Aiptasia, how to kill it and only it.

[billyocean]

The berghias are an investment but will eradicate the aptasia given time. They also breed and grow in numbers. When the aptasia is gone just resell them and make your money back. I sold mine for cheap to help out local reefers and in the end it didn't cost me a dime.

 

[kingfisherfleshy]

It’s been about 2 weeks now

Not worried at all then. Start killing off the larger ones manually.

 

[mvan14]

Not worried at all then. Start killing off the larger ones manually.

Yeah they’re still pretty shy and don’t come out much but hopefully in time the get out and start helping.

 

[gbroadbridge]

Hello reefing community. I have quite the outbreak of Aiptasia and haven’t been able to control it with much luck yet. I’ve scoured the forms and haven’t seen an answer to my question yet. If this has already been answered on another post please let me know.

I have a decent outbreak of aiptasia. Largest one is just shy of a quarter in diameter. There’s about a dozen heads, maybe more. So far I’ve added two peppermint shrimp but I fear I’m too late there and the outbreak is beyond their control. I’m debating on adding a file fish but I’d rather not. My tank is a 25 lagoon so my fish space is limited. Im not completely against it but am looking for other options too.

My idea is to start using f-aiptasia or something similar. My main concern is if I use a product like this will it hurt my anemone or or other corals? I’ve read horror stories of people losing their prized anemones by using one of these products but I haven’t seen anything concrete.

I appreciate any help.

I just inject them with food grade Sodium Hydroxide.

One boom and they're gone. I've eradicated them in both my tank, plus several friends tanks.

Tried a filefish, he killed $1200 bucks of scolys overnight.
Tried Peppermint Shrimp, they work but not if there is other food they can find - lazy animals.
I'd love to try Berghias but they're illegal where I live.

 

[mvan14]

I just inject them with food grade Sodium Hydroxide.

One boom and they're gone. I've eradicated them in both my tank, plus several friends tanks.

Tried a filefish, he killed $1200 bucks of scolys overnight.
Tried Peppermint Shrimp, they work but not if there is other food they can find - lazy animals.
I'd love to try Berghias but they're illegal where I live.

Ok that is my main fear, killing off an anemone or another coral by adding something. I don’t have anything that expensive but still. Man sorry to hear that that sucks. Thanks for the advice I’ll definitely try this before f-aiptasia or something like that.

 

[drolmaeye]

I just inject them with food grade Sodium Hydroxide.

One boom and they're gone. I've eradicated them in both my tank, plus several friends tanks.

Tried a filefish, he killed $1200 bucks of scolys overnight.
Tried Peppermint Shrimp, they work but not if there is other food they can find - lazy animals.
I'd love to try Berghias but they're illegal where I live.

Note to self . . . if I ever have a scoly outbreak, get a file fish. Seriously, though, that sounds terrible. Scolys are on my list so I'll remember this post when I see aiptasia pop up.

 

[billyocean]

I just inject them with food grade Sodium Hydroxide.

One boom and they're gone. I've eradicated them in both my tank, plus several friends tanks.

Tried a filefish, he killed $1200 bucks of scolys overnight.
Tried Peppermint Shrimp, they work but not if there is other food they can find - lazy animals.
I'd love to try Berghias but they're illegal where I live.

That's wild...illegal. They only eat aptasia and die if they don't have any left to eat...you live in Aptasiaville? Jk..but seriously I wonder why.

 

[Spare time]

Those products ultimately just spread aiptasia. I've had incredible luck with ORA peppermint shrimp. Highly recommended. Algae Barn has them. They come in <small>, so add them well after dark so your fish don't make them expensive snacks.

Not F-Aiptasia. It seals them in.

 

[Spare time]

Superglue is my favorite. F-aiptasia is comparable. If you get the right species of peppermint shrimp, I'd do that too.

 

[BirdFish5000]

Not F-Aiptasia. It seals them in.

Provided you manage to cover every single tiny crevice. Easier said than done.

 

[BurgerFish]

Kalkwasser + water + syringe, make a paste. Flow off for 1h to paste become rock hard. You need to cover aiptasia.

Verify overflow and hard to reach areas.

 

[Cabinetman]

Boiling water kills them dead and they don’t spread. Simple and effective.

 

[Idech]

I used Frank’s F-Aiptasia on every one I could see and bought 6 peppermint shrimp to take care of the smaller ones. It’s been over 2 months now and I haven’t see a single one (touch wood).

 

[Idech]

Boiling water kills them dead and they don’t spread. Simple and effective.

They always came back 4-6 weeks later when I did that.

 

[Clowf1sh]

I had this issue and used aptasia f, which ended up killing almost all of my coral. Ended up trying nudibranch (didn’t work purchased 10x for a reefer 350), after that I used filefish. Had to return one or two before I found one that would eat the aptasia, four months later my horrible outbreak was exterminated (by horrible I mean aptasia covering almost every inch of liverock).

 

[Bpp124987]

Berghia

 

[AquaBert]

I hope you did the berghia

Haven’t thought of this. I’ll look into it thanks!

 

[robinm]

If you do add berghia remove your peppermints first they will eat them.

 

[Spicy Reef]

If you do add berghia remove your peppermints first they will eat them.

I hadn't thought of that. Thanks for mentioning

 

[LenG]

I don't understand when people say inject it into the mouth. Do they mean near the mouth? In any case as soon as I get close, they shrivel and hide.