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FAQs on Aiptasia Anemones in General 4
Related FAQs:
Aiptasia 1, Aiptasia 2,
Aiptasia 3,
Aiptasia Identification, Other
Pest Anemones, Eradication by:
Berghia Nudibranchs,
Peppermint Shrimp,
Butterflyfishes,
Filefishes,
Chemical/Physical Injection,
Hypo/Hyper-Salinity, Related
Articles:
Impressions of Methods to Eliminate Pest Anemones by Steven Pro,
Aquarium Culture of the Aeolid nudibranch Berghia, Predator
on the nuisance anemone Aiptasia By Anthony Calfo,
Anemones,
Cnidarians, | 
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Aiptasia Woes -- 10/09/2009
Hey all,
<Hey Jonathan! JustinN here!>
I am pretty sure I've spotted an Aiptasia anemone in my tank and was
wondering what you recommended to help rid myself of this pest. Easiest
way I can think of is to buy 1 or 2 peppermint shrimp and see that they
would eat them.
<Yes, likely the easiest -- just be sure they are true peppermints.>
However, I only have a 24 gallon nano tank that houses 2 cleaner shrimp
already, will this be an issue?
<Mmm... should not be -- though the volume size leaves me wondering.
Territoriality may become an issue with a 24 gallon setup.>
2nd, I've been hearing that a turkey baster with different fluids will
do the trick also.
<Can, dependent on methodology. There's many 'methods', but very few
with any real validity.>
Will this effect the tank if done incorrectly?
<Certainly>
Any suggestions on what type of product to use?
<A Kalkwasser slurry, if you insist on going this route.>
I do not want this pest to run wild in my tank. I've recently started to
add some corals and would hate to loose them.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Jonathan
<Read up here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/aiptasia/aiptasia.htm
and the associated links. Plenty of details to be had on the removal of
these curious pests! -JustinN
Clarification of a type of hermit crab on the aiptasia
article, corr. 8/13/2009
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/aiptasia/aiptasia.htm
Says :"In particular the more common "Red Legged ("Hairy") Hermit Crab,
Dardanus megistos (Image) is an almost-all-the-time reef-safe animal
that also eats pest algae. One or two to a tank is all it takes."
<Yikes!>
Dardanus megistos is called White-spotted Hermit Crab or Scarlet Hermit
Crab. It is not reef safe and one per tank is recommended.
<I strongly agree>
Red Legged Hermit Crab is called Clibanarius digueti and Mexican Hermit
Crab. Is it reef safe and several per tank is fine.
So which is it that eats the Aiptasia?
Thanks.
<This latter, at times. Thank you for this correction. Bob Fenner>
black and white male clown
fish... Aiptasia or counter to it, mal-affected 6/25/09
Hi Guys,
<And gals>
I've gotten a lot of information from your site over the years. This is
my first time asking a question though. I have been all over looking for
an answer for this question and can't seem to get anywhere.
I have a 2 year old black and white clown pair. I had some huge Aiptasia
in my 70 gallon reef tank.
<Mmm, Glass Anemones don't get all that big>
I have a guy that comes every two weeks to take care of everything and I
know my water biology is good. He got the Aiptasia
taken care of the other day but, I think my male was stung pretty badly
by the little suckers. He won't eat and he spends the entire day trying
to swim down. He's badly bloated. You can see his skin prickly and his
anus is real swollen. He is pooping white stringy stuff. I have never
had a problem with these clowns before. Before he got this bad, he was
acting as if he couldn't see to eat. He tried but never got any food. I
know what is happening, he's not going to make it. I just wondered if
Aiptasia could hurt a fish that badly.
<Can... might have eaten a bit, been poisoned by whatever your svc.
tech. used... I'd be asking the service what they did>
Thanks in advance
Patti in Arizona
<Welcome. Bob Fenner>
Re: black and white male
clown fish, hlth. 6/25/09
Thanks for getting back to me so fast!
The aquarium guy used Aiptasia X.
<A very good product in my estimation... Seems to be safe and very
effective...>
It's what I had here at home. The Aiptasia were about the size of
quarters, maybe a bit larger.
<Oh, this is about it size-wise... You stated they were "huge"...
perhaps you meant your perception was that they were a huge problem?>
Still no dice on the stings though?
<Nothing to do... if this is what you mean... Just wait, hope, provide
good care otherwise. Likely some were ingested by the one clown... Only
time can/will tell. BobF>
Thanks again,
Patti
Losing Fish 6/18/09
Okay have a 75 gal that had established inhabitants of:
Archer Fish
Blue Barred Pseudochromis
Orange Spotted Prawn Goby
Midas Blenny
Scooter Blenny
Pearly Jawfish
Lyretail Molly
Radiant Wrasse
Sump has a pistol shrimp
Have not added any new rock in years however I have been having a
very annoying Aiptasia problem and they are spreading and growing
very fast, I'll think they're gone using aiptasia X but they'll be
back and stronger before you know it.
<Perhaps adding a biological control>
My fish are disappearing one by one over the past month though, today
I found my hermits chewing on the corpse of my Orange Spotted Prawn
Goby which I've had for over two years and who I saw showing no
signs of stress and eating right before the lights went out the
night before. Two nights before that the pearly Jawfish was found
dead and 2 nights before that it was the molly. About a week before
that the archerfish disappeared and I never found the corpse. A month
before that an Exquisite Wrasse I had disappeared as well, after the
archerfish died I was SURE it was the Pseudochromis harassing and
killing as he would constantly dart out at fish from the rocks
Damsel style.
<Mmm, doubtful>
So I caught him and took him in to the store where he is right now.
So tank has Scooter Blenny and Midas Blenny left, neither show signs
of illness or stress. Radiant Wrasse is there also but he's had some
craziness going on for several months that have caused him to be
blind in one eye and lay on the sand like he's dead when no one is
around, and then swim around begging for food when I walk over.
So yeah, any ideas? Phosphates, Nitrite, Ammonia, Nitrate are all
zero, other inverts in the tank consist of a Harlequin shrimp
squatting on chocolate chip star, hermits, snails, two fighting
conchs, spiny oyster, and two porcelain crabs.
<I fully suspect the overly-abundant Aiptasia here... poisoning,
stinging your fishes... and the hermits just doing clean-up. I would
work on ridding, at least reducing the Glass Anemone population.
Please read here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_1/cav1i3/aiptasia_impressions/aiptaisia_imp
ressions.htm
and the linked files at the bottom. Bob Fenner>
Re: Butterflies, Mystery Wrasse, & Aiptasia
4/9/09
Hi Bob,
Everything's going great. The butterflies (I now have a raccoon,
saddleback, falcula, and Moorish idol along with a bunch of other
tankmates in the 150gal system) are all doing great and clean up my
aiptasia rock
from the other tank no problem. The only casualty was that once they got
a taste for the aiptasia, that bubble anemone was a goner. No problem.
