Aptasia on a frag at LFS, worth it?

04mach1 · 03/25/2013, 01:52 PM

Saw a zoa frag at LFS that had an aptasia in the center of the zoas. The guy working there put it in a take with some pep. shrimp that made quick work of it. My question is would it be safe to buy and put in my system or would the aptasia still be in the rock and spread?

phantomg23 · 03/25/2013, 02:36 PM

id say it was safe, but watch it

heatdissipation · 03/25/2013, 02:42 PM

You could also put it in a qt tank and keep your eye on it before putting it in your display tank. That's what I would do if it was something I really wanted.

neuro · 03/25/2013, 02:43 PM

how imbedded is it? you can go through a dipping regiment, but it may not kill it unless you actually scrub it.

i personally would be dipping and lightly brushing my zoas before putting it into my tank regardless. you should be ok if you do something similar.

mayjong · 03/25/2013, 03:17 PM

cut the zoas off, glue to a fresh plug

04mach1 · 03/25/2013, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mayjong

cut the zoas off, glue to a fresh plug

To many on the rock. Thanks for the suggestions.

dan1789 · 03/25/2013, 04:37 PM

Personally I wouldn't risk it.

vanbro1 · 03/25/2013, 08:34 PM

berghia nudi - then it doesn't matter

sanababit · 03/25/2013, 08:40 PM

Kalk it, before putting it into tank

Sana

OrQidz · 03/25/2013, 09:45 PM

maybe they will knock off a few $$ off the price and you can kill the aiptasia and QT for a while, see if it comes back.

silleb · 03/25/2013, 11:58 PM

Get a couple pepermint shrimp to go along with it!

Photobug · 03/26/2013, 09:15 AM

Are you telling me you have an aptasia free tank yourself? I did not know that existed. If so I would never risk introducing a possible source for them. Either quarantine or leave the frag at the store.

uny2bld · 03/26/2013, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by heatdissipation

You could also put it in a qt tank and keep your eye on it before putting it in your display tank. That's what I would do if it was something I really wanted.

+1 - I do this with every purchase regardless if I have seen a pest or not. It makes dealing with issues easier

accordsirh22 · 03/26/2013, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Photobug

Are you telling me you have an aptasia free tank yourself? I did not know that existed. If so I would never risk introducing a possible source for them. Either quarantine or leave the frag at the store.

i have an aiptasia free tank, basically always have. always kept peppermints too and never bought anything with aiptasia on it. so yea, its VERY possible

JohnV8r · 03/26/2013, 10:10 AM

I'm an aptasia war veteran.

The frag will be fine after the LFS has put it in a tank of Peppermint Shrimp. There is about a 0.0001% chance that there is anything left on it. If you want to eliminate that 0.0001% chance, take a Peppermint Shrimp from the tank that he put it in home with you. Peppermint Shrimp are great at killling small aptasia. However, not all Peppermint Shrimp immediately eat aptasia. If you have seen Peppermint Shrimp in a specific holding tank at your LFS eat aptasia, get one or two. They are priceless guardians IMO.

Kalk is a bad idea on a zoa frag. The likelihood that you accidentally kill the zoa is high.

After having an unbelievable aptasia outbreak that I could not get under control, I tore my tank down. When I set it back up, the first thing that went in were Peppermint Shrimp. Peppermint Shrimp are only effective on aptasia of a certain size. IMO you should have Peppermint Shrimp first, then add frags. Don't wait until you have an issue and then add the shrimp. It won't always work if the aptasia have reached a size that the shrimp won't eat.

I have not had an aptasia since 2008.

borderreef · 03/26/2013, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sanababit

Kalk it, before putting it into tank

Sana

+1. If you want it, take it. But take precautions. Make a paste out of kalk and smother it. Keep the rock qt'd for observation. If it or any others show up, kalk again or shoot it full of lemon juice.

biggles · 03/26/2013, 02:17 PM

As others have said, just kill it with kalk paste etc and watch the frag to make sure you nuked it completely. Aptasia is easy to deal with manually in small numbers.

chrismayu · 03/26/2013, 03:37 PM

+1 on the peppermint shrimp

SushiGirl · 03/26/2013, 04:30 PM

Since the peppermint shrimp already ate the aiptasia at the store (not sure how so many people missed that part of the post!), take both with you. Still dip the frag (dipping wouldn't kill aiptasia anyway, but other possible pests will be removed). QT the coral.

