Aiptasia control with lemon juice?

EvilE · 08/27/2007, 08:56 PM

I just read this article--tell me what you think....

How To Eliminate Aiptasia Anemones with Lemon Juice
From Stan & Debbie Hauter

A Reef Tank Safe, Effective, and Easy to Perform Injection Procedure
Aiptasia, or Tube, Glass, Rock Anemones are thought by many saltwater aquarium hobbyists to be a beautiful addition to their reef tank when they unexpectedly begin to sprout out of live rock. However, this attitude generally changes once the aiptasia go into their reproductive mode and take over the entire tank.

The first step an inexperienced hobbyist takes is to cut off or pull the anemones from the rock and substrate. Unfortunately this usually leads to a population explosion, as each of the microscopic pieces which are left behind in the tank sprout into another anemone.

As discussed in our "How To Get Rid of Aiptasia Anemones" methods article, there are a number of natural predators that can be introduced into an aquarium to consume the aiptasia in order to stem the tide.

The bad news is that once the aiptasia are gone, some of these animals will consume the stuff you wanted left intact such as zoanthids, coral polyps, and a myriad of the other marine life that make a reef tank so fascinating. As far as injecting caustic solutions or using over the counter treatments, to a true naturalist the thought of adding chemicals to a reef tank is out of the question.

The good news is that after some experimentation we discovered a simple, non-intrusive (except for the aiptasia) way to quickly get rid of an unwanted aiptasia anemone population in a reef tank. Inject them with lemon juice! This procedure requires only 2 items and a few minutes of your time. You'll no doubt be just as surprised as we were at how fast, effective, and safe this removal method is. See the results by looking at our aiptasia on and around feather duster and zoanthid stone infested with aiptasia BEFORE and AFTER injection comparison photos for yourself, then try it!

Items Needed:

* 1 Bottle or squeeze dispenser of Lemon Juice From Concentrate.
* One 3ml Latex Free Syringe with a 0.5mm x 16mm needle. Your local pharmacist can provide you with the syringe and needle for about a half a dollar. Don't be surprised if your pharmacist asks you a few questions as to what you plan to use the syringe/needle for.

Procedure:

1. Remove the syringe and attached needle from the wrapper.
2. Twist the needle cover to tighten on the syringe.
3. Remove the needle cover. Shake the bottle (or dispenser) of lemon juice.
4. Fill the syringe with 3ml lemon juice by inserting the needle into the lemon juice and pulling back on the syringe plunger.
5. Insert the needle into (not through) the base (not the top) of the anemone.
6. Inject about .5ml of the lemon juice into the anemone. Withdraw the needle and proceed to the next one.
7. When you are finished, disassemble the syringe/needle, rinse in clean freshwater, dry, reassemble and store for future use.

Tips:

* As with any sharp instrument, use caution when handling it and keep it out of the reach of children.
* When you insert the needle into the anemone, it will normally withdraw, making the lemon juice still quite concentrated in the anemone tube. It is not unusual to see a white puff or string of white material emit from the anemone when you inject the juice.
* A steady hand is needed to insert the needle into the anemone tube. The smaller the anemone, the more difficult the task. You may want to let the smaller anemones grow to a size which makes the task easier.
* The small amount of lemon juice being used shouldn't affect the pH of your tank water, and if you have a fair amount of current in your tank the localized increased pH should disperse rapidly and have no affect on surrounding reef life. Ironically, when the lemon juice is injected into the anemone tube, the critter will close up and shrink, temporarily sealing the juice inside the tube.
* If you have a very large population of aiptasia present, as a precautionary measure to prevent any possible pH imbalance from lemon juice overload, it is best NOT to treat them all at one time. Choose a small section of the tank to do first, wait several days to be sure all is well with the aquarium water quality, then move on and treat the next section.

scott058 · 08/27/2007, 09:13 PM

Has anyone else ever tried this. I think I might give it a try

Fish Filet · 08/27/2007, 09:31 PM

Lemon juice has absolutely worked for me, though I've had better success with a product called Joe's Juice which is basically kalk paste.

happyface888 · 08/27/2007, 10:24 PM

Thats pretty interesting, so far I only heard of using kalk and hot water injections. Might have to try that out

shootist · 08/27/2007, 11:53 PM

I have had very good luck with lemon juice. The key points in the article are that you must get a good stick on the apatasia and inject the juice into the stalk. If you miss the stick dont even bother squirting it,nothing will happen. The next point I find true is to wait for them to get a little bigger,little ones are very tough to stick.

