is this Aiptasia?

bpkenn · 09/06/2008, 11:54 PM

I'm starting my first tank, and have spent the past day picking up live rock, drilling it, and filling the tank. Today while I'm filling the sump, I noticed that there looks to be something growing on one of my blue ridge rocks.

Can anyone help me confirm if this is aiptasia? If it is, what would be the best method of removal (these are bad right?)

I hear people use peppermint shrimp, is it too early for them? If not, how do I make sure I get the right shrimp (I also read that there are two breeds, and one doesn't eat aiptasia) that will eat the aiptasia.

lockekeyy · 09/06/2008, 11:57 PM

congrats..you've got a pest problem starting... kill it quick!

LulusMoogle · 09/07/2008, 12:12 AM

Joe's Juice seems to work pretty well, from what I've read.

Do your research first, though.

I'm not sure about the peppermint shrimp... I've heard vague side-notes about something like that, but I'm at a loss. Hopefully a more experienced reefer will have something to add.

micoral · 09/07/2008, 02:27 AM

Yes, that appears to be an aip! I would just scrape the rock away underneith it. a little chissle action or frag cutter action and you got it. Clean stainless steel tools work best if you have them.

dannable · 09/07/2008, 06:32 AM

Try Aiptasia X from REd Sea. Works good and its reef safe. Joe's juice works but it does not inhibit their reproduction.

Denbf58 · 09/07/2008, 06:39 AM

since your just stating take the rock out pour boiling water on it then let rock dry . put back in tank and wait for the tank to cycle

joeychitwood · 09/07/2008, 06:47 AM

Remove the rock and either scrub the Aiptasia off with a steel brush or scald it off by squirting boiling hot water at it with a syringe. Keep a close eye on the tank and try to kill any Aiptasia as they develop.

will16 · 09/07/2008, 07:20 AM

Kill immediately. I kill on sight and seems to be never ending. Every few days I spot a few more. I use Joe's juice.

bpkenn · 09/07/2008, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by will16
Kill immediately. I kill on sight and seems to be never ending. Every few days I spot a few more. I use Joe's juice.

that's why im afraid to manually remove it, i dont want to send pieces of it flying around the tank to spawn new aiptasia.

jksteele010 · 09/07/2008, 10:38 AM

aiptasia x works best i think. seems like the nems just eat and implode.

poepsakkies · 09/07/2008, 11:53 AM

i have been told that copperband butterfly eat them aswell, i have a copperband and has not touched it. could just be mine that lacks the appetite for them.

anyone heard anything like that?

joeychitwood · 09/07/2008, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by poepsakkies
i have been told that copperband butterfly eat them aswell, i have a copperband and has not touched it. could just be mine that lacks the appetite for them. anyone heard anything like that?

Many Copperband Butterfly fish will eat Aiptasia, but of course, some won't, just like some Lawnmower Blennies won't eat hair algae, some Flame Angels won't nip at corals, etc.

Texastravis · 09/07/2008, 12:48 PM

Just use joe's juice, it works well. Pepperment shrimp dont eat aptasia but rather eat buds/tiny aptasia. They prevent the aptasia from spreading. Majority of all Copperband butterflies will eat buds/tiny aptasia like the shrimp but a select few will eat even very lg aptasia. You can always just "scrape" them off, aptasia normally grows in the holes/pores of the live rock making this technique very difficult.

Aptasia isnt a problem until they get out of control and get near your corals, take care of the problem now.

bunzaroo · 09/07/2008, 01:55 PM

I've used Aptasia X with great success, it even works on Mojano's. just squirt a globule on the oral disc and they swallow it and implode, pretty, cool!!!

sgraves2505 · 09/07/2008, 07:08 PM

Aiptasia Control by Blue Life works really well. I had a few large aiptasias and a lot of tiny aiptasias. I used Aiptasia Control on the large ones, and bought 2 peppermint shrimp for the tiny ones. Large ones were killed immediately, and the tiny ones were gone after a few weeks.

bpkenn · 09/07/2008, 08:08 PM

I bought some Joes Juice and used it on the aiptasia that was in the pic, it fed on it and retracted and died. I since found another brown aiptasia that seems to retract every time i go near it, or my shadow hits it, let alone squirting joes juice on it. Any good way to get these skittish guys to eat the juice?

will16 · 09/07/2008, 10:47 PM

I would just slowly squirt some on it anyway. They think its food and will try to eat it.

CAROLGYRL · 09/07/2008, 11:02 PM

i have read that lemon juice will work too!!or boiling water,shoot with a needle, I took my rocks out for a looooong time and scrubbed them. wish I had known then what I know now!!!

09/06/2008, 11:54 PM	#1
bpkenn Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Schaumburg, IL Posts: 346	is this Aiptasia? I'm starting my first tank, and have spent the past day picking up live rock, drilling it, and filling the tank. Today while I'm filling the sump, I noticed that there looks to be something growing on one of my blue ridge rocks. Can anyone help me confirm if this is aiptasia? If it is, what would be the best method of removal (these are bad right?) I hear people use peppermint shrimp, is it too early for them? If not, how do I make sure I get the right shrimp (I also read that there are two breeds, and one doesn't eat aiptasia) that will eat the aiptasia.

