Dealing with Aiptasia

[Russell Casey]

I'll see how it goes. I'm not concerned about my cuc. If the file or shrimp mess with my hammers or torches, I'll be having fish and shrimp for dinner. And after dinner, I'll order some ap-X. thanks for your comment.

I used Aiptasia X, it slows them down. The reason these products don't work for an infestation is because aiptasia is adapt that when it is being killed it spews out thousands of whatever you can them that become babies. Only one piece small enough that you can't see of the aiptasia can clone itself. This is why people like me that used to use F-Aiptasia, Aiptasia X even with the pumps off, and also epoxy had nothing but more aiptasia.

The thing that worked for me took about three months was Berghia Nudibranches. I will never get another aiptasia. I have a 20 gallon quarentine tank with a cheap kessil light for everything. I had a zoa frag that was in QT for three weeks. Saw no aiptasia, only thing in clear bottom tank. Guess what just yesterday I see a dang aiptasia small as small can be. Thank God, I murdered it and today there were three on the glass. So this QT tank saved my tank again.

 

[Russell Casey]

It doesn't matter what you use. If you see one, look longer you'll see ten. Kill them all and the next day you'll see the other 50 that you missed. Using aptasia x or f aptasia works, but you'll never get them all.

You can use peppermint shrimp to manage, or berghia to try to eradicate. Even if you get them all, they'll be back if you ever put anything new in the reef....just sayin.

Good Luck!

Dave

Dave,
Your right on...I had a 13.5 gallon tank that not knowing better I put live rock in tank with no QT and I had them everywhere. In that case, Aiptasia X and a peppermint shrimp eradicated them. But to your point in my bigger tank I killed fourteen and a week later there were over 20, and I went with nudibranches. Everything including Chaeto is now QT for 30 days. I asked a marine biologist I know and he told me that Aiptasia can appear within 30 days. So I wait and I can tell you on week three one came up from a rock that I had QT.

 

[Florida Sunshine]

Personally I have had the best success with F-Aiptasia than with any of the other common methods. The key is to be sure it is thoroughly mixed and leave your flow off for a while so it forms a hard shell. So far I have seen less spread than with other chemical methods. I believe it is because of the hard shell it forms around the spot. The one thing to keep in mind is to be very careful with it around your corals.

 

[Russell Casey]

I recommend 1 small peppermint shrimp ( just one) and keep hitting them day in and day out with Apastia-x
If your persistent, you will win........peps unusually clear the smaller ones in tough to get areas.

Note: in rare cases, I have heard of peps taking a liking to Acans and some may bother nems.

Mine has never bothered anyone, but seem only to last a couple of years or so.

Peps in my experience eat aiptasia only when super hungry. They eat Acans when starving. I make sure my shrimp get something to eat daily and I made sure to have quite a bit of pods for them. They haven't touched coral, but it is like anything. If you don't feed them, you can't help but think they will ruin your corals.

 

[Russell Casey]

Personally I have had the best success with F-Aiptasia than with any of the other common methods. The key is to be sure it is thoroughly mixed and leave your flow off for a while so it forms a hard shell. So far I have seen less spread than with other chemical methods. I believe it is because of the hard shell it forms around the spot. The one thing to keep in mind is to be very careful with it around your corals.

it worked better for me as well. I still had them going gangbusters.

 

[S.Pepper]

I used Aiptasia X, it slows them down. The reason these products don't work for an infestation is because aiptasia is adapt that when it is being killed it spews out thousands of whatever you can them that become babies. Only one piece small enough that you can't see of the aiptasia can clone itself. This is why people like me that used to use F-Aiptasia, Aiptasia X even with the pumps off, and also epoxy had nothing but more aiptasia.

The thing that worked for me took about three months was Berghia Nudibranches. I will never get another aiptasia. I have a 20 gallon quarentine tank with a cheap kessil light for everything. I had a zoa frag that was in QT for three weeks. Saw no aiptasia, only thing in clear bottom tank. Guess what just yesterday I see a dang aiptasia small as small can be. Thank God, I murdered it and today there were three on the glass. So this QT tank saved my tank again.

Welp, the file fish and peppermint shrimp arrive this morning and i'll see how it goes. My next step will be the berghia nudi's if the file and shrimp don't work. I was shocked at the price of these things. 5 1/2 nudi's for $121. Wow! I've only seen 3, but i understand there will be more--at least according to everything i've read. Like everything in this hobby, what works for 1 person may not work for the next. Just going thru the process...

thx.

 

[Angelwolf21203]

What about fellow reefers? Does anyone have an abundance of these little critters they would be willing to ship?

