trying to kill aiptasia without killing live rock...

jbax · 06/27/2009, 06:31 PM

i can't get rid of the aiptasia in my 24g nano. the only thing i have actually growing on the rock are some red and pink mushrooms all other corals can be set on the sand bed.

so what i'm wondering is if i take my live rock out and put it in a 20g rectangle tank with a couple power heads. try to kill the aiptasia with aiptasia-x for a few sessions and wait a week to see if any come back.

will lack of light or any other variables for week or so
kill the live rock/coralline algae/mushrooms?

brynkal · 06/27/2009, 06:40 PM

Have you tried peppermint shrimp? I know they don't always work, but we had aiptasia in the 30, put a peppermint in, and he ate them all (took maybe a month, all of a sudden we realized they were all gone), then ate whatever food the tank was fed.

Typlus5 · 06/27/2009, 07:00 PM

I also used two pep shrimps but first blasted the big ones with some hot water w/small syringe. The Aiptasia are gone. I'm thinking about removing one now for overall control until I feel comfortable.

GrouperGenius · 06/27/2009, 07:14 PM

I must admit, I allways go for the natural approach. I had a lot of aptasias in my 75 when I first went reef. My blue tubbs rock had at least 20 on it. I put it in quarantine with a dozen pepps and they devoured the aps in hours. I then put the pepps in the rest of my 5 tanks at the time. They wiped out all the aps.

I noticed tonight I have 2 aps on a couple of rocks in my new tank. I will use pepps again. Hopefully they will get the job done before my CBS find them.

jbax · 06/27/2009, 08:18 PM

yeah i have been wanting to go the natural way. but i hear there are false peppermint shrimp that look like peppermint shrimp but don't eat aiptasia. so i don't want to buy 3 pepps and find they won't do what i want them to do. if knew the pepps were convicted aiptasia killers it would be awesome. i just don't want to get shrimp that won't do the job.

douglam · 06/27/2009, 08:30 PM

there aare just peps from 2 different places. you need the atlantic one which usually have some black on the tail. they will both eat them, but the atlantic ones are a little more likely.

rolodex1 · 06/28/2009, 06:54 AM

Joe's juice works well if you do not mind using commercial products.

bhelne01 · 06/28/2009, 07:01 AM

Peppermint shrimp works like a charm if you want to use chemicals use AiptasiaX but i prefer the natural way over chemical

bcobra · 06/29/2009, 06:14 AM

Copper band butterfly also work natural way Aiptasia-x chemical method.

boring · 06/29/2009, 09:00 AM

i used peppermint shrimp in my tank and it was gone in a matter of days, got mine from coral corral for a cheap $2 each

MrHarvard · 06/29/2009, 02:24 PM

I used Joes juice on mine and it kills it on contact. I had it on aound several pieces of coral and it didnt kill anything but the aiptiasa. And like I said its gone upon contact. I used it like 3 weeks ago and everything in my tank is still doing well. Its reef safe. I ordered mine online for like 6 bucks...Good luck

jbax · 06/29/2009, 05:52 PM

yeah i've tried joe's juice and i know that peppermint shrimp will eat them. and i don't think a copperband will fly in a 24g reef tank.

06/27/2009, 06:31 PM	#1
jbax Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: palm harbor Posts: 1,425	trying to kill aiptasia without killing live rock... i can't get rid of the aiptasia in my 24g nano. the only thing i have actually growing on the rock are some red and pink mushrooms all other corals can be set on the sand bed. so what i'm wondering is if i take my live rock out and put it in a 20g rectangle tank with a couple power heads. try to kill the aiptasia with aiptasia-x for a few sessions and wait a week to see if any come back. will lack of light or any other variables for week or so kill the live rock/coralline algae/mushrooms?

