Hitchhiker? Nuisance?

[sting61ray]

I need help identifying this critter/hitchhiker. I have not added anything new in approximately 9 months.

 

[TheEngineer]

You've got yourself an aiptasia. Best deal with it now before it multiplies. They are pests.

 

[Rcpilot]

I see at least 3 in the pic, maybe 4. You already have a problem. Better get on 'em or you'll be overrun.

 

[Rcpilot]

Looks like vermetid snails as well. Circled in yellow.

Better get on them too, or you'll be REALLY sad.

 

[Cnidoblast]

If you can cut that chunk of rock off and discard or bleach the whole rock those would be the most optimal solutions

 

[sting61ray]

Looks like vermetid snails as well. Circled in yellow.

Better get on them too, or you'll be REALLY sad.

How do I get rid of them?!

If you can cut that chunk of rock off and discard or bleach the whole rock those would be the most optimal solutions

 

[sting61ray]

Thank you for the advice and I will bleach all rock in the garden tub that will fit. How would I clean a huge brain coral piece (not alive). It is as round as my 125 is wide. How can I treat the pieces with mushrooms, frogspawn and Zola’s attached? All your advice is appreciated greatly!

 

[Jeff Hall]

You could try peppermint shrimp but they will sometimes go after certain corals.

 

[Rcpilot]

You probably won't like my method for getting rid of aiptasia. Exacto knife, hammer drill, chisel, screwdrivers, awl and super glue.

I never had vermetid snails so I'm no help there.

 

[Rcpilot]

Theres a thread here on vermetid snails. It's a newer thread. Do a search in this forum. Some guy was using a chalk or something to take particulates out, but it did turn his water milky white. He said it starved the snails.

 

[kirstyflash]

You probably won't like my method for getting rid of aiptasia. Exacto knife, hammer drill, chisel, screwdrivers, awl and super glue.

I never had vermetid snails so I'm no help there.

You forgot gasoline and a match... or handgrenade

 

[Mikedawg]

I would try using Aiptasia X before I went to trouble/disruption of removing large rocks; many reefers report good results, me included. Also, an Aiptasia eating file fish adds interest to a reef tank and my experience is that they do a good job eradicating this pest. Here's a new, very useful guide for future reference: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/what-is-that-a-r2r-guide-to-common-new-tank-hitchhikers.443382/

And, not to pile on, but looks like what might be some cyano in upper right hand corner of your pic; another "pest" to control.

Good luck.

 

[Rcpilot]

You forgot gasoline and a match... or handgrenade

Both viable options....

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thank you for the advice and I will bleach all rock in the garden tub that will fit. How would I clean a huge brain coral piece (not alive). It is as round as my 125 is wide. How can I treat the pieces with mushrooms, frogspawn and Zola’s attached? All your advice is appreciated greatly!

Best bet to preserve the live stuff on rock...... get yourself a syringe from Walmart Pharmacy...... mix kalkwasser thick in water or get a small thing of lemon juice. Fill syringe and inject either into core of aptasia....you will see aptasia literally dissolve in front of you for good.

 

[sting61ray]

Best bet to preserve the live stuff on rock...... get yourself a syringe from Walmart Pharmacy...... mix kalkwasser thick in water or get a small thing of lemon juice. Fill syringe and inject either into core of aiptasia....you will see aptasia literally dissolve in front of you for good.

I have removed all rock that can be removed and will try the syringe trick on the rocks with coral. I had only seen aptasia in smaller forms and had no idea they got large. My garden tub with jets is now giving the aiptasia and cyano and vermetid snails a good soaking in fresh water then I will drain water and add some chlorine to make sure all is dead then I will run several cycles of fresh water. Thanks everyone as I am not able to get hold of the hand grenades!