Question - friends or foes?

bradejoe · Jan 10, 2014

Need identification. Trying to figure out if these are pests and if I should be getting rid of them. Upgrading my 20 gallon to a 46 and didn't want to bring pests into the new tank right away if I could avoid it. And of course, there is a lot of confusing information on "Dr. Google." Thanks in advance!

SeahorseKeeper · Jan 10, 2014

Pests. They look like aiptasia to me.

Carter o51 · Jan 10, 2014

First one is either an aptaisa or majano-both pests that should be removed so they can't spread. The second I believe is some sort of colonial hydroid. I have a couple in my tank. Id advise to remove them too

bradejoe · Jan 10, 2014

Any thoughts on getting rid of them?

mike007 · Jan 10, 2014

SeahorseKeeper said:
Pests. They look like aiptasia to me.

Agreed and they will multiply all over your tank if you don't kill them out. Try some peppermint shrimp and if that doesn't work there are products you can buy that work well. I use the Redsea stuff and it works for me.

Carter o51 · Jan 10, 2014

I'd recommend removing the rocks and soaking them in vinegar, or just drying them out for maybe a week to kill of everything, then letting them re-cycle

bradejoe · Jan 10, 2014

Probably a stupid question, but is there a difference between peppermint shrimp and a "cleaner shrimp"?

bradejoe · Jan 10, 2014

Just regular vinegar? Rinse the rocks before recycling? Will this hurt other organisms in the tank? Have 2 ocellaris clowns and a gramma... Sorry to all, I'm still a beginner!

Mike J. · Jan 10, 2014

bradejoe said:
Probably a stupid question, but is there a difference between peppermint shrimp and a "cleaner shrimp"?

Yes, some people use peppermints to eat Aiptasia; the scarlet cleaner shrimp doesn't eat Aiptasia.

Beginner Invertebrates: Invertebrates Suitable for Beginners in Saltwater Aquariums

Carter o51 · Jan 10, 2014

bradejoe said:
Just regular vinegar? Rinse the rocks before recycling? Will this hurt other organisms in the tank? Have 2 ocellaris clowns and a gramma... Sorry to all, I'm still a beginner!

As long as it's regular vinegar and you completely rinse it away it should be fine. And if they are only on 2 rocks it shouldn't do anything to the rest of the tank when you put them back in

TJ's Reef · Jan 10, 2014

If you don't have any encrusting Corals attached to these two ? pieces of LR I would take them out of tank and hold over bucket/sink/tiolet and with a butter knife or clean screwdriver just dig them out/off of rock (pretty easy) rinse lightly with RO/DI or SW then place back into tank and re-inspect next day to make sure you have removed them all. If no just repeat process. This way you will not lose and good bacteria or coraline algae growing on the rock.

Cheers, Todd