Aiptasia or commonly known as aptasia

[Airphotog]

I picked up a tank with some nice pieces of rock big mushrooms and cleaner crew. The problem is it is over run with aiptasia. What would be the best way to get rid of it? Manually injecting each one would be a nightmare. Is it possible to do a lights out for a period of time? I am asking in another thread abiut removing the mushrooms.

Thanks Brian...

 

[Dkp5818]

No light isn't going to help! Your other corals will die first, we moved from Washington state all the way to Florida and transported our lr in 5 gallon buckets 5 days worth and the aptasias didnt die, boiling water injected works best and it dissent introduce any chemicals or acids to the tank so its the best way

 

[jrgilles]

I was fighting a losing battle for awhile. Ended up getting some peppermint shrimp off the for sale forum that were supposedly proven aptasia eaters. Haven't seen any in a long time now. Its really hit or miss if a pep will eat them though.

Bhergia nudibranchs might be your best option if you have a lot. They ONLY eat aptasia, so you can put them in and they will breed and eat all the aptasia. They hunt in packs though, so you will need to put several in. What size tank?

 

[Airphotog]

It is a 30 acrylic. I am not planning on using the tank it is pretty beat up but would like to use the rock.

 

[jrgilles]

Bhergia would probably be a good way to clean the rock. Once the aptasia is gone, they will starve since that is all they eat. You can catch them and sell them on the forums though.

If you put maybe 2 or 3 of them in, they will lay eggs and you will have an army of aptasia fighters. They are a bit pricey, but I've seen some listed here and barrier reef sells them. Might be able to get some from the livstock sale classifieds.

Peps are hit or miss. They are way cheaper, but maybe just one out of 5 or 10 will be interested in aptasia, and it will be it, where all bhergia nudibranchs will be interested in eating it.

 

[JasonD]

I was having a breakout in my tank and tried kalk paste. I killed more zoanthids then aiptasia. I setup a 10 gallon peppermint shrimp cleaning tank. I put 4 peppermint shrimp (from BRA) in a 10 gallon tank. I would move one rock at a time into the tank for cleaning. I gave the shrimp no other food source but aiptasia. It worked extremely well. The shrimp were actually getting used to me feeding them pest rocks. They would jump on the rock and start cleaning as soon as I put the rock in the tank. The shrimp where not as timid, with no other tankmates.

 

[JasonD]

After I had no more signs of aiptasia, I put the shrimp in my display. I have not seen an aiptasia since.

 

[BCT182]

Be careful with peppermints, the don't always but CAN start in on your acans and also zoanthids. They seem to leave other corals and palys alone.

 

[jrgilles]

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/f11/fs-berghia-59020/

Berghia for 10 bucks a pop. Throw a few of those bad boys in with your rocks and they should take care of it

 

[Airphotog]

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/f11/fs-berghia-59020/

Berghia for 10 bucks a pop. Throw a few of those bad boys in with your rocks and they should take care of it

I already sent him a P.M.

 

[Krish]

Knock on wood, I never had to deal with aiptasia!! In any event, I bumped a poll on aiptasia for you. You can take a look at it here. Good luck getting rid of them

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/f36/how-do-you-eliminate-aiptasia-22657/

 

[Airphotog]

If I can get some of the nudibranchs it will help...

 

[Chichas01]

I go a nice rock once, and then got it home and saw several of those little bastards down in between the branches. I boild the rock for 20 minutes. No more aptasia. It also got rid of a hitchhiker crab as well :badgrin::evil::badgrin:

 

[Faciosity]

I have 2 peppermint shrimp, but still notice aiptasia once in a while, and inject them with aiptasia-x to control the ones that I find.