 

[Russell Casey]

Welp, the file fish and peppermint shrimp arrive this morning and i'll see how it goes. My next step will be the berghia nudi's if the file and shrimp don't work. I was shocked at the price of these things. 5 1/2 nudi's for $121. Wow! I've only seen 3, but i understand there will be more--at least according to everything i've read. Like everything in this hobby, what works for 1 person may not work for the next. Just going thru the process...

thx.

The filefish should have a ball with it. The nudibranches were at saltyunderground cost me 75.00 for six with shipping . They came next day, and were alive.

 

[speedieber]

I had a really bad aptasia problem... got a Peppermint Shrimp and some aptasia eating Nudibranch's .... def did the trick... Good Luck

 

[reefjonny]

I've had this problem, and still do once in a while. Initially, I thought the aiptasia it was really cool and then learned that it isn't a welcome visitor. After doing some initial research I decided to add 5 peppermint shrimp to my JBJ reef 45. Within 48 hours all aiptasia was gone.....

I would recommend going that route if you're interested in adding shrimp....good luck!

 

[Bleigh]

IVe tried all the methods. behrgia nudis are rock stars. Even if I have to buy them twice a year. It’s worth not having the headache. So far Ive done them once a few months ago and haven’t seen another aiptasia. Totally worth the price.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi I understand that butterfly fish are extremely tough to keep long-term?

Never had an issue. Kleini one of the easiest. Ive had a copperband quite a while also

 

[((FORDTECH))]

I have went the nudi route before spent the 100$ for 6 and was so excited to see them when they came in the morning. See thing is I should have taken a picture of them then cause it was the first and last time I ever seen them and they did nothing. They are smaller then a dime. Most my aptasia was 2x there size big enough to eat the nudi which was probably what happen to them.

 

[Angelwolf21203]

Never had an issue. Kleini one of the easiest. Ive had a copperband quite a while also

I had a latticed butterfly, and it did eat the ones that were in the display, but it also nipped the crap out of my zoas. I thought I was going to loose the whole colony. I have had a copperband before, but I'm just hesitant about butterflies in general, because of that. Even though they say copperbands are reef safe.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I had a latticed butterfly, and it did eat the ones that were in the display, but it also nipped the crap out of my zoas. I thought I was going to loose the whole colony. I have had a copperband before, but I'm just hesitant about butterflies in general, because of that. Even though they say copperbands are reef safe.

Auriga, lattice, Pakistani, racoon and lemon are not to trust especially with Zoa. I got a heniocus about a year ago and I netted him within 22 mins of release. It ate 1/2 a large colony of my zoa within the first 10 mins. That colony never did come back. Very costly purchase that was.

 

[Angelwolf21203]

Auriga, lattice, Pakistani, racoon and lemon are not to trust especially with Zoa. I got a heniocus about a year ago and I netted him within 22 mins of release. It ate 1/2 a large colony of my zoa within the first 10 mins. That colony never did come back. Very costly purchase that was.

Sometimes I hate fish! Or at least the ones who are jerks!

 

[Rogueaquariums]

I have used boiling water and lemonjuice with some luck lately, I just mix lemonjuice with boiling water and squirt it straight in the mouth of the Aiptasia. There have been a few survivors but most have never returned so I would call it somewhat a success.
No matter witch method you use Just stay ontop of it and dont let it spread, a few quickly turns to many if you let it.

how much lemon juice do you mix up with the water? I have heard that a few people have used it with good success

 

[Russell Casey]

I have went the nudi route before spent the 100$ for 6 and was so excited to see them when they came in the morning. See thing is I should have taken a picture of them then cause it was the first and last time I ever seen them and they did nothing. They are smaller then a dime. Most my aptasia was 2x there size big enough to eat the nudi which was probably what happen to them.

That can transpire. I purcahsed four small to medium and two x-large. I can tell you in my refugium where there were so many aiptasia it was pathetic. I am seeing less and less. Late at night I found a nudibranch on the side just chomping on the aiptasia.

You didn't have anytype of fish that would eat the nudibranches as I have been told most wrasses will kill them .

 

[Russell Casey]

Bought 5 peppermint shrimp I try killing the big once with lemon juice and ph upper it works unfortunately I cannot see behind the rocks I am hoping shrimp will kill them


This is so crazy this tank and my damm luck not knowing much before

Killed 5000 fish with velvet now I got new fish after waiting 2 months put the fish from the qt to display couple of weeks later I notice tank has ick now everyone back to qt

I would reccomend running a UV light that will kill the ick in the stage where it is in the water. If the UV you have isn't working I would lower the gph as that will help lower the eggs.

 

[hyeclass]

I would reccomend running a UV light that will kill the ick in the stage where it is in the water. If the UV you have isn't working I would lower the gph as that will help lower the eggs.

I do use UV light 55 watts - the tank was fishless for 60 days put the fish in there got ick now i am running fishless tank for 80 days, i am hopping the ick will get killed on top of everything i am running 55 watts UV