Aiptasia

jpontier212 · Aug 21, 2016

After some careful look into my nano cube i noticed in several places where i could see possible aiptasia growth in different areas of my rocks. I know they are harmful to corals and i have a few frags in my cube. I was considering aiptasia x as a cure for my problem but a true newbie i have never used the stuff. Is it successful, or which way would be better to eradicate this pest?

recess62 · Aug 21, 2016

There are several options. Aiptasia x will work. So will boiling water. However I found that after a while the aptasia tended to grow back. I have since tried peppermint shrimp. My tanks had too many to count aptasia. Now I have only a few under a drag holder on the sand bed. The shrimp can't get to these

twilliard · Aug 21, 2016

If you are able to remove the rock they are on cover it with superglue.
Remember the location as they will fully retract when pulled out of the water.

recess62 · Aug 21, 2016

I forgot about the superglue. That works great if you can get the rocks out

jpontier212 · Aug 21, 2016

I can get the rock out. I will try that first. Thank you guys

recess62 · Aug 21, 2016

Good luck

jpontier212 · Aug 21, 2016

recess62 said:
Good luck

Thank you so much recess62. I appreciate it

PaReeferJ · Aug 21, 2016

I have used super glue on two frags I got with them on it. Worked wonders, haven't seen any since.

jsker · Aug 21, 2016

It best to pull the rock, or there is a chance that it will spread if you do it in the water

jpontier212 · Aug 21, 2016

jsker said:
It best to pull the rock, or there is a chance that it will spread if you do it in the water

Out completely? Or just long enough to super glue it and put it back.

Vincent100 · Aug 21, 2016

iv used aiptasia x and it works , just make sure you turn off the power heads first lol

Fudsey · Aug 21, 2016

I had the beginnings of an aiptasia breakout, bought 2 Peppermint Shrimp for my 72 BF and within a few days, no more aiptasia...

Clean and no removal of anything from the tank.

PaReeferJ · Aug 21, 2016

jpontier212 said:
Out completely? Or just long enough to super glue it and put it back.

Just out to super glue and then stick it back in. Make sure you cover the whole thing.

jsker · Aug 21, 2016

jpontier212 said:
Out completely? Or just long enough to super glue it and put it back.

Out completely then when you hit it with super glue or aptasia x it will not release more of those little guys.

Nibejeebies · Aug 22, 2016

There is absolutely NOTHING in the ocean .. Including your appy.. That will survive a 2 second blast from a blow torch. Period. Well... Cept maybe Cthulhu.

Well at least that I'm aware of that we can legally obtain for the hobby.

If you can get it out of the water no mater where it attempts to hide on a rock, that will kill it completely with out it spawning.

Also I've noticed that Atlantic peppermint shrimp will hunt down aptasia where as the pacific will just be polite to it and give it a high five while scurrying on past it.

skim · Aug 22, 2016

File fish will do wonders. I have also seen people use Kalkwasser. Mix it into a thick liquid/paste and use a syringe and inject the Aiptasia, the high Alk. burns them and do not return.

cobraz · Aug 22, 2016

I use Joe's Juice.. Kalk type mix and Super Glue... when tight spot. Never used Peppermint Shrimp because as they attack Aiptasia, they release spores - so it would be a constant cycle.. gone and then back again.
Where Kalk and Glue seal them from ejecting spores as they get caught basically with their mouths open...IMO.

tripko · Aug 22, 2016

I try to remove Aiptasia with hot boiling water.
I did make a video in my vlogs about that.
somebody said it was wrong and that i will have soon new ones. But now It's been five months and
i dont have any new aiptasia in my tank.
Here is video If you are interested.

bblumberg · Aug 22, 2016

jpontier212 said:
After some careful look into my nano cube i noticed in several places where i could see possible aiptasia growth in different areas of my rocks. I know they are harmful to corals and i have a few frags in my cube. I was considering aiptasia x as a cure for my problem but a true newbie i have never used the stuff. Is it successful, or which way would be better to eradicate this pest?

Be very careful. Aiptasia-X, Joe's juice, etc CAN work well if you do everything correctly. If you don't do it exactly right, you will create a massive infestation of aiptasia. I learned this the hard way.

All types of cures work to some degree. Peppermint shrimps can work, but some do and some not (I have had both types). Matted (aiptasia-eating) filefish work very well if you get a good one, but can also nibble on corals if you don't feed them well after the aiptasia are gone. Copper banded or Klein's butterfly should work, if you find healthy ones.

For a nanocube, I would pull the rock out and blast the aiptasia with a torch of some sort (blowtorch, kitchen torch or torch cigar lighter that you can get very cheaply on Amazon). You can also plug the hole where it is/was with epoxy or cyanoacrylate gel. I suppose that hot water would also work, but haven't tried this.

For me, the filefish was the best choice. It eradicated the aiptasia in my nanocube and went on to do the same in my 75g. I saw it nipping on acros occasionally but this stopped when I started feeding mysis daily.

Good luck,
Bruce