Aiptasia

[Rlumenator]

There are some real cool button polyps at the lfs, however it has a large aiptasia on it. does that mean there will be more in that tank?? Like little ones you can't see? I want the polyps, but not an aiptasia problem. Thanks., Dawn.

 

[ozadars]

you can kill the aiptasia after buying the polyps

 

[Anonymous]

Yes, there will be more. Lysmata wurdemanni would be the best method by which to kill and keep away Aiptasia.

 

[Anonymous]

try to carefully pull them off...they[aiptasia] do sting...Seamaiden has suggested the peppermint shrimp L. Wurdermanni. I have heard of mixed results with these shrimp...At any case with that shrimp, it will make a good scavenger, so it wont hurt to try it....

 

[Anonymous]

I wouldnt try to pull it off , that could potentially make them spread even faster and far worse. Like SM said peppermint shrimp would be the best way to get rid of these. I would suggest a QT tank with like 5 - 10 Peppermint shrimp in there. Leave the corals in there for a good few weeks to a month or two and make sure its gone. Good luck

 

[Anonymous]

Like i said, i have heard of mixed results..For a biological means of getting rid of them, that is probably the best method..and if you want to at $10 a pop for 5-10 shrimp then go ahead...There are also some concoctions for ridding of these guys...however i am unsure of their success...There is an article June 03 in AFM about aiptasia...I can have it scanned a put on the board if necessary...??? I would try the L. Wurdemanni first though but not in as many numbers. 2-3 should be sufficient...

 

[ChrisRD]

IME Lysmata wurdemanni usually eat aptasia. You might have to nuke some of the largest ones (I like the boiling kalk method), but the shrimp will keep small ones and regrowth under control IME.

I think there may be more of a problem with mistaken identities of the shrimp species than actual mixed results with the Lysmata wurdemanni eating aptasia. IME if you've got a TRUE peppermint shrimp, they usually eat aptasia.

HTH

 

[Anonymous]

I know what you are talking about with the mix up in species...You are talking about the camel shrimp(Rhynchocinetes durbanensis), which is commonly mistaken as the L. Wurdemanni.