In other words, I agree with JohnV8r LOL.

ashish · 03/28/2013, 06:51 AM

Don't do it unless you have aiptasia (which from the looks of it you don't)
Only way is if you quarantine it for at least 4 days and make sure you aiptasia-X frag until gone. Then your good but putting it strait in DT is a NO NO

Michigan Mike · 03/28/2013, 07:25 AM

Unfortunately. I'm starting to get more aiptasia all of the sudden. I went a year and only had 2 that I quickly got rid of. Now I even have a couple on the glass, deep in the rock work & a bunch of small ones are popping up, I hate them so bad as I did really well for a while.

Aiptasia-x or other things won't work so I'm thinking of getting a couple burghi nudibranchs.

Oh, I wouldn't get the frag but its possible to remove it, I just wouldn't if I was starting over.

HUNTER1 · 03/28/2013, 08:20 AM

They multiply so fast. I started with nothing and now I have at least 20 babies and few mothers. Fortunately my tank only has Xenia and GSP and I just had back surgery and
cant deal with them. So aiptasia farm in the works. My wife likes the look of them.

reeftobe · 03/28/2013, 09:08 AM

If you really want it , qt for a while to be safe.
Otherwise pass. The same zaos will be available again probably

Pallobi · 03/28/2013, 09:15 AM

Don't be foolish, don't even bother with it... Jmo...

Chief Hill · 03/28/2013, 09:21 AM

I had the same situation. I pulled the rock and found the tiny tunnels the 3 aiptasia were in and simply put a couple drops of CA glue, aka crazy glue over the hole and its a gonner seals the hole so nothing can get out. I had the rock for 7 months now and have not seen them since.
One other rock I had with 2 on it I hit with syringe and boiling water and that killed them as well.

03/25/2013, 01:52 PM	#1
04mach1 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: chesapeake va Posts: 304	Aptasia on a frag at LFS, worth it? Saw a zoa frag at LFS that had an aptasia in the center of the zoas. The guy working there put it in a take with some pep. shrimp that made quick work of it. My question is would it be safe to buy and put in my system or would the aptasia still be in the rock and spread?

03/25/2013, 03:17 PM	#5
mayjong Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Sacramento CA Posts: 2,426	cut the zoas off, glue to a fresh plug __________________ No Tanks... I'm out! still lurking, though...

03/25/2013, 08:40 PM	#9
sanababit Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Uranus Posts: 3,094	Kalk it, before putting it into tank Sana __________________ Senior Member of the "Hardly any Water Changes, Temp Swinging, T5ing, No Qtining, Frag Exchanging for Fish Food Current Tank Info: 90RR inwall, Octopuss Skimmer, 2 MP40 wQD, 1 MP10 WQD, 2 Radions G4 Pro, Apex Doser, Apex Controller, 400w heater, 30 Gal Sump, Biopellets, Carbon, Gfo, Macroalgae

03/26/2013, 10:10 AM	#15
JohnV8r Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: El Dorado Hills, CA Posts: 399	I'm an aptasia war veteran. The frag will be fine after the LFS has put it in a tank of Peppermint Shrimp. There is about a 0.0001% chance that there is anything left on it. If you want to eliminate that 0.0001% chance, take a Peppermint Shrimp from the tank that he put it in home with you. Peppermint Shrimp are great at killling small aptasia. However, not all Peppermint Shrimp immediately eat aptasia. If you have seen Peppermint Shrimp in a specific holding tank at your LFS eat aptasia, get one or two. They are priceless guardians IMO. Kalk is a bad idea on a zoa frag. The likelihood that you accidentally kill the zoa is high. After having an unbelievable aptasia outbreak that I could not get under control, I tore my tank down. When I set it back up, the first thing that went in were Peppermint Shrimp. Peppermint Shrimp are only effective on aptasia of a certain size. IMO you should have Peppermint Shrimp first, then add frags. Don't wait until you have an issue and then add the shrimp. It won't always work if the aptasia have reached a size that the shrimp won't eat. I have not had an aptasia since 2008. __________________ We're not put on this earth to see through one another; we're put on this earth to see one another through - Gloria Vanderbilt Current Tank Info: 175g reef (48"L x 28"D x 30"H), 15g Refugium, 30g Sump w/ASM G3 (gate, mesh, & recirc mods), 10K GPH flow via 3 Tunze 7096 + return, ATO via Tunze Osmolater, 2x250W Radiums, GFO, Carbon, dosing vinegar/vodka, Alk, Ca, via 3 BRS dosers & Apex. Last edited by JohnV8r; 03/26/2013 at 10:44 AM.

