Aiptasia

[PoorReefer]

So I found an Aptaisia and there can only be one source..

. My tank is only 3 month's old and I DID NOT USE any live rock. I have only introduced fish, crabs and snails. I didn't QT my inverts so they must be the culprits. CRAZY. Anyway, I'm hoping the Aptaisia in on the sand so all I need to do is move the rock and scoop it up, if not then out goes the rock. How likely is it that there is more in my tank?

 

[Arricefe]

Very likely, but it’s not the end of the world.

 

[andrewey]

Pretty likely. I see aiptasia come in on snails and hermits all the time. I'd remove aptasia + rock. Kill the rock, it's not worth the headache for a piece that small. Once it's dead, you it can be recycled at a later time.

 

[PoorReefer]

I removed the rock, and found a little one in the sand. I looked really good, all around and found 2 more. Should I figure out a fish or go straight to the Nudi's? I only have 1 fish in so far.

 

[PoorReefer]

Oh and it's a 75g going to be reef.

 

[andrewey]

I would hold off on both. At this point, you usually can get ahead of the situation and search your tank daily to knock out any that pop up. If you only have a few, it's pretty common that you can stamp it out completely now. I would only move to biological control methods once you are unsuccessful.

 

[HB AL]

I wouldn't sweat it, I've got it, kill the ones I can get to once a month. They dont do anything negative to the tank. I've even let them grow touching an acropora and the acro laughed at it, it did not sting it or cause harm. Its probably one of the most overrated (socalled pests in the hobby)

 

[Bfragale]

If you have kelkwasser make a Thick paste use a syringe and put a blob completely over any aptasia. As long as you only doing a few at a time, it works great at eliminating them. Too many at once can cause spike in alk/cal from kelkwasser. But a handful will be fine and works great