Aptasia

[vinnyvin]

Hi everyone!

Ok so I have a problem with aptasia I have a slab of live rock that had a few on their and some very small ones littered all over it I was told to buy a copperband fish to rid my tank of it. So after getting this beautiful fish about 2 days in I cannot see a single aptasia, I was over moon. This fish had done it! 3 weeks down the line this fish sadly died reason still unknown. Any way a few more weeks later this piece of rock seemed to have had double the amount grow back. Grrr. So here we are, Last week I start using joes juice. Iv read a few comments that is doesn't work. So far so good for me it's only been a week tho.

Anyone have any experiences with this stuff. Good or bad? And would love to hear your thoughts and ideas on tackling this pest?

 

[Breadman03]

A brief summary of popular treatments:
Copperband Butterfly
Filefish
Peppermint Shrimp
Berghia Nudibranch
Joe's Juice
Aptasia X
Laser
Kalk Paste

Each has pros and cons, and most of the animals aren't guaranteed to eat the aptasia. I recently decided to use kalk paste (pickling lime with just enough water to make it into a paste) and a blunt syringe to inject some every other day or so. I think that if I can scale down my infestation, I will have better luck with keeping it in check with a filefish or peppermint shrimp.

 

[Tahoe61]

It been my experience that one most kill all tissue, any remnants go on to grow back. Long term neither Joe's Juice or similar products, and kalkwasser paste did not successfully eradicate the pest. Peppermint Shrimp have been the most effective but there is a chance that Peppermints if not adequately fed will go after LPS corals and anemone types.
I have not tried nudibranchs.

 

[vinnyvin]

A brief summary of popular treatments:
Copperband Butterfly
Filefish
Peppermint Shrimp
Berghia Nudibranch
Joe's Juice
Aptasia X
Laser
Kalk Paste

Each has pros and cons, and most of the animals aren't guaranteed to eat the aptasia. I recently decided to use kalk paste (pickling lime with just enough water to make it into a paste) and a blunt syringe to inject some every other day or so. I think that if I can scale down my infestation, I will have better luck with keeping it in check with a filefish or peppermint shrimp.

I thinking if it doesn't work this time round I'm going to try kalk paste I have read good reviews with this. I have a peppermint shrimp and that seems to have no interest in the aptasia. Someone said isolate the shrimp and don't feed it & when I put it back in my tank it will get to work. I don't intend on doing that tho.

 

[vinnyvin]

It been my experience that one most kill all tissue, any remnants go on to grow back. Long term neither Joe's Juice or similar products, and kalkwasser paste did not successfully eradicate the pest. Peppermint Shrimp have been the most effective but there is a chance that Peppermints if not adequately fed will go after LPS corals and anemone types.
I have not tried nudibranchs.

I tried getting a nudibranche and it seems nobody stocks them.

 

[Addy1]

I've had a lot of success by introducing a peppermint shrimp. The shrimp that are available at the LFS are from the Gulf of Mexico and devour Aptasia in a small amount of time. One single shrimp took care of a 30 gallon tank. Haven't seen Aptasia since then.

 

[Tahoe61]

There is a sponsor here on R2R that sells them, I'll look it up.

 

[vinnyvin]

I think iv got a false peppermint shrimp because he shows no interest.

 

[vinnyvin]

There is a sponsor here on R2R that sells them, I'll look it up.

Thanks I'm from the u.k tho

 

[Tahoe61]

Ahhh OK.

 

[cromag27 Verified Sponsor]

The key to eradication is killing the basal disc, otherwise they will just grow back.

 

[vinnyvin]

The key to eradication is killing the basal disc, otherwise they will just grow back.

How would you do that ?

 

[cromag27 Verified Sponsor]

I've always had good luck with aiptasia- x. I just keep applying it to the area, even when the anemone appears to be gone. in a lot of cases it will seem to vanish but the basal disc is still on the rock.

 

[HandsomeBwonderful]

I have tried Apitasia X, Filefish and Berghias. Nothing worked. I even had a berghia eaten by an apitasia when it floated out of my dropper, swirled around in the water and landed directly in the apitasia. I hoped it would just eat the apitasia from the inside out but alas, it did not. (If you are in socal you can get berghia at Age of Aquariums in Long Beach).

The only thing that worked, and worked like a charm, were peppermint shrimp.

I don't like apitasia x, or the like, for the simple reason that it is easy to get on your other inverts. When you have an apitasia on the underside of a rock it is impossible for this not to happen. Also, there are areas you cannot reach, so apitasia x (etc) is just a temporary solution for the apitasia you can see.

 

[HandsomeBwonderful]

PS...I did not have any issue with the peppermint shrimp eating anything else (zoas, coral, etc) after the apitasia were wiped out.

 

[Jeff Cahill]

Hi everyone!
I use a turkey baster and boiling water
Ok so I have a problem with aptasia I have a slab of live rock that had a few on their and some very small ones littered all over it I was told to buy a copperband fish to rid my tank of it. So after getting this beautiful fish about 2 days in I cannot see a single aptasia, I was over moon. This fish had done it! 3 weeks down the line this fish sadly died reason still unknown. Any way a few more weeks later this piece of rock seemed to have had double the amount grow back. Grrr. So here we are, Last week I start using joes juice. Iv read a few comments that is doesn't work. So far so good for me it's only been a week tho.

Anyone have any experiences with this stuff. Good or bad? And would love to hear your thoughts and ideas on tackling this pest?

 

[Jeff Cahill]

I use a turkey baster and boiling water

 

[FLAdaboy]

Every so often there are places online that will do BOGO on peppermint shrimp. If your problem is crazy, I suggest going big and getting a bunch of shrimp. After your problem is gone, sell the shrimp or trade them with members of your local reef club. I purchased 15 and got 30 once. I crap you not. My problem was gone in a week. I have a few tanks so I through them in the others and gave away a few. Best answer to your issue.

 

[DVR]

I've used boiling water successfully. Slowly push a syringe of nearly boiling water over the anemone and then reverse. Most times the anemone comes right off the rock and ends up in the syringe.....

 

[JP79]

Joes juice worked amazing for me. My peppermint shrimp also love it. Once I go two of those. Haven't had to use the juice since. But also not all peppermint will eat it. They say some just won't touch it. But give it a shot. 1 per 20 gallons.