06/27/2009, 07:00 PM	#3
Typlus5 Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Gonzales Louisiana Posts: 966	I also used two pep shrimps but first blasted the big ones with some hot water w/small syringe. The Aiptasia are gone. I'm thinking about removing one now for overall control until I feel comfortable. __________________ TY I'm sure there's a way...and I have the will Current Tank Info: 110 Reef Savvy rimless, 40B sump, Current EFlux Return, XR15 Pros w/Reef Link, BK Mini 180 skimmer, MP40wES...driven by Apex

06/27/2009, 07:14 PM	#4
GrouperGenius Liscensed Unit Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Hudson,Florida Posts: 2,948	I must admit, I allways go for the natural approach. I had a lot of aptasias in my 75 when I first went reef. My blue tubbs rock had at least 20 on it. I put it in quarantine with a dozen pepps and they devoured the aps in hours. I then put the pepps in the rest of my 5 tanks at the time. They wiped out all the aps. I noticed tonight I have 2 aps on a couple of rocks in my new tank. I will use pepps again. Hopefully they will get the job done before my CBS find them. __________________ Tankless at the moment...but still knows a thing or two.

06/28/2009, 06:54 AM	#7
rolodex1 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 1,297	Joe's juice works well if you do not mind using commercial products. __________________ Shawn M. Current Tank Info: 125G SPS, Aqualight Pro 3 X 250w MH 4 X 96w Actinic, 1/3HP, Blue Line 55 & Blue Line 20, Phosban 150, 18w Turbo Twist UV, RS 180, (1) Tunze 6045, MP40W

06/28/2009, 07:01 AM	#8
bhelne01 Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: florida Posts: 293	Peppermint shrimp works like a charm if you want to use chemicals use AiptasiaX but i prefer the natural way over chemical __________________ The future started yesterday and we are already late... Current Tank Info: 90 w/ 30 sump;

06/27/2009, 06:40 PM	#2
brynkal Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Sarasota, FL Posts: 549	Have you tried peppermint shrimp? I know they don't always work, but we had aiptasia in the 30, put a peppermint in, and he ate them all (took maybe a month, all of a sudden we realized they were all gone), then ate whatever food the tank was fed.

06/27/2009, 08:18 PM	#5
jbax Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: palm harbor Posts: 1,425	yeah i have been wanting to go the natural way. but i hear there are false peppermint shrimp that look like peppermint shrimp but don't eat aiptasia. so i don't want to buy 3 pepps and find they won't do what i want them to do. if knew the pepps were convicted aiptasia killers it would be awesome. i just don't want to get shrimp that won't do the job.

06/27/2009, 08:30 PM	#6
douglam Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Saint Petersburg, FL Posts: 867	there aare just peps from 2 different places. you need the atlantic one which usually have some black on the tail. they will both eat them, but the atlantic ones are a little more likely.

06/29/2009, 06:14 AM	#9
bcobra Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Tampa,Fl.,USA Posts: 291	Copper band butterfly also work natural way Aiptasia-x chemical method.

06/29/2009, 09:00 AM	#10
boring Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: lakeland Fl Posts: 814	i used peppermint shrimp in my tank and it was gone in a matter of days, got mine from coral corral for a cheap $2 each

06/29/2009, 02:24 PM	#11
MrHarvard "ship it" Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Tampa/Westchase Posts: 2,951	I used Joes juice on mine and it kills it on contact. I had it on aound several pieces of coral and it didnt kill anything but the aiptiasa. And like I said its gone upon contact. I used it like 3 weeks ago and everything in my tank is still doing well. Its reef safe. I ordered mine online for like 6 bucks...Good luck __________________ "You gon learn today!" Current Tank Info: SPS Dominant 29g BB Rimless Bio Cube lit by 2x AI Primes, IM desktop Reactor, Tunze ATO, Tunze. 9001 skimmer ........ 40g Breeder with 20g long sump/refugium. ATI 4 bulb T5s....Mixed reef stock heavy on SPS.

06/29/2009, 05:52 PM	#12
jbax Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: palm harbor Posts: 1,425	yeah i've tried joe's juice and i know that peppermint shrimp will eat them. and i don't think a copperband will fly in a 24g reef tank.