03/26/2013, 02:17 PM	#17
biggles Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Australia Posts: 3,907	As others have said, just kill it with kalk paste etc and watch the frag to make sure you nuked it completely. Aptasia is easy to deal with manually in small numbers. __________________ Andrew

03/25/2013, 02:36 PM	#2
phantomg23 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 624	id say it was safe, but watch it

03/25/2013, 02:42 PM	#3
heatdissipation Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Jersey Shore PA Posts: 257	You could also put it in a qt tank and keep your eye on it before putting it in your display tank. That's what I would do if it was something I really wanted.

03/25/2013, 02:43 PM	#4
neuro the cat did it Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: bay area Posts: 976	how imbedded is it? you can go through a dipping regiment, but it may not kill it unless you actually scrub it. i personally would be dipping and lightly brushing my zoas before putting it into my tank regardless. you should be ok if you do something similar.

03/25/2013, 04:37 PM	#7
dan1789 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 60	Personally I wouldn't risk it.

03/25/2013, 08:34 PM	#8
vanbro1 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 995	berghia nudi - then it doesn't matter

03/25/2013, 09:45 PM	#10
OrQidz Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Pacific Northwest Posts: 825	maybe they will knock off a few $$ off the price and you can kill the aiptasia and QT for a while, see if it comes back.

03/25/2013, 11:58 PM	#11
silleb Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Lee's Summit, MO Posts: 51	Get a couple pepermint shrimp to go along with it!

03/26/2013, 09:15 AM	#12
Photobug Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Oceanside, CA Posts: 262	Are you telling me you have an aptasia free tank yourself? I did not know that existed. If so I would never risk introducing a possible source for them. Either quarantine or leave the frag at the store.

03/26/2013, 03:37 PM	#18
chrismayu Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Ontario Canada Posts: 55	+1 on the peppermint shrimp

03/26/2013, 04:30 PM	#19
SushiGirl Premium Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Fort Worth, TX USA Posts: 8,267	Since the peppermint shrimp already ate the aiptasia at the store (not sure how so many people missed that part of the post!), take both with you. Still dip the frag (dipping wouldn't kill aiptasia anyway, but other possible pests will be removed). QT the coral. In other words, I agree with JohnV8r LOL. __________________ Visit my Homepage or "My Albums" (via Profile) for hitchhiker pics. Current Tank Info: 55g softy/LPS tank & 20L reef tank

03/28/2013, 06:51 AM	#20
ashish Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Bridgewater NJ Posts: 500	Don't do it unless you have aiptasia (which from the looks of it you don't) Only way is if you quarantine it for at least 4 days and make sure you aiptasia-X frag until gone. Then your good but putting it strait in DT is a NO NO

03/28/2013, 07:25 AM	#21
Michigan Mike Freedom costs a buckofive Join Date: May 2012 Location: Michigan Posts: 3,002	Unfortunately. I'm starting to get more aiptasia all of the sudden. I went a year and only had 2 that I quickly got rid of. Now I even have a couple on the glass, deep in the rock work & a bunch of small ones are popping up, I hate them so bad as I did really well for a while. Aiptasia-x or other things won't work so I'm thinking of getting a couple burghi nudibranchs. Oh, I wouldn't get the frag but its possible to remove it, I just wouldn't if I was starting over.

03/28/2013, 08:20 AM	#22
HUNTER1 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 1,044	They multiply so fast. I started with nothing and now I have at least 20 babies and few mothers. Fortunately my tank only has Xenia and GSP and I just had back surgery and cant deal with them. So aiptasia farm in the works. My wife likes the look of them.

03/28/2013, 09:08 AM	#23
reeftobe Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Posts: 57	If you really want it , qt for a while to be safe. Otherwise pass. The same zaos will be available again probably

03/28/2013, 09:15 AM	#24
Pallobi CTARS, BRS & OSRAS Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 7,001	Don't be foolish, don't even bother with it... Jmo...

03/28/2013, 09:21 AM	#25
Chief Hill Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 64	I had the same situation. I pulled the rock and found the tiny tunnels the 3 aiptasia were in and simply put a couple drops of CA glue, aka crazy glue over the hole and its a gonner seals the hole so nothing can get out. I had the rock for 7 months now and have not seen them since. One other rock I had with 2 on it I hit with syringe and boiling water and that killed them as well. __________________ 29 Gallon Oc Biocube.