, and only keeps them in check, doesn't eradicate them. Berghias are effective but it takes a fair amount of them, and you shouldn't have fish that would eat them. Don't skimp even though you'll be tempted because of their cost. One or two will not do it, you'll need a breeding population or it could end up being wasted money.

 

[agold11520]

Trade your cuttlefish in and get another. Mine wiped out a large infestation in my tank in a few weeks.

 

[agold11520]

That was filefish!

 

[rjallen]

Guys.....I too have an issue. Have a healthy black worm eating Copperband who ignores aptasia. Been considering the Nudis- my Hovens Wrasse would love them I think so a Matted File Fish was next....

I thought a Racoon is not reef safe... and might kill the Copperband?

Comments?


RJ

 

[johnike]

Raccoon is nowhere near reef safe.
My Raccoon, Copperband, and Pearlscale all get along just fine.

 

[rjallen]

6 1/2 Berghias= $79.16 [According to seller I should have 1 per 10 gal.= 12]
Overnight Shipping estimate my location= $58.00.

Total= $137.00 and change

Colony may or may not take. Plenty of aptasia good hiding in extensive live rocks Possible preditors shrimp- I have a pair of cleaner shrimp and they are very active on the rocks at night. Lawn Mower Blenny is also very active at night...I've seen him eat small critters. Non aptasia eating Copperband active at night ???? Hovens wrasse, day only, eats anything moving on the rocks. Pretty sure he might eat them if caught out and about in the day. Bristle worms are around but some what reduced by the wrasse.

So, like to hear from your Berghia freaks. Sucess and failures with Berghias. My water has good chemistry- healthy snail and other cleanup crew critters- hermits, small brittle stars.

A lot of dinero throw against the wall. Want to make sure it sticks.

RJ

 

[ca1ore]

Does this clean the system or just keep them out of sight while the butterfly is still there?

Most biological controls will be the latter. Pest is 'gone' as long as the predator is present. Remove the predator and the pest returns. I've seen this happen countless times. Consequently, if you are going to go with a predator, figure it's there for good.

 

[catman78]

Matted File fish.
For $25 or so at LFS give it a try. If may take a while for it to start eating them but eventually it will.
Ive had two file fish over the years, neither one bothered corals. If they do then they are easy to catch and bring back for store credit.

Don't waste your money on Nudi's. I spent over $100 on a batch of them, total waste

 

[david_lee]

My emperor angle and queen took care of my aphasia problem in my 180gal mix reef after trying a CB,pep shrimp,file fish,aptasia x,kalk,etc..

 

[rjallen]

Thanks folks

I know a Queen angel will eat em up...along with most of my coral. Guess I will try a file fish but its got to be mail order or a 300 mile round trip to a LFS. Either way, its going to cost as I don't NEED anything else. Anybody knows who sells mated pairs? That might increase my odds. Going to set up my QT tank as a frag tank/ ark. If the little guy goes rouge on me I will have a place to but affected corals. Just ordered a cheap LED light that will make them happy.

RJ

 

[MrSkumFrog]

I had a filefish remove all of my aphasia in a matter of days! By the end of week 2, he ate 5 Acan colonies.

 

[rjallen]

I had a filefish remove all of my aphasia in a matter of days! By the end of week 2, he ate 5 Acan colonies.

Mr Skum Frog [like the name]

So I guess you took the file fish out?? Did your Aptasia come back?

RJ