How do YOU kill aiptaisia?

[Jl330]

See a lot of different comments on this. I found one spot at the base of a frag and one in my zoa colony. Not sure how to get rid of it without hurting anything.

 

[Mal11224]

You can use aiptasia X to kill it. Unfortunately, aiptasia is common with zoas. File fish will eat them as well.

 

[reefwiser]

Simple way for two is super glue the aptasia on the Frag. An then watch where it is in the zoa colony it in place.

 

[Jl330]

Simple way for two is super glue the aptasia on the Frag. An then watch where it is in the zoa colony it in place.

Explain on the zoas? Confused?

 

[DSC reef]

Can you post a pic please. If the frag can be removed you can remove it with tweezers out of the tank. Unfortunately many of the options could lead to more aptaisia in the tank. I only cover in kalk paste if I have too.

 

[rich nyc]

I use boiling rodi water mixed with kalkwasser.

 

[mtraylor]

you can inject with a little bit of vinegar. If you have allot get a copper banded butterfly. They will take care of them.

 

[reefwiser]

With zoas you can make them close up as well as the aptaisia then just place the glue over the aptaisia.

 

[S.O.MLemos]

My peppermint shrimp keep my tank aiptasia free. I even put a frag in once with a small piece of aiptasia on it and the shrimps instantly went for it. That’s just my experience though

 

[rich nyc]

I have gotten many peppermint shrimp. they may be bullies but they have never eaten aiptasia

 

[jda]

I get the bigger ones with kalk. Peppermints from the Florida Keys will eagerly clean up the rest. The peppermints from elsewhere are not as sure, so make sure that you get them from Keys - you can order them direct from the divers.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Chelmon marginalis (a type of copperband butterfly) worked perfectly for me with a heavy infestation to none in the display.

 

[rich nyc]

I get the bigger ones with kalk. Peppermints from the Florida Keys will eagerly clean up the rest. The peppermints from elsewhere are not as sure, so make sure that you get them from Keys - you can order them direct from the divers.

where do you order from the divers?

 

[cgdcinc]

where do you order from the divers?

Reef cleaners.org

 

[rich nyc]

thanks. I just ended buying a lot more than peppermint shrimp from there

 

[jda]

reeftopia.com is what I use.

 

[RMS18]

Real syringe with h202 loaded in it. Inject the h202 right into the steam or mouth of the aiptasia. I used to use aiptasia x loaded in the syringe which also worked good but h202 kills quicker.

 

[DarkSky]

Started a new tank and removed all new coral from frag plugs is what did it for me.

 

[jda]

Injecting them with kalk will melt them before your eyes.

You need to get the big ones on your own. The peppermints will get to them, but oftentimes they are last or they just are not brave enough to do it. They will destroy the small ones, IME. Once the aips are gone, they need to be fed, just like the fish. They cannot live on detritus and scavenge. I have found that they have life spans of about 2-3 years, so they do need replacing over time. I usually order a dozen of them, keep them in the fuge until they get all of the aips in there, get them used to eating pellets, usually lose a few and end up putting 10 into my display which you never see until feeding time and then they are all out looking for dropped pellets.

They need iodine to molt and live appropriately. If you change water, then the salt mix can handle this. If not, then you will need to supplement with the right kind (there are many kinds).

 

[Velcro]

Terrible picture, but here’s a Berghia eating an aiptasia that is nearly the size of the large open one above it. Just took this photo this morning. Added them two week ago so the next generation should be blooming soon from what I understand.