Aiptasia Infestion!

[JesseMessykinn]

This Stuff is All over the biggest chunk of LR i have im my tank atm. This rock has ALOT of Spots for the aiptasia to be hiding. So for a Start i Qt the rock in a 5 gallon bucket. I figure im gonna Kalk Nuke the rock itself. Ive noticed a few tiny aiptasia on some of the other live rock, and tank wall. Only 2 tiny ones. I figure im gonna try to get a few Pep. Shrimps to clean the other LR and Tank. back to the 7lb chunk of rock... Its Infested with this crap. Any tips or Ideas?

 

[Elmo1287]

I have one pep shrimp and still have one aiptasiA so idk if they really work I tried to tooth brush him off and that really didn't work either

 

[JesseMessykinn]

This rock is bad... probly 50+ stalks on it the sucker. I didnt think nothing of it(Noob mistake)... But im sure learning from it now.

 

[Elmo1287]

Yeah it supposed to spread like a wild fire so i bought a pep shrimp but he is not taking care of it that well

 

[BelleMorte]

You can also nuke them with lemon juice or boiling water. Thankfully I have never had this problem

 

[tonedogz]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBzS0cfxy7Y get a copperband butterfly or two they'll take care of them watch if you have corals though they may pick at them some will some won't

 

[Keithhjs]

I have plenty of Aptasia in my Refugium and overflow boxes and NONE in my display. I keep several peppermint shrimp & even though they are well fed they keep my display free of them.

 

[Pryzz]

You can also nuke them with lemon juice or boiling water. Thankfully I have never had this problem

Boiling rocks can cause them to explode, plus if any zoas or plays, could be toxic. I've heard of injecting them with aiptasia-x, boiling water or lemon juice. Also heard if you can remove the rock you can burn them with a cigarette lighter.

Sorry, I read it as boiling the whole rock.

 

[cashmoney6980]

Yeah it supposed to spread like a wild fire so i bought a pep shrimp but he is not taking care of it that well

The way I understand it, the best way to get peps to eat aiptasia are to get several of them for them to hunt in a pack (like in nature) then it brings out their natural tendencies to hunt aiptasia

 

[Elmo1287]

Gonna have to give that a try then

 

[Sniperhank]

If the rock is infested, take the rock out and boil it in water. This will kill everything off on the rock, including the nems. This is the most extreme way of removing them, but it will save your tank from them.

 

[Elmo1287]

It's actually on a rock that a coral is on my girlfriend didn't know and bought it from the store like that

 

[Sniperhank]

If the coral can't be removed, then use aiptasia-x or joe's juice. The boiling water/lemon juice methods are hit or miss. Same with peppermint shrimp as they seem to only go after really small aiptasia. Time to arm up and go to war.

 

[Elmo1287]

Okay that's what I was thinking

 

[cashmoney6980]

Aiptasia-X worked really well for me. Had a few pop up after the addition of some new rock during my cycle, and the aiptasia-x made quick work of it. Then after the cycle I added 4 peps to my 125g and haven't seen one since

 

[h8z2luze]

Did you notice a oily film on your water after using aptasia-x? I have that and the only thing I can think of is maybe that did it?? I can't figure it out.

 

[Pryzz]

Did you notice a oily film on your water after using aptasia-x? I have that and the only thing I can think of is maybe that did it?? I can't figure it out.

If you don't have enough water movement on the surface it will get what looks like oil on it.

 

[h8z2luze]

I have quite a bit...

 

[Kelso]

I had an explosion of aptasia in my tank. Tried everything, lemon juice, apt-x, joes juice. They all killed whichever single one I injected(even ordered medical syringes online with needle points because the ones that come with any product suck), but could not keep up with the swarm. I got a 40 breeder with a 20 refuge, I put 4 peppermint shrimp in, within a week all aptasia were gone. My refuge was swarmed as well, one of the shrimp made it down through the line somehow without killing himself. Alone he cleared the sump. I moved him back up and the sump is covered once again. So I really don't know if I will ever get rid of the horrible things, but I'm telling you find something that eats them, and where ever you put them, there will be no visible aptasia.

 

[Pryzz]

I have quite a bit...

Yeah, it's will cover the whole surface of the water. Try aiming a power head at the surface and see if it helps.