Aiptasia is killing me!!!

[TRUKINGNY]

I've been trying almost everything to get these guys out my tank i bought 4 peppermint shrimp 2 from one store and 2 from another no luck its been a month.. NEXT went to a copper band butterfly no go thank god the store let me trade him in for a file fish and sadly to say he died last night the only other option i have is nudibranchs only thing is its over $100 for 5 of them and i have a wrasse so i don't know if this is a good idea i really don't wanna take the rock out the tank can anyone else think of something maybe know of shrimp that are eating it or have a file fish i can borrow...

 

[TRUKINGNY]

 

[Reef Reaper]

Filefish works great!

 

[kasha]

ygpm

 

[rookie07]

Those aiptasia are so big, they are cool!

 

[MIKE NY]

Filefish are hit or miss also. Mine doesn't touch them. From the look of the pics they aren't to hard to get. Hit them a syringe of kalk paste.

 

[bmarkus]

Flow! If you prevent settlement the aiptasia will die. It looks like you have 2 mp10 in the tank. Bring them down lower or add a power head or two blowing bottom to top. This will move the sand around however the aiptasia will be gone in a little bit.

 

[KathyC]

Filefish are hit or miss also. Mine doesn't touch them. From the look of the pics they aren't to hard to get. Hit them a syringe of kalk paste.

I agree..the other thing with using shrimp or fish..they tend not to go for the really big ones. You can use fish/shrimp to maintain afterwards, but you may need to bring out the big guns to put a dent in them to start with. Kalk paste them to death.

Or perhaps you can borrow a Manjano Wand from someone here?

 

[MrsDubs]

What other effects does Kalk paste have on your system? I have about 3 aiptasia in my tank., very small ones after seeing just how big they can get!

 

[Vic8361]

WOW! I never had a problem with the peppermint shrimps they always seem to work for me even for the larger ones. You need to get the ones from the Caribbean.
Vic

 

[albano]

Flow! If you prevent settlement the aiptasia will die. It looks like you have 2 mp10 in the tank. Bring them down lower or add a power head or two blowing bottom to top. This will move the sand around however the aiptasia will be gone in a little bit

How long is a little bit?...I've seen aiptasia survive in tanks with no fish and no food added

 

[ctcorals]

peppermint shrimps is the best! just one day all of my aiptasia gone!now i have to feed my peppermint shrimps every day lol !

 

[TRUKINGNY]

peppermint shrimps is the best! just one day all of my aiptasia gone!now i have to feed my peppermint shrimps every day lol !

where did you buy your peppermint from?

 

[asonitez]

Dude. It should take you less than 10 minutes to kill those aiptasia.

Unless my eyes deceive me... and unless those rocks weigh like 100lbs each and are really like 2 feet long by 2 feet high...

1. Your running barebottom?
2. You don't have that many corals that can't be placed flat on the bottom of the tank while you doctor the rock.



Its a 5 Step process man.



1 - Go to home depot and purchase a canned blow torch. - Alternatively - Purchase a Jet Type Zippo lighter the ones that come out really fast like a jet turbine. (buy some refill fluid if you have a LOT of aiptasia)

2 - Remove the coral from the rock that's about to be treated. Place that rock into a seperate container with some tank water in it. Preferably Glass container like a big glass bowl.

3. Leave it there for 20 minutes and inspect the rock well noting where there are aiptasia's and baby aiptasias.


4. Grab the rock put on some safety glasses and go to a well ventilated area. Use the Blowtorch or lighter and target the aiptasia. The intense heat and flame will destroy the aiptasia even if its in a hole as it will dry it out and kill it in seconds.

5. Replace the rock in your tank after rinsing in tank water.

Should take you about as long as a water change and save you hundreds in Kalk,Joes Juice, Shrimp, Fish... etc.

A Propane Torch from HomeDepot/Ace/Lowes cost's like 12.99 or something like that.



*Alternatives -

If the aiptasia covers < 20% of your rock then you can remove the rock then you can remove it and grill the piece of rock, or place it in the bottom of the oven by the broiler for 10 minutes at full heat. It will cook the rock and kill it but after adding it back to your tank it won't impact the overall biological filtration and should be live again in a few weeks or less.

Realistically speaking you don't HAVE To remove the corals from the rock with aiptasia if its far enough from the aiptasia to not be affected by the heat then just reach in pull the rock with the coral on it and burn the aiptasia off. Don't worry about the coral it can be out for like 20/30 mins without any REAL issue... but try to hurry.

 

[peteyboyny]

Stop feeding your tank for a couple of days. I had to starve my tank (no feeding at all) for 4 days to encourage the peppermint shrimp to eat the aptasia I had.
If there is an abundance of food in the tank, they won't search out other food sources.
It took 2 peppermint shrimp 2 weeks to eat all my aptasia.

 

[TRUKINGNY]

Stop feeding your tank for a couple of days. I had to starve my tank (no feeding at all) for 4 days to encourage the peppermint shrimp to eat the aptasia I had.
If there is an abundance of food in the tank, they won't search out other food sources.
It took 2 peppermint shrimp 2 weeks to eat all my aptasia.

was thinking about that just feel bad for the fish :sad2::frown:

 

[peteyboyny]

was thinking about that just feel bad for the fish :sad2::frown:

After day 4 of not feeding, I started noticing the aptasia disappear one at a time, day by day.
My fish probably weren't happy, but made it through unscathed.

 

[peteyboyny]

Should take you about as long as a water change and save you hundreds in Kalk,Joes Juice, Shrimp, Fish... etc. .

I got my Peppemint shrimp at Country Critters in Patchogue, Long Island. Cost me $8/ea.
No need to rip your rock work apart. Shrimp can get to the aptasia you DON'T see.

 

[MIKE NY]

if you can't to them I dont see any encrusting corals that would hinder you from just taking the rock out to get them. I dont recommend you starving the tank at the risk of the health of those beautiful expensive fish...purple tang, blue star, bartlett, H.firefish etc...especially finicky eaters like the blue star....although many fish can last a week or longer without food it's just not worth it IMO...
BTW..I'm battling them in my tank as well and my tank is jammed packed with encrusting corals etc... Ive tried copperbands and have a filefish...peppermints are on the menu with the fish I have...Ive been kalking wherever I can reach them especially the large ones ...the population as gone down dramatically. GL

 

[viplok]

if u have kalk, mix a thick solution and inject it in the mouth. it will melt in no time.