They're eating just about everything I feed them now as well including
flakes, pellets, and a mix of frozen stuff including mysis shrimp,
clams, and strips of frozen white fish -- anything like halibut,
mahi-mahi, opah,
sole... -- that I attach to a piece of pvc angle pipe with a rubber band
(keeps the cleaner crew off it). The Moorish idol in particular really
seems to like the fish meat.
I'm cycling pieces of rock back an forth weekly and both tanks are doing
great. Hey and by the way, if you're ever in either the Laguna Niguel
area near home or Irvine near work hear at Broadcom, drop me a line and
I'll show you some cool tanks (our Broadcom tank is an 800gal reef
system).
<Nice!>
Thanks,
Kris
<Thank you for the update. Bob Fenner>
Last ditch Aiptasia
eradication attempt 4/6/2009
First of all, thank you for your great advice on everything. I have read
your posts/threads/articles on aiptasia. I think that I have just let
the infestation get so bad in my tank that I may have to take the most
drastic of measures. My tank is basically blanketed with them, including
snail shells and powerhead cases.
<Mmm, likely time for bio-warfare>
My tank is a 210 gallon, around 6 years old with 300+ pounds of LR. The
infestation started with a coral on a rock I bought from a LFS. I have
since seen lots of infestation in that store (I don't shop there
anymore).
My tank has just one fish (Blackcap Basslet) and some snails. I have
some button polyps, a pagoda and leathers as well. I tried Joe's Juice
<Nah, too tedious>
and about 200 Berghia Nudibranchs
<!?>
on the Aiptasia, which made small dent for a few weeks, but then the
Berghia apparently died out. I am about to try either a Raccoon or
Copperband Butterfly with some Peppermint Shrimp and greatly redouble my
efforts on water quality.
<Good moves, plan>
But just in case.....
My first questions are on what might be feeding the aiptasia. I am
keeping up with my water changes and very light feeding of the Blackcap.
I do have some green hair algae, so I am worried about excess nutrients
even though my measurements look good. I am also going to change my
osmosis filters as well. But can the aiptasia also feed from the
lighting?
<Yes... are photosynthetic>
They seem to propagate much faster than your articles suggest.
<Can>
If I get to the point of having to move the Blackcap/snails to my wife's
tank and just let my tank go fallow until the aiptasia die, how can I do
that without the tank stinking?
<Mmm, can be kept in the dark, carbon use in the filters...>
Can I just shut off the lights and keep running the filter until the
aiptasia die out?
<Yes... but this will be a good long while (months)... I'd go with the
above plan first>
Then re-start the tank with some seed LR to start from scratch? Or will
shutting off the lights keep the coralline from surviving as well?
Thanks for your help,
Rick Morris,
Dacula, GA
<Welcome, Bob Fenner, San Diego, CA (for now)>
Re: Last
ditch Aiptasia eradication attempt 4/6/2009
Thanks for the reply, sounds like I am on the right track then.
<I do think so>
What would be your thoughts on adding just one cleaner clam (Mercenaria
mercenaria) to the main tank until the Aiptasia's food source is gone? I
have about 4-5 inch sandbed.
Rick
<Nah... of little use... BobF>
Re: Re: Re: Re: Cyanobacteria/BGA- Nano Troubles...clownfish
3/28/09
Hello again,
<Matt.>
Quick question on Aiptasia anemones: I have a client with a 14 gal
BioCube. She had 3 1" tank raised clowns I put in there, were fine for
about 1 month. She reported 2 missing clownfish and the third I noticed
had contracted some velvet. The corals in the tank are doing really
well...Did not find the 2 clown bodies anywhere...I did notice a few
aiptasia anemones that have grown larger and spread a bit since I last
saw them last.. Is it possible these anemones killed the tiny clowns and
ate them?
<No.><<Mmm, RMF disagrees. The Glass Anemones could have consumed
them, and possibly killed them.>>
Largest anemone is about the size of a quarter. I will throw in some
peppermint dudes in there, they have always worked for me. You ever
heard of an aiptasia eating small fish?
<They are predatory, they can...but this size vs. this fish...the cause
was most likely related to tank size. Be it stability in many respects,
O2 saturation or flat out room for the fish.><<Do agree. RMF>>
All water params are golden and stable.
<...ok.>
These anemones are the only things that stuck out to me as being
suspect. These are hardy tank raised fish....hmmmm.. any thoughts?
<Much more likely the system in some respect.>
Thanks,
<Welcome.>
-Matthew
<Scott V.>
Aiptasia! – 03/10/09
Hey Crew!
<<Hello Andy>>
I hope all is well with whoever finds this message.
<<EricR here…and doing fine thanks>>
I have a serious Aiptasia problem that I can't figure out.
<<Ah yes…not an uncommon issue. But they can be “managed” with some effort>>
I have a long story but I'll try to make is short. In Feb 2007, I set up my 110
gallon that
I maintained in high school (20 years ago). This was replaced with a new 90
gallon reef ready in June 2008. I have about 90 lbs of live rock, a sump with
live rock, an AquaC EV-180 protein skimmer, three Hydor Koralia 3s for internal
circulation, a Little Giant 1350 gph return pump, and a 30 gallon
Chaetomorpha/live rock/deep sand bed refugium. Lighting is 2x250W 14,000K HQIs
and four 65W power compact 03 actinics (HQIs are on from 12 pm to 9 pm and PCs
are on from 11 am to 10 pm).
<<A very nice setup>>
My tank was (I'll get to this in a minute) an SPS dominant tank with 4 or 5
small-to-medium fish. I fed my fish once or twice per day using live black worms
and New Life Spectrum pellets.
<<Would prefer to see a bit more variety>>
I was very careful not to overfeed.
<<Though it seems to be going against conventional wisdom, I honestly believe
hobbyists should be MORE concerned with assuring their fishes receive “enough”
to eat of the right types of foods>>
I also fed my corals about once per week using Brine Shrimp Direct Golden Pearls
5-50 micron, which I like very much. I had a few Aiptasia here and there, but
nothing to get concerned about.
<<That’s how it begins… These organisms are very opportunistic and incredibly
prolific…best to “zap' em” as they are discovered (and as I think you have
probably learned)>>
Part of this may be that I had a very healthy and hungry Copperband Butterfly
that liked to eat Aiptasia.
<<Indeed…though in my experience these fish tend to swing away from this over
time to the (more palatable?) prepared/frozen foods>>
My ammonia, nitrate and phosphate levels always tested well--0 ppm ammonia,
nitrites and nitrates, no detectable phosphates. Generally, my tank looked
awesome and everything was healthy and happy. Then last September, I went away
on vacation and my power went out.
