I am developing an aptasia problem. Tried peppermint shrimp, but cleaner shrimp killed them right away. Got a long nose butterfly, as recommended by guy in fish store, but i have been reading and am not sure I should have in my reef tank, and it has been in the tank for 3 days and hasn't moved out of the corner, so it looks like that isn't going to work. What are the consequences of the aptasia spreading and does anyone have another idea for me to get rid of them.
Aptasia
- Thread starter Patdro
- Start date
- Location
- Overland Park, KS
You can kalk them - make a light kalk paste (search the site for kalk paste for how to make it) and then with a syringe, inject the kalk into each of the aptaisa. i did this with success. you won't get all of them the first time around (you should maybe do 10 or 15 per kalking session, otherwise, i'd worry about messing up the water a bit...) and you have to actually get the kalk INTO the aptasia.
if you leave the aptasia unchecked, they will spread throughout the tank and your entire system. I speak from the voice of experience, my friend.
...i find, however, that a multi-pronged approach works best - employ the shrimp (if you can keep them in your tank, which apparently you can't) or ap-eating fish (good luck with your butterfly!) along with human intervention....
Best of luck and let us know how it goes!
if you leave the aptasia unchecked, they will spread throughout the tank and your entire system. I speak from the voice of experience, my friend.
...i find, however, that a multi-pronged approach works best - employ the shrimp (if you can keep them in your tank, which apparently you can't) or ap-eating fish (good luck with your butterfly!) along with human intervention....
Best of luck and let us know how it goes!
xobklynqt143
Advanced Reefer
- Location
- Bensonhurst, Brooklyn
try joes juice(suppose to be used for aptasia and mojanos) the rock i got from a member here had mojanos on it and it killed them with only 1 time of hittin them with it.
If you don't rid the tank of the aptasia, you will have a tank of aptasia as they will not only spread all over but kill every coral they touch.
You can kill them with plain old white vinegar that you probably have in your kitchen cupboards.
You need a syringe for this. Fill the syringe with the vinegar, and injecte it directly into them. One of those little pest popped up in my tank on a coral's rock that I bought last year. I immediately injected it with the vinegar, bye bye aptasia. Haven't seen another since, and like I said that was last year.
I also have a long nose hawk in my reef for a few months now, and he has not trouble anything. And I do have 3 cleaner shrimps, 2 blood shrimps, and atleast 1 peppermint shrimp.
Hope that helps.
You can kill them with plain old white vinegar that you probably have in your kitchen cupboards.
You need a syringe for this. Fill the syringe with the vinegar, and injecte it directly into them. One of those little pest popped up in my tank on a coral's rock that I bought last year. I immediately injected it with the vinegar, bye bye aptasia. Haven't seen another since, and like I said that was last year.
I also have a long nose hawk in my reef for a few months now, and he has not trouble anything. And I do have 3 cleaner shrimps, 2 blood shrimps, and atleast 1 peppermint shrimp.
Hope that helps.
I too had aiptasia.I used this stuff by Blue Life called "Aiptasia Control". Dr. Fosters and Smith carries it. It really works.I've been told it's like Joe's juice.It's reef safe and you don't have to inject with a needle, just squirt it over them.If you try to inject them and miss they retract and you have to wait. If you do get a chance to jab them with the needle most times you will probably go right through them squirting whatever it is your using directly into your water column.There are many solutions just don't let them get out of hand.
- Location
- poughquag, ny
aptasia
i used boiing water before myself and it worked, as well as using purple up. alot of different ways to do it, heard bad and good about joe's juice though
i used boiing water before myself and it worked, as well as using purple up. alot of different ways to do it, heard bad and good about joe's juice though
- Location
- Holmdel NJ 07733
I used a product called Stop Aiptasia. It has the advantage over the other products in that you don't have to inject the stalk. It comes with a syringe but you squirt a little into the disk and it freaks out - then you cover the rest with more of the stuff and the thing withers away and dies. It is a little thick to it adheres to the sucker while it works its magic. Doesn't FU your water or bother any other critters. HTH.
- Location
- Forest Hills
i just use saturated kalk water. used it once n it haven't come back for 8 months now. however, the secret is nuke em be4 they spread everywhere. by then, it is almost impossible to get rid of w/o taking apart the reef.
- Location
- Holmdel NJ 07733
To CHC:
I heard those were very hit or miss - no guarantee that they will even eat them and then they starve to death. You've had good success with that?
I heard those were very hit or miss - no guarantee that they will even eat them and then they starve to death. You've had good success with that?
I myself haven't but more than a few of our club members have tried them with great results. From what I understand, aptasia is part of the Berghia's primary diet. I have not extensively researched this, just going off what others have said. I am picking up 2 this weekend so I will let you know how they do in a week or so. Although after they do eat the aptasia they will likely starve so I will be passing them along to another reefer.
Thanks for all the help, this is where I am with the problem now. I have gotten rid of the butterfly, never left the corner of the tank and was not helping in any way. I picked up some Joe's Juice at the LFS. Worked ok, but some of the aptasia have started to sprout again. I also ordered the stuff from Dr. Foster's and Smith, it has worked great. No sign of aptasia regenerating. I highly recommend this product over the Joe's Juice.
- Location
- NJ bergen county
http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_Aquar...p-Aiptasia_Stop-Parasite_Stop_Hair_Algae.html
that stuff works for me everytime.
that stuff works for me everytime.
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