Aiptasia.....sigh...

[ReeferBob]

I had Aiptasia
Yes quite the infestation
Got some peppermints
(Not really a good Haiku but I tried)

I thought they were gone. Then I saw some in my sump, so I dumped my sump. Cleaned it out totally top to bottom. Didn't see them for quite some time (a year). Today I found another one, in the sump, again. Was a good 2". I sucked him up with my water changer siphon hoping to get him before he spit babies out.

I am pretty much resigned that I will always have Aiptasia. But, has anyone verifiably actually had them, and got rid of them?

 

[Double monti 61]

Probably not.

 

[CanuckReefer]

I had Aiptasia
Yes quite the infestation
Got some peppermints
(Not really a good Haiku but I tried)

I thought they were gone. Then I saw some in my sump, so I dumped my sump. Cleaned it out totally top to bottom. Didn't see them for quite some time (a year). Today I found another one, in the sump, again. Was a good 2". I sucked him up with my water changer siphon hoping to get him before he spit babies out.

I am pretty much resigned that I will always have Aiptasia. But, has anyone verifiably actually had them, and got rid of them?

Had them up until about 9 months ago? About 6 or 7 visible. Bought one Berghia Nudi as an experiment, and it wiped em out. Are they still there, lying in wait ? I hope not lol.

 

[shakacuz]

i have only ever encountered 2 in my tank. both came in a frag and survived dipping. my guess is the frag still had some remnants. i am hoping to never see another in my tank again

 

[davidcalgary29]

Just treat it like it's an ultra-expensive designer prestige coral, and watch it wither away in your care.

I sympathize. Bergia nudis are cleaning out my aipstasia fields.

 

[ReeferBob]

The question I have with the Berghia is the same thing I wonder about with the Peppermints; if/when they are eating the Aiptasia, doesn't that cause it to spit out planulas? Seems like a viscous cycle. At least the Peppermints eat other stuff and will be around for the next generation. The Berghia I think would die off between broods, no?

 

[Duncan62]

I had Aiptasia
Yes quite the infestation
Got some peppermints
(Not really a good Haiku but I tried)

I thought they were gone. Then I saw some in my sump, so I dumped my sump. Cleaned it out totally top to bottom. Didn't see them for quite some time (a year). Today I found another one, in the sump, again. Was a good 2". I sucked him up with my water changer siphon hoping to get him before he spit babies out.

I am pretty much resigned that I will always have Aiptasia. But, has anyone verifiably actually had them, and got rid of them?

For every one you see there's probably 10 more. At least. Lol. Sounds like you have it under control. I think in a tank with lots of rocks and heavily populated they are unavoidable.

 

[Duncan62]

The question I have with the Berghia is the same thing I wonder about with the Peppermints; if/when they are eating the Aiptasia, doesn't that cause it to spit out planulas? Seems like a viscous cycle. At least the Peppermints eat other stuff and will be around for the next generation. The Berghia I think would die off between broods, no?

Yes. You would have to supply aptasia to the berghia. The berghia consume them in a way that prevents release. Supposedly down to the last cell. I do believe shrimp seed their next crop while eating. Ha. I just epoxy the ones I can. Or if you puddle Kalkaska on the so it stays in place for while. Berghia if it gets bad. Then you get a new frag and start over. Lol.

 

[Ro Bow]

I had Aiptasia
Yes quite the infestation
Got some peppermints
(Not really a good Haiku but I tried)

I thought they were gone. Then I saw some in my sump, so I dumped my sump. Cleaned it out totally top to bottom. Didn't see them for quite some time (a year). Today I found another one, in the sump, again. Was a good 2". I sucked him up with my water changer siphon hoping to get him before he spit babies out.

I am pretty much resigned that I will always have Aiptasia. But, has anyone verifiably actually had them, and got rid of them?

I got rid of them for a month then I got another frag and it returned . It's best if you notice themwhen there are only 1or 2,if it spreads to your dt i guess you'll have to get a Australian stripey lol jk, but they are great aiptasia eaters

 

[Double monti 61]

Hi I read an article in a issue of reef hobbyist magazine a few years ago the system that was featured in the article was doing very well with no aptasia infestation the only place they existed was in the sump as stated by the person that wrote the article.So you never know what is possible!

 

[BiggestE22]

i have only ever encountered 2 in my tank. both came in a frag and survived dipping. my guess is the frag still had some remnants. i am hoping to never see another in my tank again

Only seen one on a frag blue. Anytime possible I dump the plugs and just remove the coral. Easy to do for sticks.

 

[jgirardnrg]

The question I have with the Berghia is the same thing I wonder about with the Peppermints; if/when they are eating the Aiptasia, doesn't that cause it to spit out planulas? Seems like a viscous cycle. At least the Peppermints eat other stuff and will be around for the next generation. The Berghia I think would die off between broods, no?

Berghia do not cause the Aiptasia to spread. Something biological about them causes the Aiptasia to not release their spawn. Peppermints I've only tried recently just to see how they do... while they've gotten all but one visible Aiptasia, I'll be sticking with the Berghia. They mow it right down and it doesn't come back.

 

[Joe31415]

I caught one on a frag plug a few weeks ago. I swapped the plug and assumed that was the end of it. Then about two weeks ago I saw what may have been one on a (different) coral. I put a big blob of superglue over it just to be sure. Then a few days ago, found another one in the tank. Aiptasia-X took care of that. At least they're all in the invert QT.