<<Mmm…I seem to remember something about this. I believe you and I had a couple
exchanges re>>
Long story short, when the power came back on something tripped the circuit
breaker, I had no one watching the house (lesson learned), and my tank turned
into a disgusting pot of mucous soup.
<<As the saying goes…hindsight is always 20-20… I and many others have stories
of similar disasters. Something to be said for redundant circuitry (e.g. –
running two return pumps on separate circuits) and pet sitters, eh?>>
So, in spite of being devastated at losing lots of great SPS that I had grown
from very small frags and awesome fish that I loved,
<<I can truly relate my friend>>
I sucked it up and restarted everything. I added a few new pieces of live rock
to reintroduce coralline algae and pods, and left the tank fallow for 5 months
so that it could stabilize. My tank went through some crazy times--ridiculous
micro and macro algae blooms, Cyano, etc., (I assume from the dissolved organics
that my LR absorbed during the crash and was releasing).
<<I have witnessed/experienced similar issues from such losses of
power/circulation/oxygen/etc to a system. I think it is likely due to a
“combination” of increased organics/metabolites from decomposition AND the
disruption/destruction of the systems bio-filter>>
I continued to do my regular maintenance this entire time. So, by November or
December everything started to look nice. Over the months I added a few SPS
frags to get that going again, and they are doing really well, growing like
crazy, coloring up, etc.
<<Excellent>>
In January, after doing much research and consulting with the Crew, I added 5
small Bartlett's Anthias which are doing really well. I feed them twice per day
(all I can do because of my work schedule) using black worms or thawed/rinsed
Selcon-soaked Mysis (one feeding) and New Life Spectrum pellets (second
feeding).
<<Okay>>
I'm lucky in that they actually love the New Life Spectrum pellets, which I
understand is not always the case.
<<Indeed…though this Anthiine species does usually take to this excellent food
very well, in my experience>>
I am careful about feeding them, and feed in small increments so I can watch
them eat everything before adding more food. Currently, they are the only fishes
in my tank.
<<I see>>
Because I have no tangs in the tank as I did previously, some macro algae has
started to sprout--mostly Grape Caulerpa but there is some Halimeda. I can deal
with the Caulerpa, as I manually remove it every few weeks. What I can't deal
with is my serious Aiptasia problem. I must have 100 Aiptasia scattered about my
substrate (1/2" deep of Aragonite) and on my live rocks.
<<Mmm…again, not an uncommon occurrence…these pests can seemingly explode in
population overnight>>
I shoot the ones I can reach with Aiptasia-X,
<<And this is the best product available for such use in my opinion>>
which works for the most part but . . . it is not solving/can't solve my global
problem.
<<Ah but I disagree… We share remarkably similar experiences… Almost two years
ago my own 500g system (375g display, 75g sump, 55g refugium) suffered a
slightly less devastating power outage (about 10-hrs but exacerbated by carbon
dosing) which didn’t destroy “everything” as yours did, but still cost me
thousands in lost fish and corals. Afterwards I too was plagued by nuisance
algae and Cyanobacteria, for many months…and then came the Aiptasia explosion. I
made the mistake of not jumping on them right away, and before I knew it I had
hundreds of them throughout the display and the refugium. I purchased the
Aiptasia-X product and after nearly two 14oz bottles of the stuff, I have
regained control of the problem. The key is perseverance… You must condition
yourself to spend a few minutes every day attacking those Aiptasia that you can
see/find. You will never get them all in one go (they do move about…and are
often just darn tough to spot), but after a while you will notice you are making
a dent in the population. A couple hints re using the Aiptasia-X are… Don’t be
stingy with the stuff…wherever possible don’t just “feed” it to them, but do
also “cover ‘em up” with it. Also, rig an “extension” for the applicator
syringe…a couple short pieces of rigid airline tubing linked together between
the syringe and applicator tip will give you much more flexibility and reach to
get at the Aiptasia>>
I do a 15% water change every one or two weeks depending on my work schedule,
using RO/DI water that I make myself (TDS is 0). My salt mix is, and has always
been, Reef Crystals (although after reading some things on WWM, I'm thinking of
switching to Seachem Reef Salt next time around).
<<Mmm, yes… I was a huge fan of Aquarium Systems’ salt mix offerings for several
decades…not so much anymore…am now using Seachem’s salt mix offerings (wish I
could afford Tropic Marin [grin])>>
The only things I dose are ESV B-Ionic two part Alk/calcium and Brightwell
Aquatics Magnesium-P, as needed with regular testing.
<<Okay>>
I consider myself to be a pretty knowledgeable/experienced aquarist. I've read a
lot about Aiptasia on this and other sites/books, and I know that Aiptasia
problems are usually due to excess nutrients.
<<Population “explosions” may be due to such, yes…but these organisms are so,
how do I say it…efficient at life…that just simply ignoring them when the first
appear will often result in problems/in their spread throughout a system>>
Honestly, though, I don't believe this is my problem.
<<…?>>
First, the Aiptasia were showing up/growing in population before I added any
fish. Maybe this has to do with the lingering effects of my tank meltdown?
<<I think it is a contributing factor to the increase in population as, I
alluded to earlier>>
Second, I don't think I overfeed, although I do think some of the New Life
Spectrum pellets may sink to the bottom without being eaten.
<<And as I also stated…I think this should be less of a concern than ensuring
that your fish are “well” fed>>
I do "broadcast" feed my SPS, but I only add one to two little scoops (maybe 1/2
a teaspoon max, dissolved in system water and sprayed around my SPS using a
baster) of Golden Pearls 5-50 to feed a large Montipora cap, a small Blue-rimmed
Montipora, a large Montipora confuse, a small Pavona, a large Birdsnest, and 4
assorted Acropora frags.
<<Also not a concern in my opinion. I too broadcast-feed my corals, and the tank
in general, (many organisms other than fish and corals vying for/requiring
nutritional supplementation in these closed systems)>>
Second, other than whatever phosphates are bound up in my macroalgae, my testing
shows no excess nutrients. My EV-180 does a fine job and I regularly clean it to
assure performance. I added two Peppermint Shrimp a week ago (that's all my LFS
had—I intend to get a few more)--not only have I not seen these since I added
them, but no noticeable signs of them eating the Aiptasia--I know these can be
hit or miss.
<<My experience with these shrimp as well…not a reliable biological control>>
I also purchased a Copperband Butterfly that's been in my quarantine tank for 10
days (I know these don't do well in QT so I don't plan to keep him there much
longer, but I always like to put my new fish in a QT and observe them for a
period of time just to make sure nothing shows up). I know that CBBs are
likewise hit or miss,
<<Indeed…or just eventually find it easier/tastier to go for the prepared
offerings>>
But I'm hoping this one's a winner like my last one.
