aptasia

[cardstars]

i just found out that the 2 growths that i got on my live rock at the lfs are aptasia. there are only 2 of them and they are on a small 1/4 pound piece of live rock. can i just take it out and scrub them down the drain and put the rock back in? will this simple method work?

 

[aarone]

I dont reccomend it. Possibility that the spores can linger on the rock.
What i do to rid my tank of aptasia.
Make a little mix of kalkwasser and water, almost a pasty like solution.
Suck some up into a dosing syringe. Shoot it in front of the aptasia polyp. It will think it is food and grab the "paste" thus poisoning itself.
HTH
aaron

 

[nanosrcool]

Cardstars,
Check out GatorCSM's response to my thread. (Just a couple of threads above or below).
I just used his technique to on my aiptasia.

 

[hurley]

I had the same prob too but i could not reach all of them behind the rocks and hard spaces. So instead of chemicals i invested in a peppermint shrimp and they are all gone. It took about 5 days but they are all gone. Plus I have better things to do than stand their with a syringe and shoot kalk or very hot water or what ever remedy out their " not that their is anything wrong with that" dont want to offend anyone, but im just saying its alot easier and you get a new addition to your tank.

 

[nanosrcool]

Though I have never owned one, I have heard that peppermint shrimp sometimes eat other corals besides aiptasia.

 

[whiterose]

Originally posted by cardstars
i just found out that the 2 growths that i got on my live rock at the lfs are aptasia. there are only 2 of them and they are on a small 1/4 pound piece of live rock. can i just take it out and scrub them down the drain and put the rock back in? will this simple method work?
Supposedly, you can't get rid if this by pulling it off. If any piece remains, it will grow back. I heard that lemon juice injections at the base rids the problem. I had some and got peppermint shrimp and they are all gone.

 

[cardstars]

i wouldnt mind getting a peppermint shrimp but i have been told that they only eat the small ones. i have one aptasia that is the size of a friggin small anemone this is my fault cause i didnt know this thing was harmful and i was actually feeding it so can a peppermint shrimp handle a big one like this?

 

[stumpdog]

I tried the kalk method and it worked well, but I couldn't get rid of all of those little things. I invested in 3 peppermint shrimp for my 55 gallon and they went to work. I had a few big ones and they put the hurt on it.
HTH-
Jeremy

 

[cardstars]

allrighty, i think ill go pick up a peppermint shrimp. sounds like that might do the trick cause i really dont feel like messing around with kaulk unless i absolutely have too. it should only take one peppermint since i only have 2 aptasia (even though they are massive). thanks for the help.

 

[clarkiiboi]

You might want to get 2, just incase there are smaller ones around. The only thing to consider is the size of the ones you see now---it is hit or miss with larger aiptasia. Also, if you have any other polyps similar to these, it may get mistaken as aiptasia. One I know of is yellow polyps. HTH and good luck.

 

[qwiksilver360]

hey cardstars if you say your aptasia are massive then it unlikely peppermint shrimp will eat them they usually go after small ones or sometimes they dont eat them at all like mine did

 

[foulbrew]

I would not risk infecting my tank with aiptasia for 1/4 lb piece of rock.

 

[cardstars]

dont know why i never thought of that one. this rock is about 1 pound. i think i will just take it out and chuck it. what are the chances that the aptasia have spread?? the rock had 2 when i got it and its been in the tank for 2 weeks i believe. keep in mind they are massive ones if that makes a difference......