Theomi · 08/27/2007, 11:55 PM

You: "I would like to purchase a syringe"
Pharmacist: "What are you going to do with that syringe?"
You: "Inject lemon juice in to an aiptasia"
Pharmacist: Gives you a strange look and ask you leave the pharmacy

heh

Peter Eichler · 08/28/2007, 12:19 AM

Using lemon juice has been around for years. I just worry a little about the acidity and the sugar. Probably no big deal but I'd feel safer just using kalk and worring about the potential problems from that.

For what it's worth the Hauter's have some seriously dated info in their "articles" and some info that's downright frightening.

Just one example...

They suggest checking your alkalinity "several times a
week, if not daily" and maintaining it between "2.5-3.5 meq/l". Ok, nothing out of the ordinary there... Then in the same article/chart they suggest testing carbonate hardness (KH) "once per week" and maintaining "5.35-6.45 meq/l, or as 15-18 dKH/(German Â°)".

NewGuy168 · 08/28/2007, 12:37 AM

Actually i took care of my Aptasia buying some pepermint shrimps. I had a few specs of aptasia on my coral and i went to the LFS and picked up 2 pepermint shrimps. I left them over night and the next day when i got up the Aptasia was totally gone. I thought this might be a safer way cuz what happens if the lemon juice gets out into your water and what if your coral have a bad effect to it.. but this is just what i thought.

EvilE · 08/28/2007, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by NewGuy168
Actually i took care of my Aptasia buying some pepermint shrimps. I had a few specs of aptasia on my coral and i went to the LFS and picked up 2 pepermint shrimps. I left them over night and the next day when i got up the Aptasia was totally gone. I thought this might be a safer way cuz what happens if the lemon juice gets out into your water and what if your coral have a bad effect to it.. but this is just what i thought.

What happens? It gets totally diluted instantly. That and a good skimmer=no worries.

ricsreef · 08/28/2007, 09:11 PM

I have tried the Aiptasia control(kalk mix)I got a couple to die with it,the rest kept coming back after a day or two I would hit them again,still came back.I think I might try the lemon juice method,if that does not work I'll make my own kalk slurry.LOL

slumpysix · 08/28/2007, 09:42 PM

Tried lemon juice, hot water, vinegar, temp fix -
Joe's juice works but they come back -
Peppermint shrimp worked the best. -
If you have a bad outbreak you can usually get the large ones, but you can't see the tiny ones until they show their ugly faces

aastretch64 · 08/29/2007, 12:49 AM

I was so POed today when I went to my LFS to pick up Joe's Juice! I saw the price on the Joes Juice website priced at $7.99. Well the LFS decided that $19.99 would be a fare price!

Oh by the way I tryed the lemon juice and have doubled the amount of aiptasia. Not very effective since it is difficult to inject a moving thing.

Alex

scott058 · 08/29/2007, 09:18 AM

I tried it last night and so far no sign but we will see in the next day or so

ricsreef · 08/29/2007, 10:27 AM

I found a couple on a small piece of rock.Took the rock out and put it under the faucet with really hot water,as soon as the water hit them they dropped off and down the drain they went.Of course this only works if the rock is small enough to fit in the sink.

