Holy Aptasia Batman!!!

[Reefthedayaway]

Nudi's good sized ones cost to much $$$$$$$ and take forever to clean them up when small unless u have a ton of them. However they do a fantastic job and breed, good to pass on to fllow reefers that have the same issue as Aptasia is the only thing they eat!

Did you see the size of his overflow? Think he could afford a cpl of we nudis lol

 

[jgvergo]

Did you see the size of his overflow? Think he could afford a cpl of we nudis lol

You know what they say about reefers with big overflows...

 

[Reefthedayaway]

You know what they say about reefers with big overflows...

Big filter socks

 

[Eve]

My bean animal overflow has been behaving a little peculiarly, so I decided to poke around my overflow box and this is what I found...
I have a few of them in my DT, but NOTHING like what is in my overflow!!! In the past, I've used AptasiaX to successfully control them in my DT. I am planning on getting a Copperband Butterfly to help with the DT (plus, I just love the fish and I've always wanted one).

I guess it's reasonable to assume that the aptasia in my overflow is helping with nutrient export. So my plan is:

1. Regularly clear out the aptasia near my bean animal intakes
2. Leave the rest in my overflow as nutrient export
3. Get a CBB for my DT

Comments, concerns, other ideas???
TIA,
John

Wow I hope mine doesn’t get like that

 

[Rams54]

Copper Bands are a beautiful fish and they do wipe out aptasia, BUT, they are a hard fish to feed. They can't live on Aptasia alone. The life expectancy is very low. I had one for 6 months until my Scopas Tang decided to harass the hell out of it daily, all day long until the lights went out.

The way I fed it was; getting a fresh clam, open it up, and I got some twisties and opened it up the clam enough to let the CBB get it's snout into it to feed. The reason I do that is so the other fish can't run it off the clam an them eat it. The CCB is a very bashful and skiddy fish, even your smallest fish will run it away from the clam. Lot's of luck!!!

 

[mibwb]

I wish my peppers grew like that. You got a money maker there...selling them on CL as glass anemones...LMAF

 

[jgvergo]

Berghia Nudibranchs have been ordered! I'm going to document my experience here. Should be interesting

 

[dwest]

Good luck with nudis! Also, if you can block light from getting to the overflow you’ll eventually have fewer anemones.

 

[jgvergo]

Good luck with nudis! Also, if you can block light from getting to the overflow you’ll eventually have fewer anemones.

Thanks! Given my set up, it would be very tough to block light.

 

[jgvergo]

I ordered 6 Nudis, 2 large (> 3/4") and 4 medium (> 1/2") in size. I plan to put them all in my DT and let them eradicate the anemones in there first. They should arrive on Thursday.

 

[Tyler Bullock]

If you choose to put them in your overflow. Make sure you don't place them on top of the aptasia. The aptasia will eat the nudi!

 

[hockeyhead019]

*inserts "Life, finds a way" gif*

That's actually pretty cool that they're thriving so much in the overflow. I guess it makes sense as filter feeders. I agree with the folks above saying disconnect it and bleach it. Just be careful to clean it out really well and flush a bunch.

 

[LARedstickreefer]

How do they like freshwater? I’d disconnect the overflow and fill it with RODI water. Or you could probably drain it and squirt high % h202 on them.

Mines full of this little white filter feeder creatures. Thousands of them. Guess it could have been worse!

 

[jgvergo]

If you choose to put them in your overflow. Make sure you don't place them on top of the aptasia. The aptasia will eat the nudi!

I did some more research b/c of your suggestion and you are 100% right! Nudis have developed a way to "sneak up" on Aiptasia and eat them without triggering their stinging cells (nematocyst), but if you put a Nudi near the mouth of an anemone, the nem will eat the Nudi! Nature is amazing...

 

[jgvergo]

*inserts "Life, finds a way" gif*

That's actually pretty cool that they're thriving so much in the overflow. I guess it makes sense as filter feeders. I agree with the folks above saying disconnect it and bleach it. Just be careful to clean it out really well and flush a bunch.

I love the "Life finds a way" reference! I had the exact same reaction when I saw them all lined up along the weirs. They are just sitting there with their mouths open waiting for me to overfeed the tank

 

[Potatohead]

Easy solution. Water change with gasoline, and add match. No more aiptasia.

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

Good luck with nudis! Also, if you can block light from getting to the overflow you’ll eventually have fewer anemones.

In an overflow like that, I'm guessing they're mostly feeding on food going through it than light that they're getting. Although, blocking the light sure wouldn't hurt anything.

 

[jgvergo]

Easy solution. Water change with gasoline, and add match. No more aiptasia.

...or corals...or tank...or house;Nailbiting...but it may be worth it!

 

[WallyB]

You have the perfect setup for a Copperband Butterfly Fish. Free food if he aquires the taste for aphasia (most copperband do if you are patient)

I got a Copperband few month ago and my DT doesn't have a single visible Aphasia. If I look way under a rock there is one that the Copperband can't reach.

However my Sump is a different story. It grows aphasia like crazy. They are really translucent where they get no light, but I leave them since they do their job for natual filter feeding (as you mentioned)

They must be spreading to DT but any that appear a young sprouts, the Copperband must eat. I know this must be true since a few weeks ago I threw in some live rock into a refuge area of sump (separate compartment). I am holding two firefish in there so I added a led light.
In a short period of time the aphasia outbreak has covered the rocks (looks scary). But not a single aphasia in DT (so proof where copperband is, aptasia disappears).

I have no peppermint shrimps in this setup. I do have one in a frag tank that started showing up aphasia on egg crate. No more aphasia after peppermint went in.

From what I am observing. Large Aphasia doesn't get eaten. Copperband/Pepermints like the young tender sprouts (just a theory).
If you want to control some of the large Aptasia in DT (I use aphasia X) and don't worry about the tiny ones that dissapear

Also if you want a Copperband for long term (if they only eat aptasia, when it runs out they will starve) . So...During QT ensure you train Copperband to eat other foods like frozen. I use Mastik food to train them. Roll up a ball and place in a small sea she'll and drop in. It will always land upright. Copperband will smell it and Learn to eat from shell...since picking is more natural to them. I introduce frozen after fish starts to eat Mastik, since they need to learn how to catch floating food next. After you transfer fish to DT, it will recognize the shell feeding trick and continue food and aptasia.


I think that every mature (non sterile tank) will eventually get Aptasia and Valonia (bubble Alage). It's just a matter of time. Key is to have control mechanisms before things get out of control.

 

[WallyB]

Someone posted not too long ago that research had shown that only the large mature bubbles of bubble algae have spores in them. The very small ones like I have don't seem to cause any spores to be released. If they do they are pretty large because there is no bubble algae in the sump and the only thing stopping it is my filter socks.

I still try not pop any buble Alage, but what you say is true. One needs to be cautious when pruning bubbles to not let any get away since they may attach somewhere else and spread in new spot.