I have a problem... How do I get rid of these?

[Alexnyc22]

I just came home and saw these in my tank... I set my tank up about a week ago and boom! Will my emerald crabs do the trick?

 

[b-ridge]

It's called aipistasia. As far as I know a emerald crab will do nothing for them. Look into peppermint shrimp or a filefish. You will get a bunch of different answered as far as getting rid of them. I can only comment on what worked for me

 

[usctom]

Emeralds won't help. Camel shrimp or Berghia nudibranch might help.

 

[empire]

Or select copper band butterflies. I use aiptasia x. Works fine for me.

 

[Sanchez2896]

Blast them with boiling water and a turkey Baster...

 

[duke62]

Don't buy any livestock to rid them since your tank is a week old. Take the rocks out and dry them out for a few days then put them back and restart your cycle

 

[albano]

... Camel shrimp...

Do you have any experience with them? I've never heard of anyone using camel shrimp to clear up aiptasia.

 

[DallasNYC]

As Duke says, since your just starting the tank, take the rocks out.

 

[rookie07]

Remove all rocks with them, as stated above. Also, turn off all lighting asap, and leave it off for weeks. No need to light a tank during the cycle and the lack of light may help kill off the aiptasia, or at least help prevent them from spreading.

If it were me, I would start over completely. Dry out the tank and let it sit dry for 2-3 weeks and start with new rock from a different source.

I would also return all the rock, if you can. Whomever sold you the rock knew about the aiptasia and didnt care. I assume it was a store bc inly a store would have that much rock with no lights on it. I assume there was no light bc the aiptasia are colorless, as if they were in the dark for a while.

 

[Rookie2reef]

I would just let a peppermint shrimp take care of it I got one that would probably clear that out in a week

 

[duromega]

I would take the rocks out of the water for a week
then put them in freshwater (RO/DI) for a week
then re-start the cycle

Welcome to the forum Alex
be patient...

 

[dubs]

Those are u r worse night mare Def take the rock out and start again if u r tank is only 1 week old when I first set up my 150 I was going in on zoos I had serious aptasia outbreak and more than 600 dollars before I got rid of them ... nudi are 100 guaranty but are not that easy to find pep shrimp are a hit or miss and the same thing for the copper ban apatasia X works also but u have to do it a few times hope find away to get rid of them it not a easy battle may the renegade force be with you

 

[d5332]

Its only aptasia

Since you are new dont worry about it.

The only way to kill it 100% is to shut down the tank and let it dry 100%.
Aptasia will live in your pipes, overflows, sump, etc

If you are doing a fish only tank when your tank is suitable for fish buy a matted file fish, great fish and aptasia eater for tanks that are fish only.

If you are going to add corals this year but not for a few months just buy the matted filefish and sell the fish once you buy the types of corals the filefish will eat.

Alternatively you can go on reeftopia.com buy two dozen peppermint and they will eat the aptasia over time.

Its not a big deal, dont lose your weekend over it

Diego