08/27/2007, 08:56 PM	#1
EvilE Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 2,944	Aiptasia control with lemon juice? I just read this article--tell me what you think.... How To Eliminate Aiptasia Anemones with Lemon Juice From Stan & Debbie Hauter A Reef Tank Safe, Effective, and Easy to Perform Injection Procedure Aiptasia, or Tube, Glass, Rock Anemones are thought by many saltwater aquarium hobbyists to be a beautiful addition to their reef tank when they unexpectedly begin to sprout out of live rock. However, this attitude generally changes once the aiptasia go into their reproductive mode and take over the entire tank. The first step an inexperienced hobbyist takes is to cut off or pull the anemones from the rock and substrate. Unfortunately this usually leads to a population explosion, as each of the microscopic pieces which are left behind in the tank sprout into another anemone. As discussed in our "How To Get Rid of Aiptasia Anemones" methods article, there are a number of natural predators that can be introduced into an aquarium to consume the aiptasia in order to stem the tide. The bad news is that once the aiptasia are gone, some of these animals will consume the stuff you wanted left intact such as zoanthids, coral polyps, and a myriad of the other marine life that make a reef tank so fascinating. As far as injecting caustic solutions or using over the counter treatments, to a true naturalist the thought of adding chemicals to a reef tank is out of the question. The good news is that after some experimentation we discovered a simple, non-intrusive (except for the aiptasia) way to quickly get rid of an unwanted aiptasia anemone population in a reef tank. Inject them with lemon juice! This procedure requires only 2 items and a few minutes of your time. You'll no doubt be just as surprised as we were at how fast, effective, and safe this removal method is. See the results by looking at our aiptasia on and around feather duster and zoanthid stone infested with aiptasia BEFORE and AFTER injection comparison photos for yourself, then try it! Items Needed: * 1 Bottle or squeeze dispenser of Lemon Juice From Concentrate. * One 3ml Latex Free Syringe with a 0.5mm x 16mm needle. Your local pharmacist can provide you with the syringe and needle for about a half a dollar. Don't be surprised if your pharmacist asks you a few questions as to what you plan to use the syringe/needle for. Procedure: 1. Remove the syringe and attached needle from the wrapper. 2. Twist the needle cover to tighten on the syringe. 3. Remove the needle cover. Shake the bottle (or dispenser) of lemon juice. 4. Fill the syringe with 3ml lemon juice by inserting the needle into the lemon juice and pulling back on the syringe plunger. 5. Insert the needle into (not through) the base (not the top) of the anemone. 6. Inject about .5ml of the lemon juice into the anemone. Withdraw the needle and proceed to the next one. 7. When you are finished, disassemble the syringe/needle, rinse in clean freshwater, dry, reassemble and store for future use. Tips: * As with any sharp instrument, use caution when handling it and keep it out of the reach of children. * When you insert the needle into the anemone, it will normally withdraw, making the lemon juice still quite concentrated in the anemone tube. It is not unusual to see a white puff or string of white material emit from the anemone when you inject the juice. * A steady hand is needed to insert the needle into the anemone tube. The smaller the anemone, the more difficult the task. You may want to let the smaller anemones grow to a size which makes the task easier. * The small amount of lemon juice being used shouldn't affect the pH of your tank water, and if you have a fair amount of current in your tank the localized increased pH should disperse rapidly and have no affect on surrounding reef life. Ironically, when the lemon juice is injected into the anemone tube, the critter will close up and shrink, temporarily sealing the juice inside the tube. * If you have a very large population of aiptasia present, as a precautionary measure to prevent any possible pH imbalance from lemon juice overload, it is best NOT to treat them all at one time. Choose a small section of the tank to do first, wait several days to be sure all is well with the aquarium water quality, then move on and treat the next section. __________________ Targzissians Are Obviously Reptilian Current Tank Info: 55 gallon african cichlid FW, 55 Gallon mixed reef SW

08/27/2007, 11:55 PM	#6
Theomi Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Denmark Posts: 224	You: "I would like to purchase a syringe" Pharmacist: "What are you going to do with that syringe?" You: "Inject lemon juice in to an aiptasia" Pharmacist: Gives you a strange look and ask you leave the pharmacy heh __________________ Now with DSB Retired tank; 150g reef tank, 42g sump, deltec 4040 return pump, Aquaconnect riga 2x250w mh with 2x39w atininic, tunze 6045 & 6080, deltec ap600 skimmer and 4" sandbed Murphys law "Anything that can possibly go wrong, does" applies especially to reefers Current Tank Info: 50 gallon in the making

