Getting rid of anthelia with pickling lime

dinki

dinki

Member
My neighbor decided to tear his tank down about two years ago and told me I could have whatever I wanted. My tank was only up for about a year at the time and I jumped on the chance to get some free live rock. Being a novice, I didn't realize that among the cool coral he had that those long stringy things were anthelia.
 
I have come to hate anthelia as it grows like crazy in my tank. I usually let it get pretty bad before I spend an hour or more pulling as much of it I can with tweezers. I'm really tired of it and want to get rid of it all. I did a little reading and read that you can make a paste using kalkweiser or the cheaper pickling lime.
 
Can anyone give me advice on making the paste, how much to use and what I need to do to prep before hand? Do I need to pull all the anthelia first and then apply the paste or can I put it right on top at the base? Is there a certain amount I should use? How long does it take to kill off the coral and what happens to the paste? Does it dissolve over time?
 
 
Please help me get rid of this nuisance once and for all! Thanks!
 
scopus tang

scopus tang

Active Member
Kalk Paste can be used to treat a number of "pests" in the aquarium. I believe it is a mixture of two parts pickling lime or Kalkwasser powder to 1 part water, and I believe it has to be boiled - but I'm not a 100% sure on that. Hopefully someone who knows for sure will chime in.
 
hunt

hunt

Active Member
do you have any other corals? Could you maybe just leave the light off for a while, or put the rock in a dark container and starve them of light?
 
dinki

dinki

Member
I read that the anthelia can survive a good long while without light. I also have a good bit of soft corals so lights out is not a viable option.
 
Can anyone point me to a how-to on making the paste and applying? Do I do it with the rock still in the tank or do I pull the rock, apply and then put back in? Do I need to weed the anthelia or can I apply directly to the polyps and 'runners'?
 
scopus tang

scopus tang

Active Member
Paste is added directly to the tank, by using an eye dropper or similar device to place the paste into the oral disc of the anthelia; just watch your pH levels and make sure you are not adding too much of the paste at one time. Adding too much will cause your pH to swing.
 
dinki

dinki

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Scopus Tang http:///forum/thread/380450/getting-rid-of-anthelia-with-pickling-lime#post_3311830
Paste is added directly to the tank, by using an eye dropper or similar device to place the paste into the oral disc of the anthelia; just watch your pH levels and make sure you are not adding too much of the paste at one time. Adding too much will cause your pH to swing.
This is for anthelia not aiptasia. I don't think anthelia have a disc shaped opening.
 
dinki

dinki

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Scopus Tang http:///forum/thread/380450/getting-rid-of-anthelia-with-pickling-lime#post_3311976
Anthelia is a coral right? All corals have a oral disc or mouth - The coral may not be disc-shaped, but they have an oral disc - its located in the center of the wavy tentacles. So center the paste drop into the center of the tentacles.
 
Oh okay.. So by doing this it will kill only that portion of it or will it spread to the rest of the colony as they all appear to be connected by some sort of membrane?
 
 
scopus tang

scopus tang

Active Member
Haven't used it for that particular coral myself, so can't say for sure. I've found that when using it on GSP or zoas, you have to hit each individual polyp, so I'm guessing yours will be similar.
 
dinki

dinki

Member
I read somewhere that Joe's Juice is just a pickling lime solution. I'm guessing that Joe's Juice and Aiptasia X are pretty much the same thing as well? I had some Aiptasia X and decided to hit some of the Anthelia with it. I managed to get a lot of it on the mouth/feeding opening of each polyp. It seemed to hurt them as they stayed closed for three days. I thought they might die off, but when I came home yesterday they were open again like nothing ever happened.
Maybe the polyps I picked were just too big and were able to absorb the poison. I did burn a few smaller ones and I'm not sure if they died or not. I guess I'll tweeze them next time and then try and poison any new growth.
Can anyone tell me if Aiptasia X is the same as pickling lime?
 
keith gray

keith gray

Member
Kind of funny how this hobby works. I have all kinds of LPS thriving in my tank, but can not grow anthalia to save my life. It shrinks and looks like small pieces of used bubble gum on a rock, lol......
I want some and you want to get rid of it like its a pest ...........
 
dinki

dinki

Member
I'd consider that a blessing! :) You probably keep up with your water changes and other maintenance where mine has been on cruise control for a while due to an overly aggressive clownfish (biting and breaking the skin). I guess that's not an excuse for the water changes but I have been reluctant to put my hands in the tank a lot. I've recently found she doesn't like the taste of rubber gloves so hopefully I'll be able to put in some time and get things cleaned up a bit more. I doubt that will retard the growth of my anthelia though.
 
keith gray

keith gray

Member
Its funny you say that- my teenage son has a biocube and lets it go all the time. He never keeps up with water changes and other maintenance like I do. Sometimes I get so fed up I wrestle with teaching him the responsibility vs. just doing myself so I don't have to look at it anymore. but the stuff grows in his tank like weeds ! Its hard to preach to him when his stuff looks so good,,,,lol
 
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