<<Will keep my fingers crossed that this is so>>
Again, I've read your general suggestions on WWM about reducing nutrients, etc.,
but can you think of anything else I should be doing/testing to help me win this
battle?
<<I suggest you not do anything deleterious to your livestock… Feed your
fishes/your corals well…any issues arising from such can be dealt with>>
Is there some other component of water chemistry that I'm not thinking
of/testing for that could be the culprit?
<<It comes down to just more elbow-grease. I can assure you, perseverance with
the Aiptasia-X will win out eventually. And let me also add… No matter what
route you take, you will never be “completely” rid of the Aiptasia. You can/will
get to the point where they are no longer evident…but just as you begin to think
they are gone forever, one/two/three will spring forth from your rock. And when
they do, don’t hesitate…ZAP’EM!>>
As always, your help is appreciated.
Andy
<<I do hope you find this exchange helpful. Regards, Eric Russell>>
Re: Aiptasia! – 04/08/09
Dear Eric R.,
<<Hey Andy… Don’t know what happened, but I only just received this>>
I wanted to update you on my Aiptasia problem.
<<Great>>
Unbelievable.
<<Oh?>>
The night after I got your email, I spent some time zapping the buggers
with Aiptasia-X. I also introduced my Copper Band Butterfly into the
tank. Between the Aiptasia-X, the 2 Peppermint Shrimp (that I've never
seen) and the CBB, I cannot find a single living Aiptasia.
<<Excellent!>>
I swear to you I had 100+ just 4 or 5 days ago.
<<I believe you>>
Crazy. No complaints here! Thanks again for your help.
Andy
<<My pleasure Andy…told ya the Aiptasia-X (and some perseverance) really
works! Do keep that syringe handy though…the only absolute here is that
the little buggers “will” turn up again.
Cheers mate… EricR>>
R2: Aiptasia! – 04/09/09
No worries, Eric. Thanks for the reply.
<<Quite welcome Andy>>
Everything is still going along "swimmingly", with no re-appearance of
any Aiptasia.
<<Cool! I’ve got a few re-emerging in my system…time to start laying on
the Aiptasia-X again. Because I feed my tank so well, they seemingly
begin to reproduce at an exponential rate if left unchecked…as you well
know>>
The only problem is that my Copper Band Butterfly is terrified of any
humans, so he swims by day but hides whenever I'm around.
<<Hmm… I’ve found these fish to be quite sociable and unafraid once
settled in>>
I worry about him not eating, because unless he's willing to come out to
see me, his lunch will be limited to whatever he finds in the
substrate/live rock. With my last CBB, though, I noticed that he was a
sociable fish and liked to follow my Kole Tang around.
<<Indeed…mine follows “me” around>>
My only other fish in the tank now are 5 Bartlett's Anthias, but I do
have a baby Yellow Tang in quarantine (week 3 with no signs of
disease/parasites). So, I'm hoping that once the Yellow Tang goes in the
tank that the CBB will come out of his shell a bit.
<<Mmm, yes…perhaps the presence of the Tang will make the Butterfly feel
more secure>>
Thanks again.
Andy
<<Always welcome… EricR>>
Aiptasia take over 3-5-09
Hi, my name is Mitzi and I am just starting a saltwater tank.
<Hello Mitzi! I
am glad to hear that you are starting in the hobby! Merritt here today with some
free time.>
I purchased some live rock from someone who was moving and had to
take his tank down. Currently I just have the live rock and 2 p. clownfish in
the tank. In a matter of a few days my tank had become full of these Aiptasia. I
asked the local saltwater store about these and was given a chemical called
Aiptasia-X to get rid of them before I added my 2 clowns. They appeared to be
gone by since added the 2 fish, I am noticing more and more Aiptasia coming up.
The chemical didn't seem to work to eliminate these pest. What do you suggest to
do to get rid of these before adding more fish? Oh, I also have 30 hermit crabs
and 5 snails (of which none seem interested in the Aiptasia) that I bought when
I got the clown fish.
<Which is normal, hermit crabs and snails don't feed on
aiptasia.>
I would like to get rid of these pests before they get any larger.
I read your info on getting rid of these but was confused of sorts. One part
says the peppermint shrimp will rid these but then sounds like they aren't good
for a tank with corals in it. The only coral (or what I believe is coral) is
what is growing on the rock and covering it. (purple and pinkish orange)
<What you are describing sounds like coralline algae not coral.>
Please help,
I've had several mishaps since starting this down to my original tank where its
back blew off after I had water, salt, and sand in it, talk about a mess. By the
way, I have a 75 gallon tank. Thanks for the help. I've wanted a saltwater tank
for several years now but finding this is going to be something that will take
time and patience to get where I want it.
<The peppermint shrimp will rid you of these pests in no time. Once they have
eaten all of the aiptasia you can either keep them, or sell them to another
person with aiptasia problems. They can be fed shrimp and other seafood or just
let them scavenge. But do note, some peppermint shrimp will ignore the aiptasia.
You can try the peppermint shrimp; they are not very expensive, around 5 to 10
dollars depending whom you buy from. Good luck on your tank and hope you don't
have any more mishaps.>
Thanks
Mitzi
<You are welcome! Merritt A.>
Aiptasia troubles in an eel tank -10/26/08
Hey,
I have a 75g tank
that has two moray eels in it.I have been battling an aptasia problem for a
while now and was wondering what the easiest way to get rid of them would be? I
heard peppermint shrimp may eat them but I'm sure my eels would eat the shrimp
in no time. They are all over the rocks. Do they sting the eels or do I not need
to get worried about the eels getting hurt? thanks for any tips or advice.
<I
wouldn't worry too much about the eels getting stung. If you have no coral in
the tank, I would suggest keeping the tank in complete darkness (no ambient
light or anything-- put a tarp over it, but leaving room for air circulation)
for a week or so. Also reduce feeding and increase filtration, water quality,
etc.>
Mike
<Best,
Sara M.>
Re: Aiptasia problems in eel tank -10/28/08
lol, there it is
! thanks for the response. I feed 2 times a week a mixture of seafood
and the only thing that does not stay stable is the nitrate. but I keep
it as low as possible with water changes and this chemical that you put
in and the skimmer takes it out..
<::shrug:: Sometimes there's just
not much you can do about Aiptasia... except kill them, either
chemically or by depriving them of light.>
Also, is 3 morays in a 75g
to much or will I be ok for a few years? I will be able to upgrade if
needed but the 3 eels are just under a foot and a half each. I have a
chainlink, white cheek and what was sold to me as a salt and pepper
moray.
<They might be ok for now, but you will likely have to
upgrade at some point.>
Thanks,
Mike
<De nada,
Sara M.>
Aiptasia concern for FOWLR tank 10/27/08
Hi. I hope you
can help.
