Over run with aiptasia...

EricksonHQI · Dec 11, 2013

I've been in the hobby for about 2yrs now and I had been playing whack a mole on the aiptasia in my tank with AiptasiaX for a while and thought I had gotten most of it.. Then now within the last month our tank has become overrun with it. I'm out of aiptasiax now and am trying to find out if there is another method that would work for a mass infestation..

Berghia nudis aren't an option due to our wrasse..
Peppermint shrimp aren't working...
And butterfly's are a no go with the small size of our tank.

And I'm almost to the point of giving up...
Also trying to be frugal with my attempt as funds are limited right now..

Thanks in advance for any advice or thoughts

aslmx · Dec 11, 2013

Pickling lime paste in a syringe. It will kill them but as you've found with apitasia x when you kill one. Ten more grow. I'm going to try a copperband. Theirs also another fish that eats them I just can't think of the name of it. Its a ugly son of a gun though.

socal619 · Dec 11, 2013

file fish, try some more shrimp i guess. i did CBB and peppermint shrimp worked for me. shrimp from liveaquaria

tuna_bullet · Dec 11, 2013

green file fish..aptasia eating but if you have lps he will eat them also...a small CBB then when its gone you can pass him on to the next tank.....

socal619 · Dec 11, 2013

how big is the tank?

"that guy" · Dec 11, 2013

Try this:

Take a picture of each effected rock...pull out individually.

use a plumbers torch or windproof lighter and burn each one off (referring to pictures if you get confused. Sime will be hard to spot. Inspect thoroughly with ample light for each polyp....

has worked everytime for me and i have never had a reinfection unless its a hitch hicker on new piece of LR.

reefndude · Dec 11, 2013

Thats the problem im having. Been using kalk to battle them. Its not bad. Every other day I find a few more. Hoping to get rid of them before I transfer everything to a new tank

pickupman66 · Dec 11, 2013

find a friend with a hungry CBB. one rock at a time let him "clean" it.

jcollinsks · Dec 11, 2013

Berghadi nudibranches are supposed to be awesome at taking care of it.

mallorieGgator · Dec 11, 2013

Get a small CBB and then pass him on to a friend with a bigger tank. You can also replace all your rocks if there aren't that many.

Bubbles_B · Dec 11, 2013

I bought 7 shrimp devoured them within a month. too bad I can't take them out and pass them on to you...

mallorieGgator · Dec 11, 2013

It's a hit or miss with the shrimp. I had two that never touched my aptasia.

rworegon · Dec 11, 2013

CBB worked for me. Some have issues with CBB attacking clams or zoa's and paly's. Mine has been happy with shaved scallops. However, you will not be able to keep any feather dusters. They are like candy to butterflys.

jt17 · Dec 11, 2013

aslmx said:
Pickling lime paste in a syringe. It will kill them but as you've found with apitasia x when you kill one. Ten more grow. I'm going to try a copperband. Theirs also another fish that eats them I just can't think of the name of it. Its a ugly son of a gun though.

Is it a Molly Miller blenny? Always thought they were kind of cute.

reefndude · Dec 11, 2013

What is thw avg life span of peppermint shrimp?

aslmx · Dec 11, 2013

jt17 said:
Is it a Molly Miller blenny? Always thought they were kind of cute.

I was thinking of the file fish

aslmx · Dec 11, 2013

reefndude said:
Thats the problem im having. Been using kalk to battle them. Its not bad. Every other day I find a few more. Hoping to get rid of them before I transfer everything to a new tank

I have them too and ive decided that pretty much nothing from my old tank will be going to my new tank.