I notice one of my live rocks has a growth

[LiiDsz]

I was doing my nightly check of the tank when I notice one of my live rocks has a growth. I've heard of wild anemones being a pest. I'd this is one of them what do I do an is it my fault it's growing? Please help here's a photo.

 

[saltcreep1025]

Yep looks like an aiptasia. Is it your fault it's growing? Unfortunately, keeping a tank in the correct conditions to be inhabitable by the things we want, it also makes for good conditions for things we consider pests as well. So in a way, yes its your fault. There are many strategies for taking care of them including injecting them with kalkwasser or lemon juice, or introducing something that eats them such as a peppermint shrimp.

 

[LiiDsz]

That piece of live rock I got when I set up the tank it has been up that long could it have been there during the cycle? And thank you for the info I figured it was apitasia

 

[saltcreep1025]

Oh yea they are hearty little bastards... My LR i ordered was out of the water for a good two and a half days, just covered in wet paper towel, and there were still some aiptasia on it that survived and looked perfectly fine in like 3-4 days.

 

[Freshnoob1]

I like to inject it with as much lemon juice as I can and then take a good syringe without a needle and just suck the whole thing off the rock. I find this works best over everything else I've tried. Appraisa x also works pretty well.

 

[Searchin]

As soon as I saw one on my rock, I took it out of the tank. Then I bleached it haha. Haven't quite got back to putting rock back in but I doubt it's coming back now

 

[boosted_msp]

I just used a small screwdriver to chip off tiny pieces of rock they were attached to.

 

[LiiDsz]

I just used a small screwdriver to chip off tiny pieces of rock they were attached to.

That wat I was think the Rick it's on a really small

 

[Kristy3693]

Be careful, if you damage it with the screwdriver it can release spores and spread. That is why people inject them instead of scraping them off.

 

[LiiDsz]

Be careful, if you damage it with the screwdriver it can release spores and spread. That is why people inject them instead of scraping them off.

I was gonna use a rock cutter and tank the piece of this guy I know has the laser think that burns them off but I don't feel like taking it to his house I saw someone said inject them with lemon juice wouldn't that affected the tank ?

 

[boosted_msp]

Be careful, if you damage it with the screwdriver it can release spores and spread. That is why people inject them instead of scraping them off.

True, but I chipped off enough I could have sold them as aiptasia frags lol

 

[Gregcoyote]

I built a high power blue laser to try and burn them off a few years ago when I had a small outbreak. Problem with the laser (it's what I did in college) is the water distorts the beam and you can't concentrate enough power to burn the aiptaisia.

Here's 3 watts of green laser light that will burn paper, but after it goes thru the tank walls and water it is pretty tame.

 

[Kristy3693]

I built a high power blue laser to try and burn them off a few years ago when I had a small outbreak. Problem with the laser (it's what I did in college) is the water distorts the beam and you can't concentrate enough power to burn the aiptaisia.

Here's 3 watts of green laser light that will burn paper, but after it goes thru the tank walls and water it is pretty tame.

So if you were to use the laser by taking the rock out for one minute, it would have worked? So innovative, I envy you for your forward thinking. The business mind would say, who would pay the price for a laser, when you could pay the price for lemon juice. Get that laser to cut though water without taking the rock out, and I would be your customer! And rent my laser to local saltwater friends! That is the beauty of the hobby, always an obstacle. If it were easy, we wouldn't hold our heads as high.

 

[Gregcoyote]

It became clear that a beam with killing power would have also punched a hole in the tank wall. It was an interesting experiment.

 

[Kristy3693]

It became clear that a beam with killing power would have also punched a hole in the tank wall. It was an interesting experiment.

Wow! That is more than interesting, that is scary! Again, I applaud your innovation! Keep trying. We can all benefit from your tragedy. Lol!

 

[AbsoluteFaye]

Would've been cool until a fish swam through the beam and got sliced in half. Lol. You can still use it to annoy cats.

 

[Kristy3693]

Would've been cool until a fish swam through the beam and got sliced in half. Lol. You can still use it to annoy cats.

Haha, Wouldn't the fish regenerate like a frag cut in half? Just kidding of corse. :0)

 

[dmolavi]

It became clear that a beam with killing power would have also punched a hole in the tank wall. It was an interesting experiment.

What you really need is a friggin' shark with lasers. Just go ask Dr Evil...

 

[Kristy3693]

Lol! Perfect! Maybe strap one to a damsel. Let him swim around and zap apstasia.

 

[dmolavi]

Actually, couldn't you, in theory, have the laser pumped through a short length of fiber optic cable that you have in the tank? That would allow you to have the bulk of the energy focused right on the buggers without dissipating it through the water (or melting holes in the glass).