Does Aiptasia grow in a Colony type formation?

Genaroleon · 11/28/2006, 08:47 AM

I know I know.. another damn Aiptasia thread.

Getting back into the hobby - this time going reef setup - and have a 29gal with a mixture of Liverock and Baserock only at this point (small cleaner crew as well) . Ive looked at the picture in the sticky about Aiptasia, but its really hard to tell which ones they look like the most. The ones in my tank are SMALL.. im at work right now, but ill attempt to take some pictures of them when i get home (I dont think they will come out though). I found one that easily looks clear and glasslike - but it almost looks like a TINY Xenia LMAO. The othes are more brownish, and clearly have tentacle like limbs that protrude out of a tube. Well again its so darn small.. I cant really get a great Id... definately a tube, with some sort of limbs flailing

Im already assuming its aiptasia. Most pictures I see of them, however, are single, and not in a large group like I am seeing.

I picked up this tank from a fellow reefer who left a couple of his LR in the tank - of course I found nice chunks of these creatures on there

Too small to inject
picked up a peppermint shrimp that does more hiding at this point

should I jut wait for them to get a little larger to get better identification?

Agu · 11/28/2006, 09:22 AM

Have you checked out pics of hydroids ? They're to the lower right in this pic,

They're smaller than aiptasia and tend to grow in colonies. If you irritate them they withdraw into hard tubes they've constructed. They're also harder to get rid of than aiptasia.

Genaroleon · 11/28/2006, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Agu
Have you checked out pics of hydroids ? They're to the lower right in this pic,

They're smaller than aiptasia and tend to grow in colonies. If you irritate them they withdraw into hard tubes they've constructed. They're also harder to get rid of than aiptasia.

Hmmm ... those are MUCH larger than the ones I have... but.... I think those look like them. The tentacles are thin and stringy like the ones I have... yes ... those might be it.

Harder to get rid of than aip!!! greeeeeeeat. I assume that they easily multiply if picked off the rock - just like aiptaisa

Edit: Google'ing them now

Agu · 11/28/2006, 09:52 AM

On my monitor the pic shows them about twice their normal size.

Quote:

Hmmm ... those are MUCH larger than the ones I have

Genaroleon · 11/28/2006, 10:09 AM

Having a little trouble finding a cure for these buggers. How do you keeps yours under controll?

lorawalters13 · 11/28/2006, 10:28 AM

I have manually removed them from rock using tweezers in my reef. IME, they spread quickly, so I try to get them ASAP.

I also have killed them with panacur when they turned up in my dsh tank. Panacur will leach from live rock much like copper and will make keeping corals and many inverts impossible so be sure before you dose.

JME...

Genaroleon · 11/28/2006, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by lorawalters13
I have manually removed them from rock using tweezers in my reef. IME, they spread quickly, so I try to get them ASAP.

I also have killed them with panacur when they turned up in my dsh tank. Panacur will leach from live rock much like copper and will make keeping corals and many inverts impossible so be sure before you dose.

JME...

Looks like I have a date with some tweezers tonight.
THanks

drummereef · 11/28/2006, 11:51 AM

If they look something like this then you have hydroids. Short of manual removal they are a stinker to get rid of. I ended up taking the infested rocks out and chiseling the darn things off of them. Some have epoxied them to death, but sounded like a bunch of work. I'm not that patient.

Make sure you do it OUTSIDE the tank and rinse the rock with saltwater when you are done or the things will sprout up everywhere.

Genaroleon · 11/28/2006, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by drummereef
[B]If they look something like this then you have hydroids. Short of manual removal they are a stinker to get rid of. I ended up taking the infested rocks out and chiseling the darn things off of them. Some have epoxied them to death, but sounded like a bunch of work. I'm not that patient.

Make sure you do it OUTSIDE the tank and rinse the rock with saltwater when you are done or the things will sprout up everywhere.

