aiptasia Start over or not

[Jimmyneptune]

Peppermint shrimp worked for me. However once aptasia was gone they died off. Now I'm seeing some come back. Problem with them and they can be in places where they can't be seen easily. Behind rocks, in overflow, Sump, Plumbing. That is where difficulties eradicating them comes in. Nudi's seem like a good option. Can anyone tell me if it's safe to put them in the overflow? Mine came in from chaeto I had purchased.

Some told me to place them there specifically.

 

[Jimmyneptune]

Has anyone ever tried just sucking them out during a water change? After accidentally sucking off a mushroom(woops!).. it got me thinking if I ever saw aptasia again id try just sucking it off.

Decent diameter hose creates a pretty powerful suction.

Doesn’t work. I’ve tried many times.

 

[mikeintoronto]

Aiptasia is just a matter of control. You could theoretically nuke the tank then have an Aiptasia free tank thereafter but you need to be diligent. I never had Aiptasia in 20 years until this newest tank.

I have a lot of rock to inspect but I check up to 3x a day and I still find at least one every day. I cover them in kalk paste which seems to work. The peppermints and the filefish eat the tiniest ones because I rarely see those. It’s annoying to deal with but it’s become just part of the routine.

 

[Treefer32]

The BRS video on aiptasia really put down the copperband butterfly fish. And I know this is anecdotal. But I got a copperband back in January / February. He was eating frozen food at the fish store. I made sure of that and appeared healthy. I temperature acclimated him then put him in my tank. OMG, he's an awesome personality, just an all around awesome fish that I thought I'd never have because it is expert care fish. He's been in my tank for 4 months now and my aiptasia went from tens of thousands to maybe a couple hundred or so. I found a couple smaller rocks that had huge chucnks of aiptasia that my copperband won't eat, so I pulled those rocks out. I'm finally having to search for them vs. seeing them in the thousands killing my corals. I watch the copperband and he's munching on aiptasia all day like it's potato chips. When I feed frozen food, he comes to the top and is almost ready to eat out of my hand.

The key is to make sure that it'seating good at the fish store before taking home. There's lots of information on copperbands online that I read before getting one. It needs to be actively hunting at the store, actively eating and searching for food. They don't really stop hunting. Their little beaks can only get so much food at a time so they have to eat in smaller chunks. Mine's beak is really powerful. He takes large chunks of frozen food and mashes them with his beak. Spits out what he can't eat and then catches it and mashes it more. When he attacks aiptasia. He watches them,circles them to see what the best angle to get it is. When it's ready, it's powerful tail fin lunges it forward to yank the aiptasia out before it cango back into hiding. He has given me hope that I will not be tearing my tank down and so far, he does not touch any corals at all. He may eat pods also, which is fine. I have a healthy supply.

 

[hyeclass]

I had the same issues in my reef. The answer is easy. Purchase a green matted file fish. Once established the one I have cleaned the tank up almost over night. I have not seen any more aiptasia at all in my reef. They have all vanished.

Thank you

 

[hyeclass]

I think this really depends on the size of your tank. If your tank is small and manageable, I remember I defeated them a decade ago simply by injecting a small amount of lemon juice into them with a syringe. One-by-one. Every several days as they emerged.

I been using lemon juice for couple of days it’s working question is will they come back

I have a RedSea reefer 140 gal

 

[jelazar]

My hope is that the total darkness will kill them off in a week or two. What’s your thoughts on this idea.

It definitely will not kill them all. It may not kill any. You'll check them in two weeks and they'll be pale or even clear, waving "hi there" with their nasty little arms.

 

[hyeclass]

The BRS video on aiptasia really put down the copperband butterfly fish. And I know this is anecdotal. But I got a copperband back in January / February. He was eating frozen food at the fish store. I made sure of that and appeared healthy. I temperature acclimated him then put him in my tank. OMG, he's an awesome personality, just an all around awesome fish that I thought I'd never have because it is expert care fish. He's been in my tank for 4 months now and my aiptasia went from tens of thousands to maybe a couple hundred or so. I found a couple smaller rocks that had huge chucnks of aiptasia that my copperband won't eat, so I pulled those rocks out. I'm finally having to search for them vs. seeing them in the thousands killing my corals. I watch the copperband and he's munching on aiptasia all day like it's potato chips. When I feed frozen food, he comes to the top and is almost ready to eat out of my hand.

The key is to make sure that it'seating good at the fish store before taking home. There's lots of information on copperbands online that I read before getting one. It needs to be actively hunting at the store, actively eating and searching for food. They don't really stop hunting. Their little beaks can only get so much food at a time so they have to eat in smaller chunks. Mine's beak is really powerful. He takes large chunks of frozen food and mashes them with his beak. Spits out what he can't eat and then catches it and mashes it more. When he attacks aiptasia. He watches them,circles them to see what the best angle to get it is. When it's ready, it's powerful tail fin lunges it forward to yank the aiptasia out before it cango back into hiding. He has given me hope that I will not be tearing my tank down and so far, he does not touch any corals at all. He may eat pods also, which is fine. I have a healthy supply.

Unfortunately all my fish have died due to velvet back in December I waited 2 months within two month I bought more fish they were in qt for 2 months cooper them

Put the fish in the display tank after waiting two months bam ick appeared not sure from where

Now I bought a 71 gal cuz my 32 biocube is to small now they’re in the qt I am running the tank fishless I am going to put the fish back 2 months from now months has passed already

I am so stressed out so are my fish on the copper

 

[hyeclass]

It definitely will not kill them all. It may not kill any. You'll check them in two weeks and they'll be pale or even clear, waving "hi there" with their nasty little arms.

