Eliminate Aiptasia Anemones

[seaweed]

Hi, am new to this, and hope to learn from your experience. I oversee a 240 gallon tank where I work. The tank is beautiful, but there is quite a lot of aiptasia growing in it. I have read a couple of articles on how to get rid of it. Most say that injecting the aiptasia with lemon juice, calcium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide is the preferred way. The last recommendation was to use bleach and copper sulfate chemicals by adding them to the water. Have any of you ever experienced this and is it safe to add the copper chemicals to the water? Will it hurt the fish? The fish in the tank are Blacktail Dascyllus, Domino Damsel, Blue Tang, Yellow Tang, Blenny, Clown fish, and Royal Gramma We also have anemones in the tank. Thanks

 

[neilanh]

Welcome to AA!

I'd recommend staying away from the copper stuff. Any inverts you have, or ever wish to have, in the tank will perish because of it.

Peppermint shrimp have been known to enjoy eating it in mass, perhaps you should try that.

 

[seaweed]

Thanks for the info. If I were to add peppermint shrimp, how many would I have to add and how long would it take for them to make a dent in the overgrowth of the Aiptasia?

 

[ezy33]

IMO the pepermint shrimp will eat the smaller aiptasia, when the get too large then use somthing like Joe's Juice. The Copperband Butterflyfish is supposed to eat them too. Check out this site.

http://http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/aiptasia/aiptasia.htm

 

[melosu58]

Another site

FantasyReef Databases-Viewing item "Aiptasia Removal Methods"

 

[Innovator]

Read the link in my Sig (It's pretty straight forward).

 

[SparKy697]

I have had good luck with the peppermints too. But be aware that when you run out of aiptasia...... Anything is free game. I know mine have eaten small mushrooms.

 

[nanoluvr]

I would get some peppermint shrimp, and also some Joes Juice. That stuff works awesome! Instant death to the aptasia