<Me too.>
First, a little background on my tank: I
have a 150 gallon FOWLR Salt Water Tank which was set up on Sept 3,
2005 with main equipment consisting of a Wet Dry, Protein Skimmer,
UV Sterilizer. I have around 125+ pounds of live rock and the
following fish: Juvenile Queen Angel, Dogface Puffer, Porcupine
Puffer, Picasso Trigger, Blue Throat Trigger, Powder Blue Tang,
Hippo Tang, Sailfin Tang, Greenbird Wrasse, Maroon Clownfish and
Cleaner Wrasse (I now know after reading Rob Fenner's book that
LFS's should not be selling cleaner wrasses).
<Woefully
overstocked.>
I recently purchased more live rock to aid as a
natural biological filtration supplement and also to add beautiful
coralline algae. The new Fiji live rock had Aiptasia which I
initially thought was beautiful but after doing further internet
research, it seems to be a negative addition.
<One or two can
seem neat…for a short bit.>
I know that it can kill other corals
in a reef system, but is it safe in my fish only system? Will they
harm my larger fish or even eat the smaller Cleaner Wrasse?
<Possible, see
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/aiptasia/aiptasia.htm
re territoriality.>
I 'think' my Dogface Puffer eats the small
Aiptasia without bothering the larger ones so hopefully this will
keep them from taking over the tank.
<Some puffers have been
known to do this.>
I do like the way the Aiptasia look so as long
as they don't endanger my fish (stinging and stressing them out) and
grow to overcrowd the tank, then I would like to keep them. I
currently see 6 Aiptasia. If they start to spread, I read that a
Copperband or Raccoon Butterfly fish can help eliminate them but I
really don't want to add any more fish to the tank plus my more
aggressive fish might attack the butterflies.
<I agree, no more
fish in this tank.>
And I know that the puffers and trigger will
eat any peppermint shrimp. Hopefully my water changes, protein
skimmer and once a day fish feeding will keep the Aiptasia from
spreading since I like the way the tank looks now with the few that
are currently in the tank.
<They will spread regardless, it is
possible you have that rare puffer.>
Kinda of getting that reef
look in a fish only tank. I've searched your WWM for Aiptasia but it
mainly has info for it's dangers in reef tanks with very little on
fish only tanks. I enclosed some photos.
Let me know your advice.
Keep them with no worries or remove now?
<You could very well
wait, removing them if they start to spread. For my money and time,
I would remove them now. See
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/aiptasia/aipcheminjfaqs.htm
and http://www.asira.org/problems .>
THANK YOU IN
ADVANCE!!!Michael
<Welcome, Scott V.> |
 |
Re: Aiptasia concern for FOWLR tank 10/28/08
Thank you
for your quick reply.
<Welcome.>
Some of my fish have small
cottony spots on their fins which were not present before the
aiptasia were introduced. Is this a result of them getting stung? Or
is it just a coincidence?
<Could have been induced by a sting.
Without more information, see
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/mardisindex.htm for more info on what
could be going on.>
Someone else suggested a product called
Aiptasia X which I don't see as a recommendation on WWM. Would you
recommend it or is it not completely safe for my tank?
<To the
contrary, great product, will be fine.>
Other chemical removal
was actually the last resort option on WWM but I did not see this
product mentioned. I only saw one brief line from Eric R endorsing
the product but nothing else.
http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/prod/240610/product.web
<Quite a
few references, use the search at the bottom of the page, you will
find many.>
I am hoping to keep 4-5 large Aiptasia to give my
fish only tank some semi reef character and I will just kill the
additional Aiptasia which grow (if my puffer does not eat them). If
you recommend this product, is it safe to remove the live rock from
the tank when applying it?
<Sure.>
I have an uncle who would
love to have some of my fish since you suggest that my tank is
overcrowded. If I get rid of the Maroon Clownfish, Porcupine Puffer
and Sailfin Tang, I might go the route of a natural predator such as
either a Copperband or Racoon Butterfly. Do these Butterfly fish eat
the large aiptasia which I like or just the small baby ones which I
would want to avoid?
<Typically the smaller ones.>
I also read
in one of the articles you attached that the Queen Angel could
possibly eat Aiptasia as well. Hopefully mine will do this for me if
it gets out of hand.
<Hopefully, but not a sure thing.>
Thank
you again.
<Welcome, have fun. Scott V.> |
Aiptasia 06/02/2008
Morning guys,
<<And Gals i hope...Andrew
with you today>>
Do bristle worms eat aiptasia? The reason I ask is I
use to have a thousand of aiptasia and they have been slowly
disappearing and I found a two inch bristle worm in the tank.
<<I
would not attribute bristle worms for feeding on the aiptasia, i would
look else where in the tank. Other item of inhabitant perhaps>>
<<Thanks for the question. A Nixon>>
Reef Tank Overheating Issue Resolved…Now On To The Pest Anemones! -
05/19/08
Eric,
<<Hello Mark>>
Thanks for the input, it
has been a big help having someone to discuss options with.
<<Ah…has
been a pleasure>>
I made some boxes out of 1/2" ply to house the fans
and serve as "ducts". I cut two 5" dia. holes in the cabinet right above
the lights and put the fan boxes over the holes. I then cut two 8"x12"
vents in the top and put vent covers I got at Menards over them. The two
fans are pulling air out of the access area and performing wonderfully.
<<Super>>
The tank is running very consistently at 79 deg with the
access door closed and the cabinet above the tank is now staying cool.
Problem solved!
<<Yay!>>
My evap rate should go down now...was
losing about 2 gal/day with a fan blowing on the water. Now that I'm
venting out the top that should decrease...I hope. I did remove the tank
lids and put "egg-crate" material over the access holes, which increased
the evap. cooling when I was using the fan blowing across the water.
With the new fans I was able to remove the one blowing across the water.
I still have one in the sump. I ordered the Tunze Osmolator...should be
here this week!
<<You won’t regret it>>
I also found a nice RO/DI
unit at www.airwaterice.com.
<<Mmm, yes…good stuff there.>
The
Typhoon III has all the "extras" for less than $300 including shipping.
It should arrive this week as well. I had seen both of these products
recommended in the FAQ's. Noticed a big hatch of copepods this
weekend...they are doing a wonderful job of eating up the green algae on
the tank walls and the fish are feeding on them as well. The tank has
been up for three weeks now and most of the nuisance algae has gone
through its cycle and is disappearing with the help of the pods. I do
have another issue I need help with.
<<Okay>>
It's not related to
the temperature topic we've been discussing. I have some LR left in my
55 that is infested with Aiptasia.
