Should I be freaking about a single aiptasia?

[jdl10011]

I think I just discovered a very tiny aiptasia in my just cycled tank, still uninhabited. Should I be panicking?
Are aiptasia a minor inconvenience that most reefers run into at some point?
Or does this portend serious trouble?

 

[DrAsTiC]

How big is the rock that it is on? I would just throw the rock out since the trouble that can come from keeping it in will be more of a headache. There are ways to kill the aiptasia, peppermint shrimps,copperband butterfly fish,aiptasia eating file fish but some work and some don't. I had a big out break in my tank so I took out some of the rocks and cooked them. I added 4 peppermint shrimps and I have not had a problem since.

 

[pmark85]

I'm just about finishing the cycling of my tank and found a tiny aiptasia about a week ago. Having read how invasive they could be I destroyed it by stabbing it repeatedly with a needle and scrapped it off to remove. Why take any chances?

 

[jdl10011]

Yes, I destroyed this one. I just wonder if this is just the first of more to come....
I only have 3 large rocks that took me hours to pick out and arrange just so in a small 6g Edge tank, so removing the rock would mean essentially starting all over.
I guess I'll take my chances, and if I notice more of aiptasia, I'll try going the peppermint shrimp route which some people seem to have had a lot of success with.

 

[HanKami]

The problem with staging or scrapping aiptasia in your tank, is that the torn pieces seed in the tank for a lot more in a month or two. Your better of taking the rock out or getting something that like eating them

 

[DrAsTiC]

Yes, I destroyed this one. I just wonder if this is just the first of more to come....
I only have 3 large rocks that took me hours to pick out and arrange just so in a small 6g Edge tank, so removing the rock would mean essentially starting all over.
I guess I'll take my chances, and if I notice more of aiptasia, I'll try going the peppermint shrimp route which some people seem to have had a lot of success with.

Well since you have a small tank I wouldn't worry about it.Just throw in 2 pepermints and they should handle it. Don't scrap the aiptasia because it will spread inside of your tank.Some might say they have successfully done it but I would not take a chance.

 

[nyc reefer]

Scraping Aptasia

Not good for long term success , I had one or two that hitch hiked into my tank from frags I bought. I did exactly what you did, stabbed it with a needle, rinsed it and scraped it. About a month later I have a small colony on the rock I placed those frag on, worst move I made.

 

[Awibrandy]

The way I got rid of the aiptasia in my tank was; I filled a syringe with white vinegar quickly stabbed them directly in to their mouths, and gave them a nice injection of the white vinegar. Never saw them again.:catsmiley

If left alone, they will take over.;( Not a good thing.

 

[jdnumis]

Awi did you do that in the tank or...

The way I got rid of the aiptasia in my tank was; I filled a syringe with white vinegar quickly stabbed them directly in to their mouths, and gave them a nice injection of the white vinegar. Never saw them again.:catsmiley

If left alone, they will take over.;( Not a good thing.

did you take the rock out and squirted the vinegar?

~James

 

[Awibrandy]

did you take the rock out and squirted the vinegar?

~James

In the tank! Got to get the needle directly in the mouth. Squirting the vinegar at the aiptasia will not work. Vinegar will not hurt the tank, some actually dose vinegar in their tanks for other reasons. I only used very little compared to the carbon dosing that others use the vinegar for.

 

[greybolt03]

I used 4 peppermint shrimp and aptasia x. Haven't seen any in over a year.....

 

[tentacles]

+1 on the vinegar. Inject the mouth AND the foot if you can.

 

[NL146]

I'm just about finishing the cycling of my tank and found a tiny aiptasia about a week ago. Having read how invasive they could be I destroyed it by stabbing it repeatedly with a needle and scrapped it off to remove. Why take any chances?

I think you compounded your problem by doing this. You don't usually get all of the anemone and you might find that it spreads quickly afterwards.