aiptasia =[

[imblacksheep]

I just picked up 25lbs of live rock and one of the rock has 2 aiptasias that i can SEE clearly. not sure if theres more.

can i do a freshwater dip and it will get rid of em?

[imblacksheep]

so are peppermints for sure? are they reef safe?

[BeachBumm]

Freshwater probably will not be enough ,if you could cook the rock before you use it you will be much better off. Those little buggers are very very hard to control if you let them get out of hand they will take over your tank . Stay diligent .

[imblacksheep]

if i cook it.. wouldnt it kill the benficial bacteria

[Dustin1300]

Peppermints are reef safe and fairly cheap ($7-$10) and would also suggest getting some to help keep them trimmed in the future. If they become a problem that they are not controlling two products I've used in the past are as follows:

- Buy some Joe's juice and squirt with supplied syringe on aptasia once you have turned off pumps and waterflow for a bit.

- Other option is to use kalk and mix with RODI water into a paste. Suck it up into a syringe and squirt on aptasia.

A combination of these methods will ensure you kill the Aptasia right off.

[jk1nole]

I just use Aiptasia X whenever I see one pop up. Not crazy about adding the peppermint shrimp unless I have to. To each their own though.

[Tuscaquatics]

Peppermints can eat them, but they're usually hit or miss. If they have other stuff to eat, they will probably avoid them. They're kind of just an insurance policy to keep aiptasia in check, not to eradicate a bunch of them.

Also, if you do squirt them, make sure and squirt around the mouth first and get the tentacles to try and nuke the eggs before he releases them.

[jc-reef]

Word of caution if you decide to use peppermints. They can be very useful in riding of Aiptasia...especially when they are small. If it is a new tank with no live coral stock, I'd say get them and let them do their thing... However, if you have a stocked tank, there is a chance (in my case definate cuplrits) that they may develop a taste for LPS corals (i.e. hammers, frogsporn, etc.) and at times devour polyp heads at a time...even if you spot feed them. IMO, once they develop a taste for LPS...all bets are off. I had to catch mine and sell some back to LFS and sent rest to live in the sump after they destroyed 2 frags of branching hammers.

As mentioned above, there are other methods to spot kill them....which all have its pros/cons. I just prefer natural predators like the peppermint.

[jdthomas24]

Originally Posted by jk1nole

I just use Aiptasia X whenever I see one pop up. Not crazy about adding the peppermint shrimp unless I have to. To each their own though.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ +1 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

control it now or you will hate yourself later. Use Aiptasia X. it will pretty much melt it. If you try and remove it form the rock it will spread like a weed. I tried and it was on a frag and it came out on the rock and other ends of the frag. I had a dead spot on my hammer and it grew out of the end where the hammer died. I filled it up with super gel and after a week or so it grew out form another piece that was not open. i literally grew through the side of the frag. It was in my miami hurricane zoas so i target treated those as well. It wiped it all out almost immediately. BA"!!!!!!!