Nudibranch for aiptasia control - thoughts?

[bighabeeb]

So despite having a few peppermint shrimps in there, my aiptasia still seems to be outgrowing what they're willing/able to touch (I have a few aiptasia blooms that are just HUGE). So shop near me is encouraging me to pick up a nudibranch or two (They actually recommended 3).

So the question is this. In a 77G tank, how many of these badboys do I really need and is there any negative to using them (apart from the obvious: that once the aiptasia is gone unless I can get them out, they're gonna die)? I'm not a big fan of trying the "take a syringe to each one" route and prefer to go with a natural solution if at all possible.

Thoughts or suggestions are appreciated. Currently there are no fish in the tank since they all bought the farm during our 5 day power outage, however I do still have a fairly substantial clean up crew in there....20 or so snails of various types, 10 hermits, and 3 peppermint shrimps.

 

[bighabeeb]

Anybody tried one of these bad boys? With no fish in the tank presently it might work well since there's no chance of my pulling an electric chair on anyone by accident....
Majano Wand - Majano & Aiptasia Zapper [MOJANO] - $114.95 : TB Aquatics - Top Quality Aquarium Products, Unmatched Service, Guaranteed Low Prices. Reef Aquarium Superstore. Products for your saltwater fish tank, saltwater aquariums & reef tanks. Aqua

 

[KcTx]

I noticed yesterday I had the dreaded aiptasia in my aquarium after reading someone elses thread & realizing what I thought was some sort of polyp was in fact bad. I've seen 1 in my sand bed and 1 very small one on a rock. I was going cut the one that is on the rock off and remove the one from the sand bed and order 2 of the NB to help with any that I can't see. I like to use natures tools to rid all the pest from my tank instead of a chemical. But if it's a must then dose it up. lol I hear aiptasia X works well.

This covers about all you want to know on them & I hope it's helpful.

kc
Aquarium Culture of the Aeolid nudibranch Berghia - Reefkeeping.com

 

[chemicaledge]

A guy on my local forum uses a laser...its little expensive, but works right through the glass.

I attached a link, hopefully

http://www.swfmas.com/forum/index.php?/topic/5275-how-to-remove-unwanted-polyps/

 

[bighabeeb]

Thanks for the article - always good to be educated about what I'm getting myself into, and I admit the "preparation" phase of introducing a nudi into the aquarium reads as a bit daunting. I have my normal tank and a 36G QT, but nothing that would really meet the needs of these little tiny buggers. May have to go with the aptasia X route or one of those fun little aptasia tasers that I'm seeing around online

 

[Wy Renegade]

I've heard good and bad on the zappers ~ some say they work, others say no. The nudis are great from all I've read, but the downfall is keeping them alive after they have consumed all the api in the tank.

Personally, I just mix up a batch of Kalk paste and use a eye dropper to zap them with. Initially if you have a lot, it may take a little while, but it gets easier and easier as you go. You do have to keep an eye on pH if you're doing a lot of them in one shot.

 

[bighabeeb]

A guy on my local forum uses a laser...its little expensive, but works right through the glass.

I attached a link, hopefully

How To Remove Unwanted Polyps - SouthWest Florida Marine Aquarium Society

Looks extremely interesting - think I'll wait until a few more people have given it a whirl before I dive in myself (particularly at that price for the lasers) - but the included videos certainly seem to have some compelling evidence that this may have some merit...zap the buggers from outside the tank. Hawt.

 

[BallinCrew10]

I noticed yesterday I had the dreaded aiptasia in my aquarium after reading someone elses thread & realizing what I thought was some sort of polyp was in fact bad. I've seen 1 in my sand bed and 1 very small one on a rock. I was going cut the one that is on the rock off and remove the one from the sand bed[/URL]

Trying to cut it will not help your situation. If they're stressed like that they'll release spores and now instead of the 2 you see you'll have many more. Although, if you see 2 I'm betting there's more.

 

[KcTx]

The rock their on is small enough & assessable so I going To remove it from the tank to do my cutting. But I totally agree that there are more than I see out in the open.

 

[Gregcoyote]

A guy on my local forum uses a laser...its little expensive, but works right through the glass.

I attached a link, hopefully

http://www.swfmas.com/forum/index.php?/topic/5275-how-to-remove-unwanted-polyps/

I am from Missouri, show me. Unfortunately, for this article, I have a minor in lasers and their construction, all types. A 1 watt pointer is lucky to bust a baloon out of the water and the balloon has to be the right absorptive color. No matter the laser frequency. I experimented with this a lot and even 1" of saltwater, not to mention the tank walls themselves will prevent a laser from doing this until you reach levels that are almost sufficient to vaporize the glass or acylics walls themselves, and there I was pushing 100 watts at UV frequencies. My biggest hand made pointer is 4watts at 454nm. It will slowly burn a beer bottle in half, but is totally ineffective in the water. Yes, there are organizms that are surprised by the light and hide, but burning one is out of the question. I started by trying to boil the insides of Vallarta (green bubble algae) thinking I could cook the spores before they exploded.
I tried this out of the water first and had sucess with red lasers in the 5 watt range, but again, within the tank and any interfering seawater, no effect.

