Aiptasia?

silverado61

silverado61

Well-Known Member
I bought some snails to increase my CUC and got some empty hermit crab shells for my dwarfs to grow into. While I was acclimating them, I noticed something poking out of one of the empty shells. I carefully and slowly removed it from the bag and placed it in a glass dish with saltwater and QT'd everything else. I observed it for over an hour. If I let the dish sit undisturbed, it slowly poked it's way out of the shell and was moving it's tentacle's on it's own. There was no water current. If I touched the dish or disturbed it in anyway, it retracted back into the shell. This thing is extremely fast in retracting back into the shell. Like the fans on a feather duster. I can't see the body. Only what looks like a mouth as you can see in the first and second photos. Is this Aiptasia or some other critter/pest? All the photos I've ever seen of Aiptasia have never shown this view. As soon as I can figure out what this is, the sooner I can figure out what to do with the snails and empty shells in QT. BTW: Every time I go to my LFS, I inspect the tanks looking for signs of Aiptasia because I know it's such a dreaded pest and this trip I didn't see anything either. Thanks everybody.






 
mr llimpid

mr llimpid

Member
It sure is, just pour some lemon juice in the dish and let it sit. Or boil the shell, soak it vinegar, easier yet just throw it out. In time in this hobby you will have so many shells you won't know what to do with them.

Second look at that shell its not even a good one a crab will have its back side exposed.
 
mr llimpid

mr llimpid

Member
It brown right? They are from anemone family, the reason they are a pest is because the multiply so fast and sting things. Other wise you could just have a whole tank of little anemones if you want.
 
silverado61

silverado61

Well-Known Member
It's more of a tan or an off white but I know the color depends on the lighting it lives in. Here's another pic to give you an idea of the size of this thing.
 
S

steve620

Guest
is there any home remedies that I can use to get rid of them?
 
mr llimpid

mr llimpid

Member
Yes is if you get too much in the water it will make it acidic and your PH will go down. So only do small quantities at a time then wait a bit and check your PH. If PH is good continue if not adjust PH, then do a few more. Joe's juice or something like it would work better doesn’t affect the water and you don't have to inject.
 
wen tom

wen tom

Member
I tried the lemon juice, injecting the body is tuff and I think more spores are released when you do it. Aiptasia X for about a month did mine. 1/3 tank at a time and water changes follow day after, about every 3 days. Don't want all those dead little bodies mess up your parameters.
Hope you don't end up with the nightmare I had. Sounds like your watching it good though.
 
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