Aiptasia?

[offtropic]

This guy has been in my tank for a while sort of hidden in some rocks (pulled out the rock for this pic). Definitely looks like it but it has been there for a quite some time and it is the only one in the tank (there is a peppermint shrimp in the tank as well).

Thoughts?

 

[Lovemyreef2015]

Yes that's aiptasia

 

[DSC reef]

Definitely aptasia. Typically peppermint shrimp won't eat that large of an aptasia. Whatever you do, don't irritate it.

 

[offtropic]

Definitely aptasia. Typically peppermint shrimp won't eat that large of an aptasia. Whatever you do, don't irritate it.

What happens if irritated? So far I've just turned over the rock it is on but I was planning to remove it (since it is aiptasia). The rock it is on isn't that big and I was just going to take the entire thing out, pull it off and seal the area with super glue (and put the rock back in the tank). This a bad idea? I could just discard the entire rock.

 

[DSC reef]

When stressed they can cause an outbreak. I'd remove the rock then scrape away the aptaisia and make sure there's nothing left of it when you return the rock to the tank.

 

[offtropic]

Thanks! I'll give it a go but just keep the rock out if there appears to be any chance of not getting it all.

 

[Jr'sReef]

If the rock isn’t that big, just toss it and buy a new rock. Even if the rock is worth 50$ by lb’s that aptaisia outbreak will have you wishing you can get rid of it for 100$

 

[offtropic]

The rock was worth maybe $10 so just put it out to dry and replaced it with another rock. Amazing the stuff that falls out of the rock (and aiptasia?) once removed from the tank. Might post some pictures of critters tomorrow (pods, bristle worms and some unidentified stuff!).

 

[LCC]

There are trade offs for everything. If it is a smaller rock you want to keep. Pull it out soak in vinager, scrape the aiptasia off and continue to let it soak, wrense in fresh water and let it air dry for several weeks. For bigger stuff make sure you have pepermint shrimp in the tank and treat with aiptasia-x. The pepermint shrimp should take care of any small aiptasia spawned during the eradication of the larger aiptasia. Plan on there being small aiptasia spawned during the eradication.

 

[Cnidoblast]

Taking the rock out and giving it a few hour bleach bath will rid it of any anemones - I would wait about a month before putting rock back in to let everything dry and the bleach to evaporate