08/28/2007, 12:19 AM	#7
Peter Eichler Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Milwaukee Posts: 6,081	Using lemon juice has been around for years. I just worry a little about the acidity and the sugar. Probably no big deal but I'd feel safer just using kalk and worring about the potential problems from that. For what it's worth the Hauter's have some seriously dated info in their "articles" and some info that's downright frightening. Just one example... They suggest checking your alkalinity "several times a week, if not daily" and maintaining it between "2.5-3.5 meq/l". Ok, nothing out of the ordinary there... Then in the same article/chart they suggest testing carbonate hardness (KH) "once per week" and maintaining "5.35-6.45 meq/l, or as 15-18 dKH/(German Â°)". __________________ April 2015 TOTM

08/28/2007, 12:37 AM	#8
NewGuy168 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: SG Valley Posts: 66	Actually i took care of my Aptasia buying some pepermint shrimps. I had a few specs of aptasia on my coral and i went to the LFS and picked up 2 pepermint shrimps. I left them over night and the next day when i got up the Aptasia was totally gone. I thought this might be a safer way cuz what happens if the lemon juice gets out into your water and what if your coral have a bad effect to it.. but this is just what i thought. __________________ Mikey Current Tank Info: 2 Month old 55 Gal, Hang on back pack refu, PC lights, 2 x Tunze pf, Rio 600. Yellow Tang, Firefish, True Percula Clown, Hippo Tang, Diamond Goby, Sun Coral, Zoos, Mushrooms, Candy Cane, Hammer, Torch, Xenias, Leather coral, and alot of Polyps

08/27/2007, 09:13 PM	#2
scott058 Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 180	Has anyone else ever tried this. I think I might give it a try

08/27/2007, 09:31 PM	#3
Fish Filet Moved On Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: NYC Posts: 282	Lemon juice has absolutely worked for me, though I've had better success with a product called Joe's Juice which is basically kalk paste.

08/27/2007, 10:24 PM	#4
happyface888 Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: San Francisco CA Posts: 3,987	Thats pretty interesting, so far I only heard of using kalk and hot water injections. Might have to try that out

08/27/2007, 11:53 PM	#5
shootist Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Indy Posts: 168	I have had very good luck with lemon juice. The key points in the article are that you must get a good stick on the apatasia and inject the juice into the stalk. If you miss the stick dont even bother squirting it,nothing will happen. The next point I find true is to wait for them to get a little bigger,little ones are very tough to stick.

08/28/2007, 09:11 PM	#10
ricsreef Moved On Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Louisville Posts: 138	I have tried the Aiptasia control(kalk mix)I got a couple to die with it,the rest kept coming back after a day or two I would hit them again,still came back.I think I might try the lemon juice method,if that does not work I'll make my own kalk slurry.LOL

08/28/2007, 09:42 PM	#11
slumpysix Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 837	Tried lemon juice, hot water, vinegar, temp fix - Joe's juice works but they come back - Peppermint shrimp worked the best. - If you have a bad outbreak you can usually get the large ones, but you can't see the tiny ones until they show their ugly faces

08/29/2007, 12:49 AM	#12
aastretch64 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Franklin Park, IL Posts: 384	I was so POed today when I went to my LFS to pick up Joe's Juice! I saw the price on the Joes Juice website priced at $7.99. Well the LFS decided that $19.99 would be a fare price! Oh by the way I tryed the lemon juice and have doubled the amount of aiptasia. Not very effective since it is difficult to inject a moving thing. Alex

08/29/2007, 09:18 AM	#13
scott058 Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 180	I tried it last night and so far no sign but we will see in the next day or so

08/29/2007, 10:27 AM	#14
ricsreef Moved On Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Louisville Posts: 138	I found a couple on a small piece of rock.Took the rock out and put it under the faucet with really hot water,as soon as the water hit them they dropped off and down the drain they went.Of course this only works if the rock is small enough to fit in the sink.