Are Aiptasia beneficial?

[artieg1]

Meaning, are they like nuisance algae: good if you grow them where you want to?

My filefish takes care of all Aiptasia in my DT. But they thrive in my overflow, with no predators there. I typically scrape off, but do they absorb nutrients? Filter water? I would think so.

By the way: FILEFISH. Don't mess with anything else.

 

[Tidal Gardens Verified Sponsor]

The only problem is they can take over a tank and sting nearby corals. If they are not in your display and you do not care if they are anywhere else then there is no harm.

 

[ZombieEngineer]

No.

Macroalgae can be contained, aptasia spreads rampantly. Allowing a single one to survive anywhere in your system is likely to lead to 50+ in your display in short order.

If there are some in your sump, it won't immediately hurt anything, but if you have corals in your display, when that one in your sump makes 50 babies that could mean 50 points in your display now have the little buggers stinging and killing your prized coral.

If I see a single aptasia anywhere, I kill it with kalk paste immediately.

 

[Spare time]

I doubt they can grow fast enough to make any difference in waste reduction without being overwhelming.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

They are fine. I have one - yes, a single aiptasia nem - that's been in my display for about a year. Some spread, others don't, and if as you've said, your filefish keeps them in check in the display, there's nothing wrong with keeping the ones in the sump.