Help me free my life of aptasia

[vonk]

I ve had a minor problem with aptasia since I grabbed a few pieces of rock out of my friends tank when he was taking it down, and now six months later i still cant seem to get COMPLETELY rid of this small nuisance. The only way i have tried to get rid of them is by sealing their mouths with a brand of aptasia killer i picked up from my lfs. However from what I understand when the aptasia is touched by something (the syringe I'm injecting with) they release toxins into the water that produce more aptasia, which is where my problems begin because once a week I'm trying to kill at least 10 of the pesky anemone relatives and obviously I'm alerting them of my presence and they're reproducing. So please if anyone knows a better safe way to rid them once in for all please share your wisdom with me!

 

[salt life]

Originally Posted by vonk
http:///forum/post/3100643
I ve had a minor problem with aptasia since I grabbed a few pieces of rock out of my friends tank when he was taking it down, and now six months later i still cant seem to get COMPLETELY rid of this small nuisance. The only way i have tried to get rid of them is by sealing their mouths with a brand of aptasia killer i picked up from my lfs. However from what I understand when the aptasia is touched by something (the syringe I'm injecting with) they release toxins into the water that produce more aptasia, which is where my problems begin because once a week I'm trying to kill at least 10 of the pesky anemone relatives and obviously I'm alerting them of my presence and they're reproducing. So please if anyone knows a better safe way to rid them once in for all please share your wisdom with me!
I use aptasia X, it shouldn't take much to put the stuff n there mouth plate so they really shouldn't have time to release anything. the stuff i use has stuff in it that makes them things it's food so they extend there tentacles and it makes it easier. one squirt and couple minutes later they are dieing. also, since i added a fuge with chaeto, i have been seeing less of the aptasia, idk if it has to do with it but i figured the chaeto is absorbing up the nutrients that the aptasia also absorbs.

 

[rlablan]

I use Joe's Juice. It works wonderfully and i have never had a problem with them multiplying. kills quick, the 1st time.

 

[shrimpy brains]

Not sure what you have in your tank, but if there wouldn't be any conflicts with your present fish, peppermint shrimp work well.

 

[dragonzim]

I used Joe's Juice successfully and when I ran out of that I made a paste with Kalk powder. Works just as good about 110 the price

 

[bmkj02]

Peppermint Shrimp, Butterflies, Joe Juice is real good. Do water changes to starve them of the nutrients they require.

 

[truperc]

Aiptasia X and Joe's Juice are good. I do not think there are any guarantees with any method that 100% of the time you will be aiptasia free.
Butterfly's are reportedly good, but are not good for every type of setup, and seems a little excessive for a small problem.
Peppermints are very hit or miss. Aiptasia is not really their go to food source, so if they have another choice they will likely take it.
Berghia Nudibranch are reportedly the best solution for a large outbreak, but they are not suitable for a small one such as yours.
They are also fairly expensive, and die when the aiptasia runs out, or they cannot find them in time before they starve. Which is part of the reason why they are only recommended for large outbreaks.

 

[gypsana]

I have used Aptasia X, Joe's Juice, Kalk mix and Peppermint Shrimp and I have to say I prefer Aptasia X. When I used Joe's Juice I would get repeat break out clusters. This seems not to happen with Aptasia X. After almost one bottle they are almost gone (I had a lot

). My shrimp are lazy and hide all day unless it is feeding time, but I still like them.

 

[fishtaco]

So strange that the shrimp are hit and miss, my pair of peppermints will take down anysize aptasia that has made it's way into my tank, they also made fast work of a large curly cue and I suspect a large feather duster.
Fishtaco

 

[rlablan]

My shrimp are useless. They don't even scavenge. They hide all day long and only come out when it's feeding time aswell. I was told upon buying them that they would pick up scraps of food from the sand bed and eat leftovers. Oh no. They sit atop the rock and only eat the fresh food and then go hide again.

 

[flower]

Originally Posted by rlablan
http:///forum/post/3102252
My shrimp are useless. They don't even scavenge. They hide all day long and only come out when it's feeding time aswell. I was told upon buying them that they would pick up scraps of food from the sand bed and eat leftovers. Oh no. They sit atop the rock and only eat the fresh food and then go hide again.