<<Mmm…a common issue>>
I didn't
move this to my new system for obvious reasons. I've read all of the
options regarding removal and have tried most of them over the last few
years.
<<The little buggers can be virtually impossible to
eradicate…seemingly “rising from the dead” time after time. But a few
“here and there” are manageable and not “unnatural”>>
I've tried
recently to grab them with tweezers but they just slip right through and
go deep in the rock.
<<A useless exercise anyway…the tiniest fragment
will regenerate>>
The rock is otherwise very healthy and I want to
use it in my new system. How would you go about getting rid of the
Aiptasia so I can use the rock in my new system?
<<The easiest and
most “certain” method of eradication here would be to put the rock out
in the sun to dry for a few days and then give it a freshwater soak and
cleaning before reuse…but I sense you don’t wish to do anything this
extreme. Another option would be to set up a small tank (for
accessibility and close observation), add a few rocks at a time, and
attack the pest anemones with a syringe and the “lethal potion” of your
choice>>
The tank the rock is in right now is still up and running
without lights and there are no fish in the tank. Is there a chemical
means that actually works?
<<Not without attacking the anemones
individually…and repeatedly>>
Kalkwasser just burns them and they
come right back.
<<Can be effective…as can lemon juice…>>
The
Peppermint Shrimp wouldn't touch them.
<<Is my experience for the
most part as well>>
I've read about the Berghia Nudibranchs but I'm
not sure just how affective they are. I'm a little skeptical since I
haven't talked with anyone who's used them. Have you ever used them?
<<Indeed…I and others I know have tried them. I would spend my
money/energies elsewhere. I don’t doubt that these critters will eat
Aiptasia…but I think utilizing them successfully is not an easy or
inexpensive venture. At any rate, they are certainly no panacea>>
If
I put these in a tank without lighting will it be a problem.
<<Likely
not>>
Are they tough to keep alive?
<<In “my” estimation, yes.
There’s no “plug and play” solution to the pest anemones in my opinion,
success re will only come with persistent effort. Eric Borneman has a
recipe that should get rid of Aiptasia…it utilizes lye! The recipe can
be found here at the bottom of the page if you care to give it a try
(http://home2.pacific.net.ph/~sweetyummy42/hitchanemone.html), but do be
cautious! In fact if you go this route, I would have a look about for
Eric’s article on Aiptasia as I seem to recall some specific
instructions/comments re the application of this extremely caustic
solution>>
Thanks again!
Mark
<<Be chatting. EricR>>
Aiptasia Control 3/9/08
Hey all,
<Hi Chad>
I'm just coming
out of a battle with Aiptasia and a bad red Cyano bloom (I hope). They
both finally seem to be under control, but after stirring up the
substrate, adding additional powerheads and all the dead Aiptasia my
nitrate level has gotten pretty high. By the way I had a bad Aiptasia
problem and tried boiling water, lemon juice and Kalkwasser and they all
worked somewhat, but the final blow was picking up each rock and using
the Kalkwasser mixed to kind of a whole milk consistency, then I watched
really closely for the next few days and would hit the small ones that
returned with lemon juice. I also added the peppermint shrimp as an
extra block against them coming back. I'm now Aiptasia free for almost 2
weeks (I hope).
<Keep your fingers crossed.>
I have a 55 gallon
tank with 10-15 gal sump. I have an RO filter and a 25 gallon Rubbermaid
that I used to aerate and mix my saltwater in. Due to my confined living
spaces It'll be tough for me to do more than this volume, and the time
it takes to filter the water, aerate, add salt etc prevents me from
doing changes more often that once every 5-6 days.
<Is more than
enough.>
My question is, I'm doing roughly 15 gallon (20-25%) water
changes weekly is this enough to get my nitrate level back down, or
should I be doing something more aggressive?
<Is enough, but I would
use a protein skimmer in addition.>
I have two Yellow Tail Damsels, 1
small Lawnmower Blenny, 1 Peppermint Shrimp, 1 Skunk Cleaner Shrimp and
4 small Red-Legged Hermits (and 3 Turbo Snails) so I don't think I'm
overloaded with live stock and I've cut feeding way back in an effort to
control the Cyano.
<Not overstocked for sure.>
Also, once I get
nitrates down and get a better hold on my water quality I'd like to add
some "easier" inverts (maybe some polyps, a leather and maybe some
mushrooms) over time. Will the blenny / hermit crabs / Peppermint Shrimp
be a problem?
<No.>
Is there any books you can recommend out
there that outline the changes in going from a FOWLR to a beginner reef
type system (I just bought the Conscientious Aquarist).
<A very good
start. I know I'll need to upgrade my lighting, but would like more
information about tank maturity, specific gravity, calcium, ozone,
calcium reactors etc. and which are only needed for hard corals which I
don't really plan on attempting.
<All found on our site, do
search/read. Start with our index here.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/index.htm>
Thanks you've been great
with all my problems. I'm glad you're here to help new people like me.
<You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
Chad
Aiptasia and Cyanobacteria problems 2/21/08
Hello,
<Hello,
Scott V. with you.>
I have a 55 gallon FOWLR saltwater tank with
a small sump holding an ASM G-1 skimmer, a pump that's rated for a
tank my size and a powerhead. My live rock came with some Aiptasia
and I didn't know what it was until it became a big problem.
<This happens.>
I also had some small spots of red Cyanobacteria
which I've been vacuuming up and with the addition of the powerhead
have been at least held in check. I've since tried multiple attempts
at squirting boiling water and a Kalkwasser paste on the aiptasia
and it knocks them back, but they typically come back in full force
in a few days.
<These can be tough to eradicate.>
I finally
got frustrated and actually pulled the live rock out and squirted
boiling water on the aiptasia over the sink. This was a bad idea
because my live rock now smells like it's uncured.
<Yikes! You
likely killed more than the Aiptasia.>
I figured this would add
quite a bit of dead organic matter to the tank so I did a large
water change the next day with RO water heated and aerated for a
couple days with added buffer.
<Good move.>
Then I had to
leave town for a few days so I decided to let the two yellow tail
damsels I have go without food for a few days to hopefully knock
back the Cyanobacteria.
When I got back the Cyanobacteria had
gone berserk. It's covering everything in the tank now and as an
added bonus the Aiptasia is back too.
<Likely nutrient/nitrate
accumulation from the die off related to the boiling water.>
I
haven't had a chance to do a reading for PH, Ammonia, Nitrates and
Nitrites yet, but I imagine there's something wrong due to the huge
growth of the Cyanobacteria.
<Mmm…yes.>
All I have in the tank
is two yellow tailed damsel fish and some snails. I don't really
want the damsels because they're too aggressive for the type of tank
I'd eventually like to have (even though I've grown attached to
them). My LFS said they'd be willing to take them back.