 

[bighabeeb]

I am from Missouri, show me. Unfortunately, for this article, I have a minor in lasers and their construction, all types. A 1 watt pointer is lucky to bust a baloon out of the water and the balloon has to be the right absorptive color. No matter the laser frequency. I experimented with this a lot and even 1" of saltwater, not to mention the tank walls themselves will prevent a laser from doing this until you reach levels that are almost sufficient to vaporize the glass or acylics walls themselves, and there I was pushing 100 watts at UV frequencies. My biggest hand made pointer is 4watts at 454nm. It will slowly burn a beer bottle in half, but is totally ineffective in the water. Yes, there are organizms that are surprised by the light and hide, but burning one is out of the question. I started by trying to boil the insides of Vallarta (green bubble algae) thinking I could cook the spores before they exploded.
I tried this out of the water first and had sucess with red lasers in the 5 watt range, but again, within the tank and any interfering seawater, no effect.

Well, this video would seem to indicate otherwise:
Aiptasia Laser Kill - YouTube

 

[Gregcoyote]

I can show you YouTube videos of UFOs landing... Don't believe everything you see...read.

Is more accurate but notice it isn't in the water. I have a 3 watt green and it did about the same with no noticeable effect thru the tank.. a 2 dollar soldering pencil does more damage.

 

[BallinCrew10]

I can show you YouTube videos of UFOs landing... Don't believe everything you see...read.

Is more accurate but notice it isn't in the water. I have a 3 watt green and it did about the same with no noticeable effect thru the tank.. a 2 dollar soldering pencil does more damage.

Whoa whoa whoa, back it up. What's so far fetched about ufo's landing?? Hahaha

About the lasers. Out of the water, maybe. In the tank, I'm not buying it.

I'll stick with aptasia-x and peppermint shrimp lol.

 

[bighabeeb]

Well for any that are interested, here's the reefcentral thread on it. If nothing else it makes for an interesting read.

http://web1.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2090418

 

[Gregcoyote]

I haven't given up on it. It is a dangerous way to clear pests as you can easily blind any fish or shrimp the laser hits, even for an instant. I wear protective laser goggles whenever experimenting with anything that emits laser radiation.

 

[BallinCrew10]

I haven't given up on it. It is a dangerous way to clear pests as you can easily blind any fish or shrimp the laser hits, even for an instant. I wear protective laser goggles whenever experimenting with anything that emits laser radiation.

To me, it just seems like its complicating a process that can be dealt with much quicker and in a safer manner.

Do I think its pretty cool? Absolutely.

Would I watch someone do it all day long? You know I would.

Can I get the same result faster and without the possibility of blinding me and my fish? Yes.

 

[Gregcoyote]

To me, it just seems like its complicating a process that can be dealt with much quicker and in a safer manner.

Do I think its pretty cool? Absolutely.

Would I watch someone do it all day long? You know I would.

Can I get the same result faster and without the possibility of blinding me and my fish? Yes.

Absolutely right. It is an interesting experiment. I started working on it once I perfected long range fly extermination. That is extremely gratifying watching a big black house fly explode in flames. Leaves scorch marks on the walls though...

 

[BallinCrew10]

Absolutely right. It is an interesting experiment. I started working on it once I perfected long range fly extermination. That is extremely gratifying watching a big black house fly explode in flames. Leaves scorch marks on the walls though...

Hahaha now that I could get into. Sounds like a lot of fun to me.

 

[KAhner]

I had a 55g get infested a couple years ago. Probably at least 50 visible ones. 3 peppermint shrimp knocked them out in like a week. They truned out to be some of my favorite shrimp too. They would swim out in open water during feeding, and come sit on my finger tip when I put my finger in the water. And greg where r u in Missouri? I really like your posts. I'm from Fenton, just south of St. Louis.

 

[Gregcoyote]

I had a 55g get infested a couple years ago. Probably at least 50 visible ones. 3 peppermint shrimp knocked them out in like a week. They truned out to be some of my favorite shrimp too. They would swim out in open water during feeding, and come sit on my finger tip when I put my finger in the water. And greg where r u in Missouri? I really like your posts. I'm from Fenton, just south of St. Louis.

I am in Columbia, not far away. I like P. shrimp as well. Give me a shout out if you come thru town.