Aiptasia Question

SMOOTHIE · 10/10/2008, 01:37 PM

Never had these guys until I got a nice piece of LR from a buddy with some really nice pink and blue sponges on it. A few small aiptasia are sprouting out of it and I was wondering if I could place the rock in a QT tank with no lights at all to save the sponges, but starve out and kill the aiptasia, or are these things like cockroaches and I need to just chip off the sponges and set the rock outside?

greggnyce · 10/10/2008, 01:38 PM

You could inject them with kalk or joes's juice or get some peppermint shrimp. No need to kill the sponges.

SMOOTHIE · 10/10/2008, 01:55 PM

Definitely not goi to kill th sponges. They are too pretty. That's why I would even go through the trouble of chipping them off or setting up the ole QT tank with no lighting to starve out the aiptasia. If that is even possible

greggnyce · 10/10/2008, 02:04 PM

QT ing the sponges may be bad because they arwe filter feeders and there is nothing in the qt. IMO.

SMOOTHIE · 10/10/2008, 02:08 PM

Good save! Guess I would have to use the water from my water changes. Who knew it would be good for something besides killing weeds in my driveway.

mkirkpatrick · 10/10/2008, 02:51 PM

I had a few of these on live rock I purchased and didn't know what it was.. After some research I purchased a few peppermint shrimp and they cleared up the problem in just a few days.

Good luck!

Dave VG · 10/10/2008, 05:10 PM

apstasia-x and peps are working for me

billdogg · 10/10/2008, 05:55 PM

boiling water in a syringe has worked for 20+ years for me!

elmosz1 · 10/10/2008, 06:34 PM

Some people have luck injecting kalkwasser. I've had good luck w/Peppermints but make sure you don't get the similarly marked camel shrimp often mislabeled at LFS.

styndall · 10/10/2008, 06:38 PM

Peppermint shrimp will work wonders. Don't bother with your lightless quarantine approach -- aiptasia are super-hardy, and they'll outlast you.

SMOOTHIE · 10/10/2008, 10:02 PM

I'll try the boiling water and the peppermints. If that doesn't do it I'm getting a berghia and then passing it on to the next guy when his job is done.

Dave VG · 10/11/2008, 06:18 AM

You need a pair so they can reproduce and stay ahead of the aiptasia. I don't think one berghia will do it. Like your cleanup crew they recommended a number based on your tank size. Heres a link that might help you out good luck

http://www.berghia4aiptasia.com/How_Many_Size.html

boaconrp · 10/11/2008, 07:25 AM

Joe's Juice!!! Works wonders and is easy to use. Peppermint shrimp are great too, once you've gotten rid of the aptasia you can see.

Dave VG · 10/11/2008, 09:38 AM

Tried joes juice, lemon juice etc. and altho this stuff does seem to work well for some. Aiptasia-x has worked the best for me so far.

tami1024 · 10/11/2008, 09:57 AM

I would defiantly go with the peppermint shrimp. I used them and my aiptasia was gone within a week.

SMOOTHIE · 10/18/2008, 09:25 AM

Thanks billdogg! The real syringe worked great. My buddy at the hospitol gave me a few and actually being able to stick in them worked. May be a reason the aiptasia x stuff works better because of the metal tip it comes with.

m2434 · 10/18/2008, 09:43 AM

I doubt no light would rid the rock of aptaisia permanently, most likely they would come back once in the display tank. Joes Juice or some equivalent will kill them permanently. Most LFSs around here seem to have chronic aptaisia issues. I often purchase corals to find they have an aptaisia or two; I just kill them with the juice and move on...

maynardjames · 10/18/2008, 11:48 AM

had little devils on live rock in bucket for 6 months. just water no light no feed . looked in bucket & they were still going strong.
very hard to starve & dont need light

SMOOTHIE · 10/18/2008, 02:02 PM

That's crazy!
Glad I went the injection route.

tegee · 10/18/2008, 03:03 PM

I was literally loaded with Aptasia and my LFS turned me onto "Aptasia eating File Fish". Yea, I know I was skeptical too until one-week later all my Aptasia was GONE! And the File Fish did not and still to this day does touch my sps or softy corals. He is one of the more dacile fish in my tank, so much so I kept him and he been great ever since. Sorry I do not know the exact species of File Fish he is; only referred to by the LFS as a Aptasia eating File Fish.

Expensive fish, but well worth the investment IMHO!

10/10/2008, 01:37 PM	#1
SMOOTHIE Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Valdosta GA Posts: 498	Aiptasia Question Never had these guys until I got a nice piece of LR from a buddy with some really nice pink and blue sponges on it. A few small aiptasia are sprouting out of it and I was wondering if I could place the rock in a QT tank with no lights at all to save the sponges, but starve out and kill the aiptasia, or are these things like cockroaches and I need to just chip off the sponges and set the rock outside?

10/10/2008, 01:38 PM	#2
greggnyce Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bellport, New York Posts: 1,782	You could inject them with kalk or joes's juice or get some peppermint shrimp. No need to kill the sponges. __________________ What you talkin about Mrs Lime. Current Tank Info: 120 gl oceanic tech, 30 gallon fuge, 40 gallon sump, Itech 200 skimmer, LED Lighting . Mixed reef.

10/10/2008, 02:04 PM	#4
greggnyce Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bellport, New York Posts: 1,782	QT ing the sponges may be bad because they arwe filter feeders and there is nothing in the qt. IMO. __________________ What you talkin about Mrs Lime. Current Tank Info: 120 gl oceanic tech, 30 gallon fuge, 40 gallon sump, Itech 200 skimmer, LED Lighting . Mixed reef.

