Aiptasia issue.

James butchart · Oct 6, 2020

Hi reefers,

I have an out break of aiptasia and to be honest out break is putting it milded. I am thinking of getting aiptaisa eat nudi's but I read pepper shrimp and bristle worms eat them. I have noticed some big bristle worms. So my question is, is it true what I read, would put them hope for the best or catch the bristle worms to reduce the risk of them being hunted down.
Look forward to your reply.

Webslinger · Oct 6, 2020

Bristle worms won't touch them. FileFish - yes

NinjaTiLL · Oct 6, 2020

James butchart said:
Hi reefers,

I have an out break of aiptasia and to be honest out break is putting it milded. I am thinking of getting aiptaisa eat nudi's but I read pepper shrimp and bristle worms eat them. I have noticed some big bristle worms. So my question is, is it true what I read, would put them hope for the best or catch the bristle worms to reduce the risk of them being hunted down.
Look forward to your reply.

I have Berghia Nudibraches (aiptasia-eating), Peppermint Shrimp and soon a Matted Filefish (aiptasia-eating). I inherited 2 rocks from my brothers well-established reef with a bunch of aiptasia. I figured I'd get aiptasia eventually so I relished the challenge. The aiptasia has only flourished in my new tank. So far, the Berghia seem to be slow and steady at their aiptasia removal. Very slow. But I see aiptasia steadily declining when compared week-over-week. I had high hopes for the peppermints because they took down a few aiptasia within minutes of acclimation to the tank. I haven't seen the peppermints eating aiptasia since that first day. The matted file fish is in quarantine and will get his chance in about 2 weeks.

I wouldn't recommend one avenue of approach over another. I would recommend doing all the avenues at the same time because all 3 avenues are slow.

I've never heard of a bristle worm eating aiptasia.

jda · Oct 6, 2020

In the mean time, turn off your pumps and kill them with some kalk paste in a syringe. Just drop some on top and they will eat it up and it will melt them. You won't be able to get them all, but you can get a lot of them. Leave the flow pumps off and just use the return pump for an hour or two after you get them all treated. Try and not let the kalk blow around too much... and use less rather than more kalk.