<Good,
damsels are good to start with only if you want damsels.>
I also
recently bought an RO filter and since the switch the bacteria has
been getting worse even though I'm doing more frequent water changes
with supposedly higher quality water. It seems to be running much
faster than it's rated 25 GPD (I can fill up a 25 gallon Rubbermaid
in 6-8 hours). If I wanted to get this checked where would I go to
see if it's good quality or not?
<A TDS meter can be purchased
fairly cheap. This can tell you the current quality of the water and
help you monitor long term for prefilter/membrane replacement.>
I'd like the learning experience of getting rid of the aiptasia and
Cyanobacteria, but the tank is in bad condition now and my efforts
don't seem to be gaining any ground on a bad situation. What are my
odds of saving the tank at this point being new to the hobby? Would
it be better to start over with a new clean tank, or keep fighting.
<Keep at it, this battle can/will be won and you will learn much
doing so.>
Are there any more measures I can take other than
being diligent about water changes and squirting the aiptasia with
boiling water?
<In this case I recommend revisiting the Kalk
concentrate. Get hold of a syringe and actually inject the solution
into the Aiptasia.>
How effective are urchins at controlling
Cyanobacteria?
<They are not.>
What about red-legged hermit
crabs for aiptasia?
<Some (Dardanus megistos in particular) are
known to help.>
At this point I think adding more invertebrates
will just make the situation worse due to the amount of aiptasia and
Cyanobacteria.
<They are a related problem, excess nutrients in
the system fuels the growth of both.>
I'm concerned my skimmer
isn't doing enough to keep up with all the organic matter from the
dead aiptasia should I look into additional
skimming/filtering/powerheads?
<If you can more skimming would
not hurt; otherwise just keep up with the water changes.>
Thanks
for your help
<Welcome, do check out the links below for Aiptasia
and BGA control. Good luck, Scott V.>
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/aiptasia/aiptasia.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/bluegralgae.htm
Re: Aiptasia and Cyanobacteria problems 2/26/08
Thanks again
for your help you all are great.
<Welcome, thank you.>
I think
I've got them against the ropes now. I carefully pulled each rock to
the top of the tank and used Kalkwasser concentrate to get everyone
of the aiptasia that I could find. I know some will come back, but
I've got my eye out for them now and I won't give them the chance to
grow.
<Great! You will undoubtedly win this battle.>
I also
did a large water change (maybe 30%) and vacuumed up all the muck
that I could, but there's still some chunks the siphon wouldn't pick
up. I'm planning on doing another large water change this weekend.
The skimmer has been collecting a disgusting amount of material over
night so I guess that's good, probably from stirring up the sand and
bacteria.
<And dead Aiptasia.>
Any other thoughts on staying
on top of this? Should I cut back feeding? I repositioned my power
head so it blows across the sand on the bottom so hopefully that'll
keep stuff from collecting.
<Just be sure all the food you feed
is getting eaten. Otherwise make sure your filtration is not
accumulating excess detritus, if it is you will need to clean it
frequently.>
I feel for my poor little damsels they've been
having a stressful time as of late, but they seemed perky this
morning after the big water change and everything calmed down.
<Good to hear.>
I just heard the power went out in my
neighborhood for a half hour or so after I left for work too.
<Short power outages will not hurt anything. It is good to hear you
are gaining ground on the Aiptasia, keep it up, you will win. Scott
V.> |
Aiptasia Control 2/19/08
Dear WWM Crew,
<Dave>
First of
all, I would like to thank you for this wonderful site you have for
our use. I have read through many times and find it quite helpful.
<Thank you>
Here's my problem. I own 2 saltwater tanks. I have a
72 gallon tank with a 29 gallon refugium as a filter. I also have a
30 gallon aquarium with an EcoSystem 60 as the filter. I have
recently decided that I no longer want the 30 gallon tank in
operation. I would like to take the live rock from the 30 gallon
tank and put it into my 72 gallon tank, but I have one problem. The
live rock is infested with Aiptasia Anemones. I obviously do not
want to spread this awful infestation to my 72 gallon tank.
<Certainly not.>
I tried using the Joe's Juice from my LFS, and
it only made the Anemones come back with a vengeance. I would like
to know if there is a way to 100% remove the anemones from the rock.
(let it sit in freshwater for a few days, boiling it?) I already
have about 60# of live rock in the 72 gallon tank, and it has been
up & running for approximately 3 years. I have a few leathers &
mushrooms in the (72g) tank. If you have any suggestions, I would
greatly appreciate it.
<Since your rock is infested with these
critters, it would be impractical to give each one a shot of
Kalkwasser, a proven method that works quite well. The freshwater
method should work but you will also kill anything beneficial on the
rock. There are a few animals that have been known to rid a tank of
these pests. The Copperband and Raccoon Butterfly fish are good at
this, the later being hardier. Some say the Hairy Red Legged Hermit
Crab will eat these also. You may also want to look/read here and
related articles/FAQ's above.
James (Salty Dog)>
Dave from
Philadelphia, PA
Re: Aiptasia Control 2/22/08
James,
<Dave>
Thanks for
your response!
<You're welcome.>
I am currently soaking the
liverock in freshwater. How long do you think is long enough?
<I'd probably go a couple of weeks to be sure.>
I just want to
make sure that adding this rock to my up & running tank (after being
soaked in freshwater) will not have any negative effects to my
system.
<Do check the ammonia level in the freshwater before
adding the rock to your system.
We want to be sure no levels
exist from the die off.>
I also want to run my system setup by
you and see if you can add any design improvements to help a slight
nitrate problem... And I am up for any other suggestions you may
have.
<Shoot>
The system is a 72 gallon AGA tank which was
factory drilled with overflow.
Filtration is a 29 gallon tank
turned into a fuge with Plexiglas baffles which I did myself.
<Great.>
The water passes through a 100 micron sock that I
replace every 3 days.
<Good.>
I have approximately 2" of
Miracle Mud and a hefty amount of Feather Caulerpa in the filter
chamber. Water is then returned to the tank by a MagDrive 900gph
pump. Water parameters are as follows:
Ammonia - 0ppm
Nitrite
- 0ppm
Nitrate - 25ppm
Salinity - 1.024
pH - 8.0 - 8.2
dKH - 8
Calcium 450ppm
Temperature - 78
As I mentioned
before, I have had this tank up & running for approximately 3 years.
There is a light dusting of live sand for the substrate in the main
tank. I have 2 pumps @ appx. 300 gph in the main tank for
circulation.
Lighting is a 48" Corallife light fixture with 2x
150w MH lights and actinic blue pc's. I have recently added a small
specimen of Xenia, I have Candy Cane Coral, a Devil's Hand, various
Zoo's and Florida Ricordea Mushrooms. I have a 6" Blonde Naso Tang
that I will be trading in sooner rather than later, as I know he
will not survive long term in my system, (unless I upgrade tank
size).