My corals will dies if I keep them in dark my sps is dieing already

 

[Jimmyneptune]

Don’t try to kill them with no light. I’m finding plenty in my rock work that gets no light.

 

[Dana Riddle]

We grew Berghia nudis on a commercial scale at Aquatic Wildlife back in the 90's. They work well on small Aiptasia but they leave large ones alone. Peppermint shrimp work as long as Aiptasia are not out of control. Lately, I've used sodium hydroxide pellets to eradicate several large Aiptasia in my DT - Peppermint shrimp did not get rid of these. NaOH pellets can be bought on Amazon for less than $20.

 

[Injoynit]

... But I got a copperband back in January / February. He was eating frozen food at the fish store. I made sure of that and appeared healthy. I temperature acclimated him then put him in my tank. OMG, he's an awesome personality, just an all around awesome fish that I thought I'd never have because it is expert care fish. He's been in my tank for 4 months now and my aiptasia went from tens of thousands to maybe a couple hundred or so. I found a couple smaller rocks that had huge chucnks of aiptasia that my copperband won't eat, so I pulled those rocks out. I'm finally having to search for them vs. seeing them in the thousands killing my corals. I watch the copperband and he's munching on aiptasia all day like it's potato chips. When I feed frozen food, he comes to the top and is almost ready to eat out of my hand.
...When he attacks aiptasia. He watches them,circles them to see what the best angle to get it is. When it's ready, it's powerful tail fin lunges it forward to yank the aiptasia out before it cango back into hiding. ...

This is exactly what I did and it works great. The CBB is a great fish too. Him and the two yellow tangs hang out together all the time now. A week of dominance fighting then all is fine.
I tried peppermint shrimp and they did not seem to do anything. Tried nudis twice first time worked good second time it was a no go.
The CBB and almost all other natural predators, reef safe ones, will not eat the big ones 1/2+. After all little ones were cleared out I removed rock and F-Aiptasia'ed the big ones. Left the rock out 30 mins and placed the rock back in the tank. So far no more aiptasia after 2 weeks. But Always watching!

 

[hyeclass]

This is exactly what I did and it works great. The CBB is a great fish too. Him and the two yellow tangs hang out together all the time now. A week of dominance fighting then all is fine.
I tried peppermint shrimp and they did not seem to do anything. Tried nudis twice first time worked good second time it was a no go.
The CBB and almost all other natural predators, reef safe ones, will not eat the big ones 1/2+. After all little ones were cleared out I removed rock and F-Aiptasia'ed the big ones. Left the rock out 30 mins and placed the rock back in the tank. So far no more aiptasia after 2 weeks. But Always watching!

Tank has no fish I cannot put fish what comes to cbb is dieing in my qt bought 4 none has lived

 

[Jimmyneptune]

We grew Berghia nudis on a commercial scale at Aquatic Wildlife back in the 90's. They work well on small Aiptasia but they leave large ones alone. Peppermint shrimp work as long as Aiptasia are not out of control. Lately, I've used sodium hydroxide pellets to eradicate several large Aiptasia in my DT - Peppermint shrimp did not get rid of these. NaOH pellets can be bought on Amazon for less than $20.

Which one did you get on amazon they keep coming up as beads?

 

[hankacrank]

I been using lemon juice for couple of days it’s working question is will they come back

I have a RedSea reefer 140 gal

It definitely will not kill them all. It may not kill any. You'll check them in two weeks and they'll be pale or even clear, waving "hi there" with their nasty little arms.

It worked for me years ago. I just judiciously kept injecting them every day when I saw them for maybe a little over a week and then I stopped seeing them for months. Never came back. This is dependent on how big your tank is I think, and how your rockwork is arranged and whether you can get to all of it, etc. I had a 15 gallon nano at the time, so it was easily manageable.

 

[hyeclass]

Lemon juice really helps I got a see if they’ll come back

 

[Dana Riddle]

Which one did you get on amazon they keep coming up as beads?

Yes, beads or pellets. Best to drop the bead directly on them, but it can work if it's really close. My fish get curious about the bead, so feed them well beforehand. I use a cheap 'picker' I got at the dollar store to get the bead on target and then drop it.

 

[Treefer32]

I wouldn't do beads. My fish are dumb and go after whatever floats in the water. Seen them eat each others poop too many times, to think they would leave beads alone. Lol. I had glued down a coral with my combo of epoxy / superglue gel. Some of the gel made it into the column and didn't solidify right away. My CBB took a bite of it before I could get it out by hand and I moved fast to grab it, just not fast enough. I thought for sure he just superglued his beak shut. But, he fought the glue for several minutes shaking his head and moving his beak rapidly back and forth and eventually the glue released and he was fine. Scared the hell out of me.

 

[hyeclass]

I wouldn't do beads. My fish are dumb and go after whatever floats in the water. Seen them eat each others poop too many times, to think they would leave beads alone. Lol. I had glued down a coral with my combo of epoxy / superglue gel. Some of the gel made it into the column and didn't solidify right away. My CBB took a bite of it before I could get it out by hand and I moved fast to grab it, just not fast enough. I thought for sure he just superglued his beak shut. But, he fought the glue for several minutes shaking his head and moving his beak rapidly back and forth and eventually the glue released and he was fine. Scared the hell out of me.

Since I don’t have any fish in tank I can do beads, where can I buy it can you send me a link

 

[Dana Riddle]

Since I don’t have any fish in tank I can do beads, where can I buy it can you send me a link

Online retailers such as Amazon (didn't see it on BRS). Search for sodium hydroxide beads. Bear in mind this stuff is caustic, so treat a few anemones at a time and watch the water's pH.