Aptasia

[kris]

A few weeks ago, I bought my first piece of live rock (I've mostly been a f/o person). It has lots of these brown anenome things on it) I was recently told that these are aptasia and they are very bad and I should get rid of them asap. I noticed someone else posted a topic on getting rid of them too (I told him what I was told) Why are they bad?? What do they do, besides eat alot. (I've witnessed them eat chunks of food twice as large as they are) P.S Is there really any way to know what you're buying when buying live rock. I bought one piece of rock and got aptasia, I bought a second piece and now I have shrimp and snails!!

 

[kris]

Hey Jim--or whoever--what about your aiptasia?? Did you get rid of them. You still haven't told me whats up with these, both you and the lfs says they're bad. Why?? Are they gonna jump out and bite me?? Are they gonna grow up and eat my fish, or pollute my water or what??????

 

[the rock]

the rock says....
they have very powerful stinging cells and can kill many things that even brush against them, get them out with fish or inverts

 

[kris]

Thanks Rock--

 

[obsessedwithfish]

You have shrimp and snails from the live rock? If thats the case, that is great you got a free bee. The shrimp and snails are wonderful for a reef tank. When purchasing rock in my opinion look for alot of dark purple which is good algae.
Originally posted by Kris:
A few weeks ago, I bought my first piece of live rock (I've mostly been a f/o person). It has lots of these brown anenome things on it) I was recently told that these are aptasia and they are very bad and I should get rid of them asap. I noticed someone else posted a topic on getting rid of them too (I told him what I was told) Why are they bad?? What do they do, besides eat alot. (I've witnessed them eat chunks of food twice as large as they are) P.S Is there really any way to know what you're buying when buying live rock. I bought one piece of rock and got aptasia, I bought a second piece and now I have shrimp and snails!!

 

[krazzydart]

I had some in my tank and I got 4 peppermint shrimp and they eat them up...[they are kind of a pain because they populate the tank so fast and they have a more powerful sting so thats why you need the shrimp to eat them up!!!!

 

[jt]

I don't know if this is what I've got or not. I have lots of little tree-looking things growing out of my rocks. They first were white and grew from the little white tube looking things all over the rocks. Now they have grown up a bit and are reddish brown.I have never seen them attack or harm my fish and my cleaner shrimp does not mess with them. Are these the same thing y'all are talking about?

 

[kris]

I don't recall mine ever being white, but they are reddish brown and grew quickly. they started out being tiny to the largest being The size of a dime (the center disc I mean) some you could see the clear tube body, and others seemed flat against the rock. Within about two weeks they multiplied a bunch and grew, Some now being larger than quarter and having tentacles almost the length of my fingers! At that point the little

[hr]
started to scare me and there were just too many to deal with so I ditched the whole piece of rock. Shrimp may work, but add them before the Aiptasia is larger than they are.