Aiptasia Anemone Outbreak!!

[brianaM10]

So we bought a small Zoanthid coral shortly after we got our tank up, running and alive. It's doing great, but we noticed a small anemone growing on it after a while. Thinking it was like a cool bonus, it got bigger and bigger. I found out it was an Aiptasia anemone which is an invasive species, and was told it was bad for zoanthid coral. I did notice the bigger it got, my coral wouldn't open up. Upon instructions from my local fish store person, I tried to remove it, yes the big one is gone, but now they are growing everywhere in my tank! I purchased two peppermint shrimp, and nothing has happened since we got them except one died a little over a week after we got them, and now my coral is infested with them. How can I get rid of them, especially on my coral. I was told by different pet/fish stores that Aiptasia X works great, but is it safe to use on the anemone on my coral? I seen straight lemon juice works also. But not everything read online works, so I figured someone here had a personal experience with this that could help? Don't want to kill that

 

[Leadfooted]

Call/search Reeftown. Or mess around trying to kill them 100 other ways only to end up right where you are today.

 

[sde1500]

I have had some in my tank for the last 4 years. Never really got out of control. Recently they started to show signs of aggressive spreading. Tossed 4 or 5 peppermints in, my melanurus ate a couple. It was not a 100% solution, but it did knock back a good number of them. Going to eliminate the rest manually that I can see using aiptasiaX.

I'd use berghia if I could, the wrasse would certainly eat them. If you do not have that problem, look into using them. It is not an overnight fix, but they are obligate aiptasia eaters.

 

[dantimdad]

Use berghia and f-aptasia from @frankstanks

 

[Irishman]

File fish eat them too

 

[Tamberav]

I bought live rock with them all over, I killed them all with a syringe of boiling water, snuck up and flooded them/their hole with the water... which melted them. Then I could pull back on the plunger and suck out their goopy soupy remains. It took a few weeks to find them all.

Careful with aptasia eating filefish, my friend tried one and it ate her rock flower nem and any coral with tentacles. It is in the sump now.