Are Aiptasia inevitable?

[arking_mark]

Its a badge of honor and an rite of passage for all reefers to get aiptasia and get it under control.

Years ago when I had my first one I freaked out and considered tear down the tank. Now when I see a new one popping up I'm like "yay another tasty snack for my peppermint"

Since I've added the peppermint shrimp, I only see them hiding under a rock...and they don't seem to come out at night either.

 

[newbie2014]

Peppermint shrimps have always worked for me. In my last tank they delicately plucked out aiptasia within zoa and lps colonies within collateral damages; something nearly impossible to accomplish with manual methods.
I started my new new tank with dry rocks in DT, live rocks in the sump. It was nice and clean for 9 months. Then poof, I saw 3 small ones in DT. In went 2 peppermint shrimps, and the aiptasia disappeared 3 days later. I haven’t seen aiptasia for about about 3 months now.

 

[arking_mark]

...and just found another on my frag rack...grrr!

 

[newbie2014]

Since I've added the peppermint shrimp, I only see the handing under a rock...and they don't seem to come out at night either.

Mine patrol the tank all day. They also come out during feeding to get their fair share. I got them from petco.

 

[Dkmoo]

Since I've added the peppermint shrimp, I only see them hiding under a rock...and they don't seem to come out at night either.

IME a few different factors influence the effectiveness of peppermint shrimp on aiptasia:

1) make sure you have the right species. You probably have seen this picture circulating in the forums. The common believe is that the first one "wurdemanni" is the true peppermint and best chance to eat aiptasia. The rest are imposters. HOWEVER, I recently got D (boggessi), which also ate aiptasia in my tank. This is what I currently have. In fact, algaebarn seem to be marketing these boggessi ones as aiptasia-eating peppermint so may be now these are good too.

2) a few years ago when i had the wurdemanni, it was more brave, they roamed my tank actively hunting aiptasia. Now I have boggessi, they are very shy and always hid behind my overflow box. In fact I never actually saw them eat aip, but I have noticed the aiptasia disappearing, starting from the rock closest to the overflow box

3) they maybe territorial - or afraid to go into other species territories - right now I have a copperband shrimp claiming another rock, the aiptasia thats on that rock never seemed to be eaten

4) if there's enough to eat they will not venture too far out of their home to hunt aiptasia - right now it seems in my tank there is an invisible border on how far out away from the overflow box is now the "aiptasia free" zone. My tank has mature rocks with a lot of pods and worms. During the day time I see the peppermint shrimps picking at things next to the overflow box so it is also eating at other things so they don't need to venture too far out.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Peppermint and Berghia are hit and miss. Over the years, have seen and have had peppermint turn on coral.

Syringe with Kalkwasser paste and BLUE HEAD - Not yelllow Kleini butterfly for infestations has been my ticket

 

[arking_mark]

IME a few different factors influence the effectiveness of peppermint shrimp on aiptasia:

1) make sure you have the right species. You probably have seen this picture circulating in the forums. The common believe is that the first one "wurdemanni" is the true peppermint and best chance to eat aiptasia. The rest are imposters. HOWEVER, I recently got D (boggessi), which also ate aiptasia in my tank. This is what I currently have. In fact, algaebarn seem to be marketing these boggessi ones as aiptasia-eating peppermint so may be now these are good too.

2) a few years ago when i had the wurdemanni, it was more brave, they roamed my tank actively hunting aiptasia. Now I have boggessi, they are very shy and always hid behind my overflow box. In fact I never actually saw them eat aip, but I have noticed the aiptasia disappearing, starting from the rock closest to the overflow box

3) they maybe territorial - or afraid to go into other species territories - right now I have a copperband shrimp claiming another rock, the aiptasia thats on that rock never seemed to be eaten

4) if there's enough to eat they will not venture too far out of their home to hunt aiptasia - right now it seems in my tank there is an invisible border on how far out away from the overflow box is now the "aiptasia free" zone. My tank has mature rocks with a lot of pods and worms. During the day time I see the peppermint shrimps picking at things next to the overflow box so it is also eating at other things so they don't need to venture too far out.

The ones I got are boggessi as well.

 

[jda]

You just want the ones from the Florida Keys. ...the ones from the actual reefs where corals grow and aiptasia are present. Mostly Wurdemanni, but the captive bred ones seem to work too. The ones from the Atlantic and furher up the gulf coast are more hit or miss whereas the ones from the Keys are nearly a sure thing. Some of the others will eat them too, just not with the same kind of success rate.

Order them from a known source. I get mine from ReefTopia that is out of the keys and their peppermints crush aiptasia and their emerald crabs crush bubble algae.

Peppermints are not coral eaters, but make sure that you feed them. They will not just live on fish poo and stuff. They might eat coral if the are starving and so would any of us.

Lastly, they seem to live like three years, so I have a somewhat informal schedule to replace them.

 

[arking_mark]

It is my conclusion that Aiptasia can only be controlled and not eradicated unless you bleach your tank.

The most effective temporary treatment were Berghia Nudibranchs. I used them in both my observation tank and sump. They eliminated everything for a couple of months...and inevitably died of starvation. Then like the pest it is, Aiptasia reappear.

For my display tank, my CBB has kept it Aiptasia free...the peppermint shrimp were a miss.

 

[Duncan62]

It is my conclusion that Aiptasia can only be controlled and not eradicated unless you bleach your tank.

The most effective temporary treatment were Berghia Nudibranchs. I used them in both my observation tank and sump. They eliminated everything for a couple of months...and inevitably died of starvation. Then like the pest it is, Aiptasia reappear.

For my display tank, my CBB has kept it Aiptasia free...the peppermint shrimp were a miss.

I've found the shrimp love the aptasia at first then learn to eat food for others. 100 percent agree. Aptasia are part of reefing.

 

[Timfish]

No. I've never had problems with the bigger growers however buying corals from smaller growers can be problematic. Many strive to do their best but some are not as attentive to detail as others. Dipping is always essential and I'd still quarintine frags to be sure nothing is hidding on them.

 

[FishTruck]

Just keep some money to buy berghia when the time comes. Zoanthids seem to be the best trojan horse IME for bringing them in.

 

[Tamale]

Just keep some money to buy berghia when the time comes. Zoanthids seem to be the best trojan horse IME for bringing them in.

Both times I've had to nail small aiptaisa's it's been on zoa frags. Thankfully, they were easy to spot and hit with the Aiptasia-X. No problems after that.

 

[Alexraptor]

I'm not quite sure. I had a crapload of them many years ago. But in the past half-decade they have been non-existent in my system, seem to have died out by themselves, nor have a I seen any crop up from frags or live rock that I've purchased in the past few years.

 

[arking_mark]

I'm not quite sure. I had a crapload of them many years ago. But in the past half-decade they have been non-existent in my system, seem to have died out by themselves, nor have a I seen any crop up from frags or live rock that I've purchased in the past few years.

So I've controlled them in the DT with a CBB.

I added 100s of $$ of Berghia to the observation tank and sump.

Everything looked eradicated...then a couple of months go by and then they're back.