09/06/2008, 11:57 PM	#2
lockekeyy Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Peoria, AZ Posts: 1,027	congrats..you've got a pest problem starting... kill it quick! __________________ I attribute the little I know to my not having been ashamed to ask for information - John Locke

09/07/2008, 06:32 AM	#5
dannable Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Guelph Ontario, Canada Posts: 430	Try Aiptasia X from REd Sea. Works good and its reef safe. Joe's juice works but it does not inhibit their reproduction. __________________ "Gentlemen; I put my pants on just like anyone else--one leg at a time. Except that once my pants are on, I make wicked aquariums." Current Tank Info: 75 Gallon FOWLR, 75Lbs of Live Rock, 1 OC clown, 2 pajama cardinals, 1 firefish, 1 cleaner shrimp

09/07/2008, 06:39 AM	#6
Denbf58 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: selden N.Y. Posts: 885	since your just stating take the rock out pour boiling water on it then let rock dry . put back in tank and wait for the tank to cycle __________________ Life is good Current Tank Info: 75gal reef ready koralia 3, 30g sump, 4b 48" t5s lighting, 29g reef with breeding pair clowns 55g reef 55g freshwater

09/07/2008, 10:38 AM	#10
jksteele010 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Oklahoma, US Posts: 473	aiptasia x works best i think. seems like the nems just eat and implode. __________________ Regards, Jacob Steele "I'm the Doctor and I'm the man who's going to save your life. Got a problem with that!" Current Tank Info: 210 in the works

09/07/2008, 12:12 AM	#3
LulusMoogle Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Posts: 370	Joe's Juice seems to work pretty well, from what I've read. Do your research first, though. I'm not sure about the peppermint shrimp... I've heard vague side-notes about something like that, but I'm at a loss. Hopefully a more experienced reefer will have something to add.

09/07/2008, 02:27 AM	#4
micoral Moved On Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Grand Rapids, MI Posts: 43	Yes, that appears to be an aip! I would just scrape the rock away underneith it. a little chissle action or frag cutter action and you got it. Clean stainless steel tools work best if you have them.

09/07/2008, 06:47 AM	#7
joeychitwood Schrödinger's Mod Join Date: Apr 2001 Posts: 3,488	Remove the rock and either scrub the Aiptasia off with a steel brush or scald it off by squirting boiling hot water at it with a syringe. Keep a close eye on the tank and try to kill any Aiptasia as they develop.

09/07/2008, 07:20 AM	#8
will16 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Northern NJ Posts: 1,812	Kill immediately. I kill on sight and seems to be never ending. Every few days I spot a few more. I use Joe's juice.

09/07/2008, 11:53 AM	#11
poepsakkies Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: south africa Posts: 4	i have been told that copperband butterfly eat them aswell, i have a copperband and has not touched it. could just be mine that lacks the appetite for them. anyone heard anything like that?

09/07/2008, 12:48 PM	#13
Texastravis Moved On Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 573	Just use joe's juice, it works well. Pepperment shrimp dont eat aptasia but rather eat buds/tiny aptasia. They prevent the aptasia from spreading. Majority of all Copperband butterflies will eat buds/tiny aptasia like the shrimp but a select few will eat even very lg aptasia. You can always just "scrape" them off, aptasia normally grows in the holes/pores of the live rock making this technique very difficult. Aptasia isnt a problem until they get out of control and get near your corals, take care of the problem now.

09/07/2008, 01:55 PM	#14
bunzaroo Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Miami,FL Posts: 617	I've used Aptasia X with great success, it even works on Mojano's. just squirt a globule on the oral disc and they swallow it and implode, pretty, cool!!!

09/07/2008, 07:08 PM	#15
sgraves2505 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: NW Arkansas Posts: 51	Aiptasia Control by Blue Life works really well. I had a few large aiptasias and a lot of tiny aiptasias. I used Aiptasia Control on the large ones, and bought 2 peppermint shrimp for the tiny ones. Large ones were killed immediately, and the tiny ones were gone after a few weeks.

09/07/2008, 08:08 PM	#16
bpkenn Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Schaumburg, IL Posts: 346	I bought some Joes Juice and used it on the aiptasia that was in the pic, it fed on it and retracted and died. I since found another brown aiptasia that seems to retract every time i go near it, or my shadow hits it, let alone squirting joes juice on it. Any good way to get these skittish guys to eat the juice?

09/07/2008, 10:47 PM	#17
will16 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Northern NJ Posts: 1,812	I would just slowly squirt some on it anyway. They think its food and will try to eat it.

09/07/2008, 11:02 PM	#18
CAROLGYRL Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: PALM DESERT, CA. Posts: 184	i have read that lemon juice will work too!!or boiling water,shoot with a needle, I took my rocks out for a looooong time and scrubbed them. wish I had known then what I know now!!!