Debating on tearing down my DT :(

[TheLadyCrash]

What are the current parameters of the water in your tank? We do this for a living and have seen and beaten far worse infestations. Just takes time and persistence. You can beat this.

Thanks for the vote of confidence. I'll run a full set of tests when I get home from work and post the results.

 

[andrewkw]

I have a majano wand! It works great in a tank that only has a couple here and there but there is no way I could do that many in this tank. There are probably 500

You just have to kill one more per day (or per week if daily doesn't work for you) and eventually you'll get it down to a manageable amount. I have a few in my tank, I used to have a lot but instead of letting it drive me crazy I just kill new ones when they pop up and resist the urge to remove all the coral covered rock to get 99% only to have one survive and repopulate 6 months later. Aiptasia can be tough to eliminate but it's not that tough to control.

 

[TheLadyCrash]

They used nudibranches & it was amazing how effective they were.
The challenge is to have conditions for the nudis to live & reproduce. Possibly some inhabitants in your tank ate your nudibranches. Given the right conditions, it takes 2 to 4 months for berghia to work.

This is very possible. The other part I can't quite wrap my head around is how to get the nudis into the overflow without worrying about the larger aiptasia fighting back. I will NEVER again buy an AIO....not being able to properly clean the overflow sucks!

 

[A Toadstool Leather]

Have you tried the majano wand?

 

[CNDReef]

You could feed the aptasia right before you add the nudis to the overflow

 

[TheLadyCrash]

I had them pretty bad, 1 peppermint shrimp cleared them up over time. I personally would add in peppermint shrimp although you said you already tried that.

Do you think a peppermint could survive in an overflow? I know there's a risk for it getting caught into a return pump, but maybe it could survive long enough to kill off a few aiptasia first? ;Pompus

 

[TheLadyCrash]

Have you tried the majano wand?

I have....there's just sooo many. Maybe I need to see if the wand can fit down the overflow. If it can, it may be worth trying again.

 

[TheLadyCrash]

You could feed the aptasia right before you add the nudis to the overflow

That's a good idea!

 

[lactose]

I tried to like just about every item about removing predators and having lots of berghia and giving them time to multiply and remove them. I had what I would refer to as turf aptasia LOL in 300G of tank and it took a month or two to notice any difference and then within a couple of months from that they 100% removed all aptasia. I never saw one out during the day during that time but they did their work quietly at night and were relentless, they got in overflows, sump and everything. Patience, No Predators and Persistence will get you there!

Also if you do see them out in a sump or whatever far away from aptasia suck them up with a dropper and put them back in tanks where the aptasia are. I spent most of that last 2 months finding a random berghia in my sump on a sponge and moving them back into a tank.

I lost faith a few times but the end of that period was a miracle every day I had like 5-10% less aptasia until it was down to 1 or 2 and then they disappeared and then I worked to get the nudi's out and to someone else who needed it as they will die without aptasia to eat.

 

[lactose]

I should add I didn't see a single aptasia again for the year plus I had that system running (just tore it down for a whole new dream system I am in the middle of building)

 

[jakeh22]

Just get some joes juice and get in there every evening pal. 25% at a time because when they are stressed they reproduce

 

[Breadman03]

I would grab some rubble rock to put into the overflow, just to give the nudis a place to hide when they want.

 

[Kremis]

Do you think a peppermint could survive in an overflow? I know there's a risk for it getting caught into a return pump, but maybe it could survive long enough to kill off a few aiptasia first? ;Pompus

I would just put them in the DT and ignore the ones in the overflow - they cant kill anything. the peps will control the ones in the DT. just my preference though I know some people want them 100% gone, so if thats the case then im not really sure what to do regarding the overflow. Only reason why I would control aptasias is if they are stinging corals, and since there are no corals in the overflow...

 

[pharazon]

I think you should double up on Nudi’s again. They obviously have plenty of food. If you’re worried about water quality from any of them dying, just double up on water changes too. Like everyone said, it will probably take some time, but it’s probably still easier than breaking everything down. Besides, your corals look healthy!

I look forward to seeing you beat this invasion.

 

[Maacc]

Try a 3 watt laser from ebay, they are about 60 bucks, especially being in the overflow, you can zap them with impunity. It isn't a cure all but you should be able to make steady progress.

 

[Maacc]

I forgot they make a really satisfying sizzle pop sound when they burst.

 

[DanConnor]

I have tons of aiptasia in my overflow. It's an aiptasia filter!

Filter socks prevent them from going in the sump, although there is no light and not much food there, so I don't think they would reproduce much.

 

[TheLadyCrash]

Alright, I think you all have convinced me to give it another go with the nudibranchs. I'm thinking about picking up 15 of the mediums from reef town. Does that sound like enough for a heavy infestation in a 45g?

Also, does anyone know if either a filefish or an emerald crab is considered a predator to the nudibranch? My other tank mates shouldn't be a problem since I don't have any wrasses or shrimp in there currently.

 

[DanConnor]

I don't think they are a significant threat. The one time berghia failed for me, I had a harem of 5 orchid dottybacks, 3 leopard wrasses, a copperband, and two dragonets.

I must have been nuts thinking that would work!

 

[rosshamsandwich]

try peppermint shrimp again. try juveniles