Any drawbacks to Aiptasia-X?

[Tft12]

I have a lot of aiptasia deep in the crevices of Pukani rock. I was able to kill most of them last night during lights out using Aiptasia-X. It worked really well and was pretty convenient...made me a little worried because things don't tend to be so easy, though I know I'll be retreating on a regular basis because those cracks are too deep for me to think I got all of the Aiptasia.

Have you had any problems using Aiptasia-X, particularly regarding the health of coral, inverts and fish, or water parameter changes?

 

[BestMomEver]

I’ve found it to work well. I’ve not had any issues with it. When I first set up my tank, my rock came with quite a few. I used AptasiaX for the big ones and bought a peppermint shrimp for the little, hard to get ones. Problem solved!

 

[SPR1968]

I’ve used it many times without any issues whatsoever and it’s reef safe.

As above your could also consider getting some peppermint shrimp for long term control as well.

 

[Michael Naegeli]

I Love Aptasia x. Use it all the time. Works fantastic! Just make sure flow is off while hitting Aptasia. Don’t want any to get on other Corals at all. Flow off, 15 min, suck out w turkey baster then flow back on.

 

[mcarroll]

I Love Aptasia x. Use it all the time. Works fantastic! Just make sure flow is off while hitting Aptasia. Don’t want any to get on other Corals at all. Flow off, 15 min, suck out w turkey baster then flow back on.

I don't think it will even hurt corals. I never took more than a normal amount of care when shooting aiptasia near coral. You should be working slowly and with precision for this to work in the first place....otherwise you miss-shoot on a lot and will have more repeat work later....but if some bits float off and get on a coral I would not worry. Fish even eat the float-away bits sometimes.

I've never made any effort to suck anything out of the tank afterward either.

The extra steps might be fine if you're only shooting 1-2 anems, but for major warfare those steps seem excessive. So YMMV.

 

[Michael Naegeli]

I don't think it will even hurt corals. I never took more than a normal amount of care when shooting aiptasia near coral. You should be working slowly and with precision for this to work in the first place....otherwise you miss-shoot on a lot and will have more repeat work later....but if some bits float off and get on a coral I would not worry. Fish even eat the float-away bits sometimes.

I've never made any effort to suck anything out of the tank afterward either.

The extra steps might be fine if you're only shooting 1-2 anems, but for major warfare those steps seem excessive. So YMMV.

I got a bit careless applying the other night. Some fell on a Rainbow Chalice. By the time I noticed and sucked it off it left a big white spot on my perfect Chalice. Still there today. I would use caution around coral for sure

 

[reefwiser]

The issue with using this type of product is that Aiptasia are crafty animals and can survive under extreme conditions that you would not believe any animal would survive. An like Rust they never sleep.

 

[mcarroll]

I got a bit careless applying the other night. Some fell on a Rainbow Chalice. By the time I noticed and sucked it off it left a big white spot on my perfect Chalice. Still there today. I would use caution around coral for sure

He'll be fine. It's supposed to be precision work to begin with, so your guidance is not wrong!!

If you do it like RedSea shows in the video you should have no problems with the little bits that can get away:

 

[Michael Naegeli]

I also use Aptasia x to ward off weed Paly’s growing out of control. It absolutely decimates them. I love this stuff

 

[Tft12]

Thanks everyone. I wiped out hundreds of them last night. I had been letting them grow in a FOWLR in case I wanted to try my hand at Berghia farming but now I'm converting that FOWLR to an SPS system, so the aiptasia had to go. The product worked so well that I got a little scared it was too good to be true and thought I was maybe missing something.

I did a few experiments in another system while I was at it. I was able to treat some aiptasia that were growing in/with some montis and the montis are fine the aiptasia are gone. I placed some Aiptasia-X directly on a Psammocora coral that I want to get rid of and it definitely killed the areas directly under the paste. The coral has bleached squiggly lines on it now. I might use it for this purpose in the future.

 

[mcarroll]

It has zero effect on mushrooms, BTW. ;Mask

;Sour

The only coral I've ever purposefully placed it on.

 

[ca1ore]

Interesting, I've not found aptasia-X to be all that effective, particularly against majanos. Maybe I should be using majano-X.

 

[ZoWhat]

I've not found aptasia-X to be all that effective, particularly against majanos

Have you found anything that kills majanos?

The only thing that I've found is manual removal using a razor blade, removing them whole as they have tough little feet like anemones. Separate their foot from the rock they get netted right out of the tank



.

 

[mta_morrow]

I’ve found it to work well. I’ve not had any issues with it. When I first set up my tank, my rock came with quite a few. I used AptasiaX for the big ones and bought a peppermint shrimp for the little, hard to get ones. Problem solved!

I would have written the exact same thing!

 

[ca1ore]

Have you found anything that kills majanos?

Biological control is required, usually a fish. My pyramid butterflyfish eat them. Used an Asfur angel in the past as well.

 

[ZoWhat]

My pyramid butterflyfish eat them

I'm assuming pyramid not reef safe with zoas palys.....sps?

 

[ca1ore]

Not necessarily. They'll eat Xenia and most clove polyps, but mine have never gone after Zoas or corals. I don't think they are guaranteed to eat majanos though. Buddy of mine has a trio and they ignore the anemones.

 

[mcarroll]

Mojano's are tougher, but I still got em with multiple treatments. If you're looking at an out of control tank-full of them, that's not a workable strategy though.

@Paul B invented the Mojano Wand. Definitely works, probably better than A-X for this purpose, but again it's pretty tedious if you're looking at an out of control tank full.

Klein's Butterflyfish is one I've recommended quite a bit for aiptasia, so maybe give that a try. Not sure how it would do vs Mojano's. They are good in schools if you have the space. Amazing fish in their own right.

 

[64Ivy]

Once had a Muelleri Butterfly that ate them. Then again, I've also had a Muelleri Butterfly that didn't. So if you're thinking about trying the butterfly method, I'd suggest 'training' them in QT first.

 

[RyonFly]

Ive found it to work well, I have aptasia that seems to love growing among my rastas, rastas get ticked for a while after treatment but are fine long term.