Need help identifying whats on my new live rock.
- Thread starter Jennlee
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Aquarium Advice Freak
I could definitely be wrong but I think it's apstasia?? Hopefully someone else chimes in! If it is, I've heard two good ways to get rid of them. Either boiling hot water injected into their mouths or apstasia-x.
MichiganReefKeeper
Aquarium Advice Newbie
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- Feb 20, 2013
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It is definitely aptasia. You need to very cautious in how you go about taking care of the problem. If you can remove from the tank whatever it is attached to that will be your best bet. Aptasia leaves behind petals and when you think you have killed one they can come back 3 fold or worse. One way to avoid this problem in the future is to really watch your nitrate levels and to acquire a natural predator. Some peppermint shrimp eat them but most likely a file fish will do the job and are hardy fish.
TwoRivers
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
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- Dec 29, 2012
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My peppermint shrimps took care of the one ( probably more unseen) we had no problems can't recommend them enough.
Thanx 'two rivers' I've been researching all day and was going to go with the Berghia nudibranch until I called both saltwater stores I deal with and they recommended peppermint shrimp as well and at half the price for a peppermint shrimp compared to a nudibranch I can get 2. My only concern was they would eat the rest of my anemones or good stuff if you will. There's some threads that say they will but most people say they haven't in their tank
Ingy
Aquarium Advice Addict
I have never heard of them eating corals. Liveaquaria has them listed as "reef safe". I had mine before I got corals and he disappeared before I got corals as well.
MacDracor
Aquarium Advice Addict
Peppermint shrimp are reef safe. They are not known for eating other inverts but of course each one is an individual. Still, I've never heard of it happening.
Now, biological controls have ups and downs. While many people swear by these shrimp, not every peppermint shrimp will eat aitpasia. Period. Some that have eaten them in the past will stop, and vice versa. The berghia nudibranch is an obligate aitpasia eater. As in it can not eat anything else. They will eat every last bit of aitpasia and leave nothing, not even a single cell behind. But then they starve so its best to pass them on to another hobbyist.
Boiling water, lemon juice, kalkwasser, aiptasia x, etc are all tried and true means of removing a few at a time and if you only see one or two that is the way to go. If you can remove the rock, you can burn the anemone off with a lighter.
If you go the shrimp route, odds are good that they will control the aiptasia to the point that you'll never see another one. But there is no guarantee of that. Also, some of them are sloppy and won't eat every last bit of the foot. There are tales of introducing shrimp to eat one or two and when the shrimp eventually die or are removed, aiptasia pops up all over.
Not saying this'll happen to you, it's just important to recognize that biological controls are not foolproof. My cat is a terrible hunter and I wouldn't use her to attack mice in my house.
Whichever route you go, good luck!
Now, biological controls have ups and downs. While many people swear by these shrimp, not every peppermint shrimp will eat aitpasia. Period. Some that have eaten them in the past will stop, and vice versa. The berghia nudibranch is an obligate aitpasia eater. As in it can not eat anything else. They will eat every last bit of aitpasia and leave nothing, not even a single cell behind. But then they starve so its best to pass them on to another hobbyist.
Boiling water, lemon juice, kalkwasser, aiptasia x, etc are all tried and true means of removing a few at a time and if you only see one or two that is the way to go. If you can remove the rock, you can burn the anemone off with a lighter.
If you go the shrimp route, odds are good that they will control the aiptasia to the point that you'll never see another one. But there is no guarantee of that. Also, some of them are sloppy and won't eat every last bit of the foot. There are tales of introducing shrimp to eat one or two and when the shrimp eventually die or are removed, aiptasia pops up all over.
Not saying this'll happen to you, it's just important to recognize that biological controls are not foolproof. My cat is a terrible hunter and I wouldn't use her to attack mice in my house.
Whichever route you go, good luck!
yes mac about said it all
there is a slight chance maybe 1 in 1000 that one will go after other stuff to eat but yes reef safe
I have around 8 in my mixed reef and they are fairly large about 1 1/2 inch
after they get big like this they are not as effective so young ones are your best bet
This one rock particular is really nice and has a few clams inside of it so I don't wanna boil the whole rock but the aptasia is everywhere on it so I was hoping to find something that could get in those tight spots that I can't get with a syringe
MacDracor
Aquarium Advice Addict
I believe the op said a few on this rock would be difficult to reach with a syringe so biological is probably the way to go. I would recommend making the peppermints a permanent feature of the tank to make sure there isn't a recurrence later.
We bought them now just waiting but wow this last bit of rock sure is proving to make us experts lol. We have a crab way up in the rock in a hole we catch a glimps of his claw now and then but he ate a clam already and we were baiting him with some cooked shrimp he grabbed it right out of the tweezers and ran back up. I couldn't tell u what he is just a crab lol
MacDracor
Aquarium Advice Addict
Try snapping a picture or even a video next time to bait him. I love crabs but don't trust them around my corals. Lol
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