10/10/2008, 05:10 PM	#7
Dave VG Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Northeast, Pa Posts: 3,129	apstasia-x apstasia-x and peps are working for me __________________ Dave Current Tank Info: 40B Display, 40B sump/fuge

10/10/2008, 05:55 PM	#8
billdogg Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Grove City, Ohio Posts: 10,806	boiling water in a syringe has worked for 20+ years for me! __________________ I'll try to be nice if you try to be smarter! I can't help that I grow older, but you can't make me grow up! Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef with 40b sump, RO 150 skimmer, AI Sol Blue x 2, and a 60g Frag Tank with 100g rubbermaid sump. 2 x Kessil A360w lights, BM curve 5 skimmer

10/10/2008, 01:55 PM	#3
SMOOTHIE Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Valdosta GA Posts: 498	Definitely not goi to kill th sponges. They are too pretty. That's why I would even go through the trouble of chipping them off or setting up the ole QT tank with no lighting to starve out the aiptasia. If that is even possible

10/10/2008, 02:08 PM	#5
SMOOTHIE Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Valdosta GA Posts: 498	Good save! Guess I would have to use the water from my water changes. Who knew it would be good for something besides killing weeds in my driveway.

10/10/2008, 02:51 PM	#6
mkirkpatrick Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Port Richey, Florida Posts: 37	I had a few of these on live rock I purchased and didn't know what it was.. After some research I purchased a few peppermint shrimp and they cleared up the problem in just a few days. Good luck!

10/10/2008, 06:34 PM	#9
elmosz1 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Fresno, CA Posts: 63	Some people have luck injecting kalkwasser. I've had good luck w/Peppermints but make sure you don't get the similarly marked camel shrimp often mislabeled at LFS.

10/10/2008, 06:38 PM	#10
styndall Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 282	Peppermint shrimp will work wonders. Don't bother with your lightless quarantine approach -- aiptasia are super-hardy, and they'll outlast you.

10/10/2008, 10:02 PM	#11
SMOOTHIE Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Valdosta GA Posts: 498	I'll try the boiling water and the peppermints. If that doesn't do it I'm getting a berghia and then passing it on to the next guy when his job is done.

10/11/2008, 06:18 AM	#12
Dave VG Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Northeast, Pa Posts: 3,129	You need a pair so they can reproduce and stay ahead of the aiptasia. I don't think one berghia will do it. Like your cleanup crew they recommended a number based on your tank size. Heres a link that might help you out good luck http://www.berghia4aiptasia.com/How_Many_Size.html __________________ Dave Current Tank Info: 40B Display, 40B sump/fuge

10/11/2008, 07:25 AM	#13
boaconrp Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Central NJ Posts: 65	Joe's Juice!!! Works wonders and is easy to use. Peppermint shrimp are great too, once you've gotten rid of the aptasia you can see.

10/11/2008, 09:38 AM	#14
Dave VG Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Northeast, Pa Posts: 3,129	Tried joes juice, lemon juice etc. and altho this stuff does seem to work well for some. Aiptasia-x has worked the best for me so far. __________________ Dave Current Tank Info: 40B Display, 40B sump/fuge

10/11/2008, 09:57 AM	#15
tami1024 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Jupiter Fl Posts: 430	I would defiantly go with the peppermint shrimp. I used them and my aiptasia was gone within a week. __________________ Reefer addict!! Current Tank Info: 29 gal with,1 multi rock, multiple mushrooms,1 rock nem, a few snails, 1 harlequin star,2 kenya trees,1 scallop and 1 mandarin goby named Gray!! 75 gal has 1 rock nem, 1 GBTA, 1 brittle star, 2 damsels and 1 tom clown

10/18/2008, 09:25 AM	#16
SMOOTHIE Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Valdosta GA Posts: 498	Thanks billdogg! The real syringe worked great. My buddy at the hospitol gave me a few and actually being able to stick in them worked. May be a reason the aiptasia x stuff works better because of the metal tip it comes with.

10/18/2008, 09:43 AM	#17
m2434 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 2,171	I doubt no light would rid the rock of aptaisia permanently, most likely they would come back once in the display tank. Joes Juice or some equivalent will kill them permanently. Most LFSs around here seem to have chronic aptaisia issues. I often purchase corals to find they have an aptaisia or two; I just kill them with the juice and move on... __________________ Our imagination is stretched to the utmost, not, as in fiction, to imagine things which are not really there, but just to comprehend those things which are there. ~Richard Feynman

10/18/2008, 11:48 AM	#18
maynardjames Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: west tennessee Posts: 1,600	had little devils on live rock in bucket for 6 months. just water no light no feed . looked in bucket & they were still going strong. very hard to starve & dont need light __________________ if your 555 Current Tank Info: 120 rr dual overflows, solarflare t5 fixture,octo extreme 200,vortech mp40w esx2. brs reactor for carbon, brs reactor for gfo, 40 gal breeder sump

10/18/2008, 02:02 PM	#19
SMOOTHIE Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Valdosta GA Posts: 498	That's crazy! Glad I went the injection route.

10/18/2008, 03:03 PM	#20
tegee Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: NY Posts: 831	I was literally loaded with Aptasia and my LFS turned me onto "Aptasia eating File Fish". Yea, I know I was skeptical too until one-week later all my Aptasia was GONE! And the File Fish did not and still to this day does touch my sps or softy corals. He is one of the more dacile fish in my tank, so much so I kept him and he been great ever since. Sorry I do not know the exact species of File Fish he is; only referred to by the LFS as a Aptasia eating File Fish. Expensive fish, but well worth the investment IMHO!