*Photos* Sea slugs and aiptasia everywhere...what to do?

[I Lick Salt]

Edit: I have uploaded a photo of the slugs on a coral covered in aiptasia - they seem to be ignoring the aiptasia? Any diea what kind of slugs they are and if they're bad? Sorry for the double picture post.

I am finally starting to give my tank the attention it needs after months of not having time to care for it (new job, etc). I have recently noticed there is aiptasia everywhere, and sea slugs are all over the glass and rock.

The aiptasia does completely vanish when i turn on the lights, but it is all over the rocks, corals, clam, glass, etc at night. It may be at the point where I cannot manually kill all of it with Joe's Juice. Should I even try?? Also, are these sea slugs a nuisance? They're multiplying rapidly and growing quickly. Any suggestions for the aiptasia and slugs?

The tank parameters are looking good:

Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
Ph: 8.2
Calcium: 400
Alkalinity: Moderate
Temp: 80F

Filtration used:
Aqua C Remora, RO/DI unit for water

 

[malkore]

Someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I think peppermint shrimp are known to graze on aptasia.
Otherwise I'd nuke em as much as possible with Joe's Juice.

as for the sea slugs...no clue if the are a pest or beneficial, or neutral.

 

[seafan]

Pepp shrimps can help, but some don't know they are supposed to eat aiptasia.

Nudibranchs (sea slugs) are sometimes a nuisance, but many of them are beneficial. A picture would be appreciated.

 

[haus]

Could the sea slug possibly be stomatella varia? I have heard the same about peppermint shrimp, but I also heard that they are hit and miss if they will actually eat the aptasia. I've heard the same about copper banded butterflies. I've used Joe's Juice and it works great. I still have some small aptasia that ducks into the rocks when I go after them, but I plan on getting some peppermint shrimp to see if it helps. I've also heard that peppermint shrimp only tend to go after the smaller aptasia. The battle can be won. I think it is strange that the aptasia go away when the lights are on. I believe that they do sting corals, so I would go after the ones near corals first. I wouldn't suggest killing all of them at once. Nuke some of the bigger ones and the ones near corals, wait a few days, then go at it again.

 

[seafan]

It probably is stomatella varia, I guess nudibranchs was just a wishful guess.

 

[haus]

I wish I had nudibranches. That's what I thought at first, then my dreams were crushed when I found out it was only a stomatella . But it is a good addition none the less.

 

[seaham358]

any way to get a pic os the sea slugs?? How big are they? The may be flat worms also?? Those things take over quickly

 

[Devilishturtles]

My peppermint shrimp take care of my aiptasia problem. They do only munch on the small ones, however. Nuke the larger ones with joes juice, and grab a couple of peppermint shrimp.

 

[Fluff]

I agree, nuke the aptasia. As for the slugs, with your description and the way they are multiplying rapidly, on the glass and rock, I wonder if it might be flat worms.

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/flatworms.htm

If this is what they are, you'll want to rid the tank of them. Some Flatworm Exit by Salifert has a great reputation for getting rid of these pests.

 

[I Lick Salt]

i've uploaded a photo of the slugs on corals if anyone knows what they are?

 

[Fluff]

Stomatella varia

 

[seafan]

Yep stomatella, they actually have shells, but the shells are flat.