Is there anything in the tank they are afraid of...normally out going critters hide for a reason.

 

[rlablan]

There shouldn't be... I just have hermits (tiny ones) and some snails that are bottom dwellers with them. I have the clowns, mandi and the royal gramma. They do come out when there is food, but other wise... They have been living in the tank for a while.... Who Knows. My fireshrimp is the same as the two peps.

 

[darrinsimon]

I had a bad problem with them for about 3 months. I Joe's Juiced them everyday (the ones I could get to). Pulled out all of the LR and scrubbed them all with a brush, DOH, mistake. Put the scrubbed LR back in the tank thinking I had eradicated them all; NOT. Now instead of a few I had hundreds, everywhere!)I read about peppermints shrimp being hit or miss too. So I put 12 of them in and in less than 2 weeks they were totally gone. I guess I got lucky but was so thrilled when they never came back. Plus the shrimps are cool to look at, and they help clean up algae.
Joe's Juice seemed to really kill them initially, but some would survive a whole syringe worth and just come back the next day, only a few tentacles less.

 

[flower]

Originally Posted by DarrinSimon
http:///forum/post/3108024
I had a bad problem with them for about 3 months. I Joe's Juiced them everyday (the ones I could get to). Pulled out all of the LR and scrubbed them all with a brush, DOH, mistake. Put the scrubbed LR back in the tank thinking I had eradicated them all; NOT. Now instead of a few I had hundreds, everywhere!)I read about peppermints shrimp being hit or miss too. So I put 12 of them in and in less than 2 weeks they were totally gone. I guess I got lucky but was so thrilled when they never came back. Plus the shrimps are cool to look at, and they help clean up algae.
Joe's Juice seemed to really kill them initially, but some would survive a whole syringe worth and just come back the next day, only a few tentacles less.

I too use joes juice...the problem is that there are ones we don't see and those send out spores for new ones to grow. I was thinking about getting some peppermint shrimp..but do you know if they get along with cleaner shrimp?

 

[gypsana]

Originally Posted by Flower
http:///forum/post/3108057

I too use joes juice...the problem is that there are ones we don't see and those send out spores for new ones to grow. I was thinking about getting some peppermint shrimp..but do you know if they get along with cleaner shrimp?
Peppermint shrimp and cleaner shrimp are fine together.

 

[scsinet]

Originally Posted by gypsana
http:///forum/post/3108107
Peppermint shrimp and cleaner shrimp are fine together.
I keep peppermints and cleaners together.
Lots of folks say they don't work. I've never not had them work. IMO keeping peppermints with corals is as necessary as keeping a sixline with clams.

 

[mech-a-nic]

Peppermint are in all my tanks and refuges with rock. They do a grate job for me. But make sure you have the right ones. there are 3 to 4 different ones that look similer but only true pepermints eat Aptisia. And yes some Stores sell anything that looks like one as one. Copperbands work realy well too.

But Aptasia is like herpies once you get it you got it. you can control flair-ups but its alwase there. I have bleached a bio-cube and the rock in it. set it out in the sun and rain for 1 month and rewashed it. Set the tank back up and in a month I saw that damn stuff again. I guess if you catch it early and kill it befor it spreads your ok.

 

[gypsana]

Originally Posted by Mech-a-nic
http:///forum/post/3108181
But Aptasia is like herpies once you get it you got it. you can control flair-ups but its alwase there. I have bleached a bio-cube and the rock in it. set it out in the sun and rain for 1 month and rewashed it. Set the tank back up and in a month I saw that damn stuff again. I guess if you catch it early and kill it befor it spreads your ok.

 

[bender77]

I have peppermint shrimp from this site and they have yet to touch the baby aptasia in my tank. I will most likely try the pickling lime next. I got the babies by killing a bigger one that hitchhiked on a zoa with lemon juice.

 

[darrinsimon]

I got my shrimp from this site too. Ordered 2 batches of 5 and they sent 6 in each bag, all still alive and growing.