Damn those are them... luckily they are on small pieces that will be easy to take out. I have a HUUUUUUGE piece of BR that hopefully I can kick these guys out before they get on there... becuase at that point.... its going to be all hell

MJAnderson · 11/28/2006, 01:33 PM

I tried manual removal 4 times but they always came back. I ended up chiseling off the encrusting monti I had on the rock and pitching the rest. Better to waste $20 worth of rock then risk those things spreading. Bite the bullet and pitch the rock.

Genaroleon · 11/28/2006, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MJAnderson
I tried manual removal 4 times but they always came back. I ended up chiseling off the encrusting monti I had on the rock and pitching the rest. Better to waste $20 worth of rock then risk those things spreading. Bite the bullet and pitch the rock.

I have a spare tank/skimmer/misc equip... I might just setup a temp QT tank and see if they can be saved - on the other hand.. this does give me a chance to pick up some prettier LR =)

at the risk of sounding like a complete idiot...
couldnt you just burn off the pest? Take a flame to the section of where the buggers were latched onto

11/28/2006, 08:47 AM	#1
Genaroleon Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: San Diego, California Posts: 16	Does Aiptasia grow in a Colony type formation? I know I know.. another damn Aiptasia thread. Getting back into the hobby - this time going reef setup - and have a 29gal with a mixture of Liverock and Baserock only at this point (small cleaner crew as well) . Ive looked at the picture in the sticky about Aiptasia, but its really hard to tell which ones they look like the most. The ones in my tank are SMALL.. im at work right now, but ill attempt to take some pictures of them when i get home (I dont think they will come out though). I found one that easily looks clear and glasslike - but it almost looks like a TINY Xenia LMAO. The othes are more brownish, and clearly have tentacle like limbs that protrude out of a tube. Well again its so darn small.. I cant really get a great Id... definately a tube, with some sort of limbs flailing Im already assuming its aiptasia. Most pictures I see of them, however, are single, and not in a large group like I am seeing. I picked up this tank from a fellow reefer who left a couple of his LR in the tank - of course I found nice chunks of these creatures on there Too small to inject picked up a peppermint shrimp that does more hiding at this point should I jut wait for them to get a little larger to get better identification?

11/28/2006, 09:22 AM	#2
Agu Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Sarasota, Florida Posts: 30,279	Have you checked out pics of hydroids ? They're to the lower right in this pic, They're smaller than aiptasia and tend to grow in colonies. If you irritate them they withdraw into hard tubes they've constructed. They're also harder to get rid of than aiptasia. __________________ Less technology , more biology . Current Tank Info: 30 gallon half cube and 5.5, both reef tanks

11/28/2006, 11:51 AM	#8
drummereef Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: STL Posts: 14,754	If they look something like this then you have hydroids. Short of manual removal they are a stinker to get rid of. I ended up taking the infested rocks out and chiseling the darn things off of them. Some have epoxied them to death, but sounded like a bunch of work. I'm not that patient. Make sure you do it OUTSIDE the tank and rinse the rock with saltwater when you are done or the things will sprout up everywhere. __________________ -Brett 180g Marineland Starfire In-Wall 278 gallon system

11/28/2006, 10:09 AM	#5
Genaroleon Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: San Diego, California Posts: 16	Having a little trouble finding a cure for these buggers. How do you keeps yours under controll?

11/28/2006, 10:28 AM	#6
lorawalters13 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: west Tennessee Posts: 399	I have manually removed them from rock using tweezers in my reef. IME, they spread quickly, so I try to get them ASAP. I also have killed them with panacur when they turned up in my dsh tank. Panacur will leach from live rock much like copper and will make keeping corals and many inverts impossible so be sure before you dose. JME...

11/28/2006, 01:33 PM	#10
MJAnderson Premium Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: East Bay, CA Posts: 2,633	I tried manual removal 4 times but they always came back. I ended up chiseling off the encrusting monti I had on the rock and pitching the rest. Better to waste $20 worth of rock then risk those things spreading. Bite the bullet and pitch the rock.