Zoa pest ID ?

[Lavey29]

Trying to figure out what this is growing in the middle of my zoas? It wiped out a small patch of zoas around it. Thanks for the help.

 

[shwareefer]

aiptasia.

 

[Supa]

+1 aiptasia

 

[Nburg's Reef]

I've had success using a needle and syringe and injecting lemon juice. When its fully open, quickly jab and dispense the lemon juice. Should kill it and not affect your zoas too much. OR, take an empty shell or rock and super glue it in its hole. Leave it there and make sure you smother it.

Taking care of 1 aptasia is easy. Killing endless aptasia is practically impossible.

EDIT: After a further look, looks like you may have a couple on that rock. I would look into a plan on dealing with them if you don't have them anywhere else in the tank. They have already started to spread on that rock for sure.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Use syringe as indicated. It will reach into tight space. My preffered solution id kalkwasser powder mixed with tank water into a paste the consistency of toothpaste and inject into the center core of the aptasia and it will melt away. Boiling water injected may work also.
They are capable of stinging nearby coral

 

[Lavey29]

When you say syringe do you mean the real needle type or the plastic ones that we typically use?

 

[Lavey29]

I do have a few aptasia scattered on the sandbed now. I was considering remedies like a shrimp or nudibranch but wondering if my wrasses will eat them.

 

[Nburg's Reef]

When you say syringe do you mean the real needle type or the plastic ones that we typically use?

Real needle. I've used ones from the pharmacy, or even tractor supply (they have vet ones for horses)

 

[shwareefer]

I do have a few aptasia scattered on the sandbed now. I was considering remedies like a shrimp or nudibranch but wondering if my wrasses will eat them.

Too few for berghia. Peppermint shrimp is ok but they have to be real peppermints. Bristletail filefish will eat them but likely will eat your zoas too but this is hit and miss for people. With just a few scattered aiptasia I would try the direct syringe attacks as suggested above.

 

[GHOSTLY]

Aiptasia. Kill it with holy water and hope

 

[Lavey29]

Too few for berghia. Peppermint shrimp is ok but they have to be real peppermints. Bristletail filefish will eat them but likely will eat your zoas too but this is hit and miss for people. With just a few scattered aiptasia I would try the direct syringe attacks as suggested above.

Seems like it's hard to hit them though. As soon as I touch them they disappear down into the 2" sandbed. How do you know if you stick them good when they collapse like that?

 

[shwareefer]

I've never treated them that way, so I'm not sure. They definitely retract in an instant. My battle was many years ago so I used aiptasia-X which they actually seem to consume and not retract but in the end I used berghia because I had so many. Never came back.

 

[Nburg's Reef]

With the syringe method, I used it because I had both a needle and lemon juice on hand so I just jabbed while simultaneously injected. Seemed to work even if I didn't fully jab it. Its been years since I have had any.

You could also just superglue a little rock over the hole they're in too if you only have a few.

I am sure there are better options as posted. If you want legit peppermint shrimp, I know reeftopia.com carries them because he is the diver and they come out of the Florida keys, which are the right species. He doesn't have any in stock at the moment tho... maybe for the holidays.

 

[Lavey29]

Anyone tried that aptasia X product?

 

[Just John]

Anyone tried that aptasia X product?

Yes, worked well for me. But if you coat some adjacent zoas, they may die. One problem with aiptasia is that if poked hard they can expel "babies" and spread. With this product you just coat the top and they suck it in. If you put a blob in the hole it should do it I would think.

 

[damsels are not mean]

When you say syringe do you mean the real needle type or the plastic ones that we typically use?

I've used a plastic one. You just want to be precise enough with the kalk not to hit anything else. You are trying to "feed" kalk paste to it which basically just gives it toxic high ph water.

 

[((FORDTECH))]

Anyone tried that aptasia X product?

When using this you should turn off your pumps and power heads so the aptasia x stays where you need it for few min. Then I turn it all on blast to blow it off and down over flow

 

[damsels are not mean]

Anyone tried that aptasia X product?

I have used it with success. I think it's just kalk paste honestly. But it comes with a little syringe at least.

 

[nosurrender00]

Anyone tried that aptasia X product?

Aiptasia X will kill it if you inject it directly into the mouth while open. However, be careful if you have any torches nearby. I had a chunk of that paste land directly on it and the torch sucked it in, 2 days later brown jelly and it died.

 

[damsels are not mean]

Aiptasia X will kill it if you inject it directly into the mouth while open. However, be careful if you have any torches nearby. I had a chunk of that paste land directly on it and the torch sucked it in, 2 days later brown jelly and it died.

best to turn off flow and take your time so you can be super accurate