Aptasia ID

[Bruce's Reef]

I believe even after extensive safeguards my tank is now infested with aptasia...everything was brand new, rock and sand dry...my three coral frags closely inspected and dipped...I don't believe it was my CuC...as they were added months prior to coral...thoughts?? How much "Spores" does it take to infest? It is currently only on one rock..I have not done anything yet to irritate it, but there is like ten heads...

 

[Tahoe61]

So that particular rock was dry when you introduced the rock to the tank?

 

[cloak]

Can you take a picture without the blues on? I can't really see anything in that one.

 

[Caleb740]

Its hard to see but looks like it to me.
Aptasia can be a pain, I've had tanks where I thought I had gotten rid of them, wouldn't see them for months. I wouldn't add anything new and one day they decide to show up everywhere. I believe the only real way to keep them out of your tank is to have an extensive coral quarantine process.

 

[Tahoe61]

I had a healthy group of peppermints for over a year, and not a sign of any aiptasia. My Royal Gramma got big and eventually ate all my peppermints and apitasia started to show up (nothing new was added to the system). Obviously the pepperments had kept the aiptasia in check but did not eat every single cell and in the absence of the peppermints the aiptasia were once again able to grow to detectable size.

 

[Bruce's Reef]

So that particular rock was dry when you introduced the rock to the tank?

Yes all the rock was DRY as bone cycled in display

 

[cloak]

Can you take a picture without the blues on? I can't really see anything in that one.

Never mind, I found them.

If you can take that rock out with ease you could just burn them off with a small butane torch or a cigarette lighter. This only takes a few seconds to do.

 

[Bruce's Reef]

Here is a better shot

 

[Bruce's Reef]

I might try a natural remedy, I could take the rock out, due to surgery I currently only have one arm to work with lol for a few more weeks...after closer examination more of my scape is in infested

 

[Caleb740]

That may be the best idea. Aptasia X has worked well for me but is time consuming if there are more than a few to hit.

 

[Rory]

Go buy 2 peppermint shrimp... within a week or two, problem solved. Mine love to eat em up.

 

[Caleb740]

Peppermint shrimp have always been hit or miss for me.

 

[Rory]

I am new to doing saltwater but on the advice of my fish guy, I tried them. Worked great for me.