How to Kill Aiptasia?

[kleinn]

Besides injecting "Joe's juice" or boiling water or another paste (how do you do that anyway? :notsure: ) is there an easier way to get rid of aiptasia anemones? I only have one right now and he's about 1.5", but I'm going to add some corals soon and I don't want to risk it stinging anything...Thanks!

 

[mrdc]

Well if I only had one, I would use Joe's Juice or boiling water. They are much easier to control if you get them early. Peppermint shrimps can eat them but I hear that success is hit or miss.

 

[kleinn]

How do I inject the boiling water? Do I use a needle and just fill it up with boiling water and inject a small amount into the base?

 

[mrdc]

I use Joe's but I would think it's the same method as you described.

 

[pfitz44]

copperband butterflies eat them as well... theres another butterfly that does as well.. let me see if i can find him

 

[mrdc]

Are butterflies reef safe?

 

[pfitz44]

Copperband

Golden Butterfly

Both alittle more exp then peppermint, whish work as well

 

[kleinn]

Thanks for all the responses! I can't do the butterflies-my tank is only a 20H, but the pepperment is already on my livestock wish-list. I'm waiting for the tank to cycle, then I'll get my cleaning crew. Can I just pinch the little bugger off until then?

 

[pfitz44]

no!!!!
That will actually cause them to spread!!!!
Just leave them be.. teh cycle might kill em

 

[kazam]

I am having good luck of getting rid of them. Concentrated lemon juice injected at the base of the trunck with a syringe. Then my cleaner shrimp chowes down on it when it is all dead. Lemon juice will not bring ph up, just don't use to much. I use about 5ml and do a whole bunch.

 

[darth tang]

wait for the cycle to end and get a peppermint shrimp.....that is the easiest method and a permanent cure.

 

[pennywise]

Try berghia nudibranch. It is the only thing they eat.

 

[darth tang]

Originally Posted by Pennywise
Try berghia nudibranch. It is the only thing they eat.

What happens when they run out of Aptasia?

 

[fishy7]

I bought some LR from a tank and it had a small patch of aptasia and it spread very quickly.
I have 5 peppermint and purchased a raccoon butterfly. Now you want to see a fish eat....Basically the raccoon mowed the lawn and the shrimp did the edging. bye bye aptasia

 

[trainfever]

Be careful with the Copperband Butterly. It's true, they will eat Aipstasia, but they will also eat Feather dusters and they are not particularly reef safe.

 

[pennywise]

The Berghia will die out if they run out of Aipastia. Just trade them to a friend who has a Aipastia problem after you are done, then let them work on that tank. just keep passing them around.

 

[darth tang]

Not exactly condusive for your tank then is it. Atleast the shrimp serves more than one purpose and can be maintained without worrying about it starving later if you can't find someone with a slew of aptasia.

 

[pennywise]

Yeah but I cant get a peppermint to eat Aipastia unless I starve the whole tank! so the berghia worked well for me. The peps are nice if you get lucky enough to get some that like to eat it. I have one giant one, that does not touch the stuff.

 

[darth tang]

Mine took about 2 weeks before it started munching them up. At first I thought I wasted my money and almost fed him to my grouper at the time....If I buy you to do a job, you better do it.

 

[pennywise]

"....If I buy you to do a job, you better do it."

:hilarious Can you come by and talk to mine?