Aiptasia? It's not going away :(

[SilentSloth]

The tale as old as time... I've tried boiling hot lemon juice, aiptasia X, H2O2, solid CaOH and NaOH. The most anything does is get rid of it for 3-5 days, then it spreads and pops right back up in the initial location. I always turn off flow for 15min before and after I try to kill it to let it sit. I can't take the rocks out easily so that's not an option.
Should I try to just cover it all with glue or puddy? or maybe restart? anyone have any ideas? Its already killed a whole colony of Psammocora just from touching it for a second.
Anyone have tips for restarting I only have my one 100L tank (30ish Gallon). Should I just get another tank cycling and transfer my fish first slowly? IDK if there's much I can do about the aiptasia and I really don't want to lose another coral.

random pic of tank

 

[720 Reefer]

Try Berghia Nudibranchs

 

[MnFish1]

The tale as old as time... I've tried boiling hot lemon juice, aiptasia X, H2O2, solid CaOH and NaOH. The most anything does is get rid of it for 3-5 days, then it spreads and pops right back up in the initial location. I always turn off flow for 15min before and after I try to kill it to let it sit. I can't take the rocks out easily so that's not an option.
Should I try to just cover it all with glue or puddy? or maybe restart? anyone have any ideas? Its already killed a whole colony of Psammocora just from touching it for a second.
Anyone have tips for restarting I only have my one 100L tank (30ish Gallon). Should I just get another tank cycling and transfer my fish first slowly? IDK if there's much I can do about the aiptasia and I really don't want to lose another coral.

random pic of tank

Not sure I see any aiptasia in that pic (unless youre talking about the red glob) - its hard to say? In any case - If you try to kill it - if you dont get every last piece it will come back - if you try 'smashing it' - it will explode. If you have a lot - putty and glue are a hassle - and there is probably a fair bit in places you cant see - so it will be a constant battle. I would recommend berghia nudibranchs - which cleaned up my tank within a month. Get the number recommended. Its a little spendy but when you take your time, effort, etc into account - not bad and they work (IME) - you can also try peppermint shrimp, copper band , filefish, etc - depending on what else you have in the tank that might or might not get along)

 

[Mical]

Simply put, an aiptasia is a form of anemone. If you irritate it, it will split. When you irritate aiptasia they multiply almost tenfold. @MnFish1 has some pretty good suggestions. The only luck I've had ridding myself of these demons is aiptasia eating filefish. https://www.liveaquaria.com/product/3555/?pcatid=3555

 

[Uncle99]

I rid my entire tank of Aptasia with Aptasia X.
Took six months, once a week treatment, but all gone for almost a year now.
I don’t know why this product works for some and not others....very strange..

The problem with some predators is after the Aptasia is gone, sometimes Corals become a target.

 

[SilentSloth]

Not sure I see any aiptasia in that pic (unless youre talking about the red glob) - its hard to say? In any case - If you try to kill it - if you dont get every last piece it will come back - if you try 'smashing it' - it will explode. If you have a lot - putty and glue are a hassle - and there is probably a fair bit in places you cant see - so it will be a constant battle. I would recommend berghia nudibranchs - which cleaned up my tank within a month. Get the number recommended. Its a little spendy but when you take your time, effort, etc into account - not bad and they work (IME) - you can also try peppermint shrimp, copper band , filefish, etc - depending on what else you have in the tank that might or might not get along)

I have read about the berghia nudi and I remember something about copepods or amphepods eating them. Im not 100% sure if I had them since I added some pod back when I started my tank. I didn't want to just end up with dead slugs. I have been thinking about a peppermint shrimp but I am kinda worried it might eat my duncan or hammer.
yeah pic is unrelated. I only have about 12-15 aiptasia atm so it isn't a plauge yet. but I know it will be soon

 

[mrk1720]

Try peppermint shrimp. Can't hurt. I think your duncan's and hammers will be fine.

 

[ShepherdReefer]

Filefish...

 

[melanotaenia]

Try peppermint shrimp. Can't hurt. I think your duncan's and hammers will be fine.

Have to agree; I put one of these shrimp in my reef a few months ago for about a dozen Aptasia and he has eliminated all of them and has not touched any of the corals.

He never really moves from his hiding spot except when the lights are out.

 

[SilentSloth]

Welp I'm going to pick up a peppermint. Lets see how it goes.

 

[Uncle99]

15 or less? Predators sound drastic and ALL come with collateral risks.
When you hit with Aptaisa X, did they not “collapse” and fall into themselves.
Every time this happened for me, gone!

 

[ShepherdReefer]

Welp I'm going to pick up a peppermint. Lets see how it goes.

Hot saying peppermint don't work...but they did not work for me.

 

[SilentSloth]

15 or less?
When you hit with Aptaisa X, did they not “collapse” and fall into themselves.
Every time this happened for me, gone!

Yeah they would do that. I think I've only had one stay dead after that ... or so I thought it just came back 2 weeks later in the exact same spot

 

[Bfragale]

Make sure it’s true peppermint shrimp. There are a lot of look-a-likes that do not eat Aptasia. Also if you have a banded shrimp he will kill the peppermints.

filefish is a good one too. But after Aptasia is gone it will probably die unless it eats regular food. Some will and some won’t.
Nudis work well too- but expensive and sometimes gets eaten by other tank mates.

good luck!

 

[MnFish1]

I have read about the berghia nudi and I remember something about copepods or amphepods eating them. Im not 100% sure if I had them since I added some pod back when I started my tank. I didn't want to just end up with dead slugs. I have been thinking about a peppermint shrimp but I am kinda worried it might eat my duncan or hammer.
yeah pic is unrelated. I only have about 12-15 aiptasia atm so it isn't a plauge yet. but I know it will be soon

I would try the shrimp or the berghia. I had NO aiptasia - and added nothing - all the sudden one tiny one - I tried scraping it off - thought I got it - but then a month later there were 50 small ones. The berghia took care of them all in about a month. They are nocturnal - so not many fish etc eat them - when the aiptasia are gone they die off. I do not believe that amphipods eat Berghia?

 

[SliceGolfer]

Peppermint shrimp worked for me, until he climbed into an MP10

Filefish did not work, it picked at my Favites and Acros

Frank‘s F-Aiptasia has been my go to, guaranteed solution. Follow the instructions and try not to get the paste on any other corals. Monitor your Alk when using F-Aiptasia, it could spike

 

[Kjames]

Seems like everyone has a different experience with peppermint shrimp or File Fish. I'm in the File Fish camp. I have a pair in an AIO 60g and the only aiptasia I ever see is in the back filtration compartment. They enjoy meaty fresh food also and don't seem to bother any corals (yet). I gave up on Aiptasia- X and the like. I also stopped buying frags from the LFS that has visible aiptasia in their frag tanks and my new tank is clean.

 

[melanotaenia]

The main issue with peppermint shrimp as mentioned above is that one has to make sure they get an actual peppermint shrimp, and if they do, it most likely will take care of the Aptasia. After that they will just scavenge whatever you feed your fish (and take care of any Aptasia if they pop up in the future).

 

[Sailingeric]

I get few here and there, I pull the rock out and hit with kitch torch to burn it away

 

[vetteguy53081]

Here is a sure bet:
Blue faced Kleini butterfly. Will eat them like candy and Not miss any and then will eat all dry and frozen food offered, It is friendly and does not bother coral. If you get the yellow kleini without the blue on the face, it may annoy zoa and similar unless well fed