How easy does Aiptasia reproduce?

Xylotrupes · Dec 15, 2018

If the Aiptaisa come back it would be very interesting for me to know where the tiny polyps show up first

marlinmon · Dec 15, 2018

cbleehk said:
Hi, I have a refugium section in my sump that is right beside the return pumps. I'm about to put some rocks that have Aiptasia on them into the refugium but I don't want them to get into my DT. Just wondering how likely would get make their way up if they reproduce?

The rocks are actually from my old tank. They started as a small spore and now there are around 3 big ones and several smaller ones here and there on the old tank. I used reef savers and sand to avoid any pests, so I wouldn't want them to get into my DT.

Thanks!

They are just like cockroaches. You kill one and then find five more.

Katrina71 · Dec 16, 2018

Nudibranches. Slooooow. Effective!

Knifeguy · Dec 17, 2018

+1 Katrina. Here's what worked for me. Matted File fish was the first purchase. Didn't touch them that I saw. Then I bought 8 Berghia Nudibranchs, 6 small, 2 mediums. They disappeared after a day. The smalls are barely viable in the bad they come in, you will feel like you were ripped off lol, the mediums have just a little more size to em. Then I threw a copperband in, and he immediatly started munching on ONLY THE TINY ONES, wouldn't touch any Aptasia with some size to em. So a few weeks later in went 4 peppermint shrimp, which one of mine wasn't I'm sure, he's still alive and looks like a camel shrimp anyway, they defiantly really kicked it in gear. Huge improvement by two weeks. All Aptasia disappeared by less than two months. Another month later what do I find cruising in my tank at night? 3 large Berdgias Nudis still alive. So in that combo, it worked. The copperband lived about a year so you will be buying the copperband and the Berghia as sacrificial lambs unless you rehome them. Alot of fish will prey on Berdgias, I had none of those fish. And I still have an Aptasia that pops up every now and then in my refugiam so no matter what, you'll always have em. It's like a sexually transmitted disease unfortunately that you will always have, the gift that keeps on giving, sadly.

madweazl · Dec 17, 2018

We tend to blow a lot of "pest" situations out of proportion, even aiptasia. I've had the best luck killing them with a syringe full of boiling water (turkey injection size so the water doesnt cool down too fast). I also added three peppermint shrimp to the tank shortly after and never had another appear. I've tried Aiptasia-X many times in the past and it was largely ineffective (would knock them down but they'd be right back a week or so later).

SuncrestReef · Dec 17, 2018

I actually enjoy finding a new aiptasia in my tank because it gives me an opportunity to blast them with my 4,000 mw laser. I'm killing one every week or so. Nothing more gratifying that hearing them crackle & sizzle underwater.

Knifeguy · Dec 17, 2018

Yea I have that Suncrest, but simply too many at that time, when you have hundreds you can't keep up. That's good for a couple here and there. Doesn't get inside rocks and in the back of the tank. It is cool though.

Rjukan · Dec 17, 2018

Peppermint shrimp have been the answer for me. Just have to be patient with them, eventually they will get to all of the ones they have access to. Best thing about them in my opinion is they will eat the tiny new ones that you might not see when trying to manually remove them.

Snookin · Dec 17, 2018

Knifeguy said:
+1 Katrina. Here's what worked for me. Matted File fish was the first purchase. Didn't touch them that I saw. Then I bought 8 Berghia Nudibranchs, 6 small, 2 mediums. They disappeared after a day. The smalls are barely viable in the bad they come in, you will feel like you were ripped off lol, the mediums have just a little more size to em. Then I threw a copperband in, and he immediatly started munching on ONLY THE TINY ONES, wouldn't touch any Aptasia with some size to em. So a few weeks later in went 4 peppermint shrimp, which one of mine wasn't I'm sure, he's still alive and looks like a camel shrimp anyway, they defiantly really kicked it in gear. Huge improvement by two weeks. All Aptasia disappeared by less than two months. Another month later what do I find cruising in my tank at night? 3 large Berdgias Nudis still alive. So in that combo, it worked. The copperband lived about a year so you will be buying the copperband and the Berghia as sacrificial lambs unless you rehome them. Alot of fish will prey on Berdgias, I had none of those fish. And I still have an Aptasia that pops up every now and then in my refugiam so no matter what, you'll always have em. It's like a sexually transmitted disease unfortunately that you will always have, the gift that keeps on giving, sadly.

In a shorter amount of words: Don’t add the rock.