Gregcoyote
Aquarium Advice Addict
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).
This is getting a little off topic, but yes, that would work okay, but a high temperature fiber optic cable that can take that kind of energy is expensive. Used in the medical industry most often to burn off growths.. It is powered by a big refrigerator sized UV laser. It would in theory blast a aiptaisia. But there is also the fact the organism is surrounded by water, not air. The water conducts heat and causes a deformation of the beam as high temperatures causes the water to distort the light, means you have to pulse the laser or use more power.