Overwhelmed with aiptasia

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Long story short I was battling a turf Algea and scrubbing my rock weekly. Didn’t know I had any apstasia in this tank, but the cribbing spread them to where they are covering everything.
I maybe didn’t clean up the rock well enough to start as I just scrubbed and sprayed with a garden hose. So I also battle phosphates at around 4.5. This is a FOWLR with GSP. I think a real deep clean of the rock is my only option.
Would this be a legitimate plan?
Remove the rock that is affected scrub and soak 24 hours in 1:10 bleach water solution, power wash, then 24 hours in fresh water.
From there place in a 40 gallon brute with air line or power head 1.015 salinity water and bottled bacteria to cycle. I will have to do this in batches as I can’t fit all rock in at one time. Can I just add new rock to the curing vat after each run or should that be fresh mixed also.
Thanks

 

[Pistondog]

Same boat on a small tank. Trying 4 peppermint shrimp

 

[Cell]

Looks like parazoanthus aka yellow polyps.

 

[HankstankXXL750 Verified Sponsor]

Looks like parazoanthus aka yellow polyps.

I wish, but up close they are definitely aiptasia.

 

[dedragon]

looks like a decent sized tank, i might try a butterflyfish if you can get any you like near you. Copperbands are great for aiptasia but im sure one of the non reef safe butterflys might be even better for destroying aiptasia

 

[TalkinTangie]

I recommend Berghia nudibranches. I Never knew what they were, had dealt with aiptasia in the past. I bought a batch and as many others will tell you, it takes a while to see a difference if you have alot of aiptasia, but the Berghia will go into smalls crevices and places no fish or shrimp can access, plain and simple.
Only negative about them is they are truly effective and they only eat aiptasia. Once they clean the tank, you need to rehome them or they will starve to death.

Good luck!

 

[HankstankXXL750 Verified Sponsor]

looks like a decent sized tank, i might try a butterflyfish if you can get any you like near you. Copperbands are great for aiptasia but im sure one of the non reef safe butterflys might be even better for destroying aiptasia

That might actually be a good idea. Don’t know if it will help my phosphates so much. I have been dosing lanthanum Chloride for months and not getting ahead.

 

[HankstankXXL750 Verified Sponsor]

I recommend Berghia nudibranches. I Never knew what they were, had dealt with aiptasia in the past. I bought a batch and as many others will tell you, it takes a while to see a difference if you have alot of aiptasia, but the Berghia will go into smalls crevices and places no fish or shrimp can access, plain and simple.
Only negative about them is they are truly effective and they only eat aiptasia. Once they clean the tank, you need to rehome them or they will starve to death.

Good luck!

I have a sunset wrasse in the tank so figure they will just be food. Same applies to peppermint shrimp.

 

[slythy]

Buy a bunch of bergia, they are pack hunters. There isnt an overnight cure with that many. Could try that aptasia wand if you wont get them all.

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

Buy a bunch of bergia, they are pack hunters. There isnt an overnight cure with that many. Could try that aptasia wand if you wont get them all.

I did the majano wand on a previous tank, tends to make it worse IMHO.

 

[slythy]

I did the majano wand on a previous tank, tends to make it worse IMHO.

good to know, maybe dont do that then lol

 

[HankstankXXL750 Verified Sponsor]

good to know, maybe dont do that then lol

I have the wand and like how it works on majano, but it isn’t the same in the aiptasia and feel it could cause them to release their eggs or whatever making it worse.
Aiptasia-X and peppermint shrimp have worked for me in reef tanks, but this tank not shrimp friendly. Can’t keep any CUC in it as they will eat snails, hermits, stars etc.

 

[billyocean]

Berghia Nudibranchs. Get 5 or 6 and place them in tank per directions. In a couple/few months they will have multiplied and conquered. Resell the multiplied berghia locally for what you paid or whatever..either make money or break even. In the end it can be a free treatment.

 

[HankstankXXL750 Verified Sponsor]

Berghia Nudibranchs. Get 5 or 6 and place them in tank per directions. In a couple/few months they will have multiplied and conquered. Resell the multiplied berghia locally for what you paid or whatever..either make money or break even. In the end it can be a free treatment.

But will my sunset wrasse eat them?

 

[Koty]

Get a CBB feed it with mussles for a while. Once its acclimated it will get rid of all the aiptasia in your tank

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

But will my sunset wrasse eat them?

Yup... I'm in the same boat also. Same issues also (halichoeres wrasses x2 and a red Coris). I'm considering a Klein butterfly for my large tank, I have it in my tang free 50g cube and it's destroying smaller aiptasia. I'm scared to put it in the larger tank due to 4x zebrasomas tangs...

 

[billyocean]

But will my sunset wrasse eat them?

That's definitely a possibility. My buddy has wrasses and they didn't eat them as the wrasses sleep at night and the berghia are nocturnal. It worked for him but I would imagine if a wrasse sees one it's game over.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Long story short I was battling a turf Algea and scrubbing my rock weekly. Didn’t know I had any apstasia in this tank, but the cribbing spread them to where they are covering everything.
I maybe didn’t clean up the rock well enough to start as I just scrubbed and sprayed with a garden hose. So I also battle phosphates at around 4.5. This is a FOWLR with GSP. I think a real deep clean of the rock is my only option.
Would this be a legitimate plan?
Remove the rock that is affected scrub and soak 24 hours in 1:10 bleach water solution, power wash, then 24 hours in fresh water.
From there place in a 40 gallon brute with air line or power head 1.015 salinity water and bottled bacteria to cycle. I will have to do this in batches as I can’t fit all rock in at one time. Can I just add new rock to the curing vat after each run or should that be fresh mixed also.
Thanks

I agree on it being yellow polyps and not aptasia and these guys as you found grow like wildfire. Best would be to place in container with high content of kalkwasser making solution milky, place a couple of butterflies such as Heniocus or gold nugget rabbitfish

 

[HankstankXXL750 Verified Sponsor]

I agree on it being yellow polyps and not aptasia and these guys as you found grow like wildfire. Best would be to place in container with high content of kalkwasser making solution milky, place a couple of butterflies such as Heniocus or gold nugget rabbitfish

I’m pretty sure they are aiptasia. All the pics I found online of yellow polyps are more uniform in color. Here are some close ups.

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

That's aiptasia