<Good move.>
I also have a true Percula Clown, 2 Green
Chromis, and a Six Line Wrasse as well as a Cleaner Shrimp, Coral
Banded Shrimp & 2 dozen Hermit Crabs & 2 dozen Snails.
I have
briefly been reading about the benefits of adding a DSB to the
system. Do you think that in an approximate filtering area of 18" x
12" that removing the Miracle Mud & replacing with Live Sand would
be more beneficial? (than the mud method)?
<The Miracle Mud
medium is more than likely "live" by now. I'd keep.>
Any thoughts
or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Keep doing what you're
doing, we all love it.
<Dave, do read hee on nutrient control in
an effort to help lower your nitrate level.
You do not mention
the use of a protein skimmer, a very worthwhile addition for
removing dissolved organics. I run an Aqua C Urchin Pro powered by a
Mag 3 in my five foot 80 gallon reef, and I can say that this unit
does wonders for water quality.>
Have a nice day,
<You too,
Dave. James (Salty Dog) from Michigan>
Dave from Philadelphia, PA |
Re: AndyB pc. on Dendro and no Aiptasia in the Atlantic claims
2/17/08
Bob,
<Andy>
I will be happy to help in any way
I can, but I must caution that I have no biology background or
experience with preparing/writing such works.
<Au contraire my
friend. You obviously have a good grasp of written English
communication... and enough "science" to relate your experiences
here. I assure you of this>
If you can provide a little more
specific guidance on what, exactly, you're interested in (what type
of photos,
what type of specs, what type of narrative, etc.), I
will gladly take this on.
<Images of your system, the foods used,
the specimen itself from a few angles, perhaps under various
lighting... The writing, in your own voice... simply detailing your
interest, background... the history of your keeping this specimen...
Speculations you have, may have re your success>
On another note,
I have a question about Aiptasia. I have been debating this issue
with a LFS owner, which sells Florida aqua-cultured LR exclusively.
He claims that his LR is guaranteed Aiptasia-free, because they do
not exist in the Atlantic/Caribbean.
<Uhh, not so>
His claim
is as follows:
"OUR FLORIDA AQUA CULTURED "LIVE ROCK" IS HAND
PICKED.
IT IS LEGALLY HARVESTED AFTER 6 - 16 YEARS. SHIPPED WITH
HEAT PACKS OR ICE PACKS AND (WHICH EVER IS NEEDED) WITH ANEMONES,
SEA SQUIRTS, MUSSELS, GORG.S., SPONGES, STARFISH, TOOTH CORALS AND
BRAIN CORALS ALL OF WHICH LIVES. NO NEED TO CURE BECAUSE NOTHING IS
"DYING". APPROX. 6 HOURS FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE OCEAN TO THE BOTTOM
OF OUR TANKS. NO APTASIA IN THE ATLANTIC!"
My research suggests
that Aiptasia do, indeed, come from the Atlantic.
<This is also
assuredly so... Have seen them there, many times...>
Interestingly, I believe the Aiptasia that I did have in my tank
(before the Butterfly) were acquired from a few pieces of LR that I
bought from him.
Andy
<Do send this note to the company,
rep... Perhaps their mis-spelling of the genus is some ploy at
avoiding suit. BobF>
Re: AndyB no Aiptasia in the Atlantic claims 2/23/08
Dear Bob,
I forwarded our correspondence about no "Aiptasia in
the Atlantic" to my LFS that claims no Aiptasia in the Atlantic. I
noticed today that he revised his website (although I still don't
think it's accurate) to read:
"APTASIA USUALLY GROWS IN THE
PACIFIC, NO APTASIA WHERE OUR ROCK IS GROWN IN THE "GULF"[.]"
Andy
<Hahhhhhaaaa, revisionist history... Like the U.S. is
"bringing democracy" to folks... by murdering them... What a hoot.
B> For Bob -
Aiptasia Follow-Up 5/1/08
Dear Bob,
<Andy>
You may
remember an exchange we had a few months back about a LFS that
guaranteed Aiptasia-free rock from the Atlantic. I just thought I'd
share the response I got from the LFS upon forwarding your response.
"On another note, I have a question about Aiptasia. I have been
debating this issue with a LFS owner, which sells Florida
aqua-cultured
LR exclusively. He claims that his LR is guaranteed
Aiptasia-free, because 'NO APTASIA IN THE ATLANTIC!'"
<Uhh, not
so . . . Have seen them there, many times...>
<Do send this note
to the company, rep... BobF>
REPLY: Okay maybe it wasn't stated
"politically correct". Our LR is from the Gulf and to us the gulf
and the Atlantic mixes in the keys
anyway. To us, It's all
Atlantic waters. L.O.L. We have been buying LR from the same diver
for more than 7 years and never had aiptasia on it
and that was
the point. He also has been growing this rock for more than 20
years. Ever heard of glass anemones or curleque anemones? I would
have been more than happy to explain further had you of given an
e-mail for me to respond to. Thank-you for your interest, Bambi, Sea
Save.
Andy
<PC? I don't get it... And... Aiptasia are of the
Glass Anemone family... What? BobF> |
Glass Anemone Eradication - Should I Toss The Whole Rock? – 02/04/08
Hello!
<<Hi!>>
This website is just wonderful; thank you for all
the information and answers and time.
<<Thank you for the kind
words…is a collective effort…and our pleasure to provide>>
Anyway, we
are fairly new aquarists and have just upgraded to a 90 gallon tank with
integrated overflow box, a 20 gallon sump, approx. 50lbs live sand, and
approx. 50lbs of live rock for our reef system.
<<I see>>
We have
one separate piece of rock that hosts some rather scraggy-looking green
mushroom corals right now.
<<Hmm, not a good sign as these organisms
are generally quite hardy/easy to keep>>
A few weeks ago we noticed
these "cute little baby feather dusters" hanging out with the mushroom
corals, who are now bleached around the edges, of course.
<<Indeed…and as you are “new aquarists” would like to make
mention…though closely related, the Corallimorphs (mushrooms) are not
“corals” in the true sense of the word. You can read here and among the
links in blue to learn more (http://www.wetwebmedia.com/corallim.htm)>>
Finally did some research and learned that these little cuties are
actually pest Aiptasia and are killing the corals.
<<Ah yes…and can
proliferate quite rapidly if not dealt with>>
It does not seem that
they spread quickly to other rocks, correct?
<<You would be surprised
at just how quickly this pest anemone can “spread throughout” a
tank/system. They do sometimes tend to be cryptic in their
location…careful examination of your “other” live rock will likely
reveal more>>
We have not seen them elsewhere throughout the tank (at
least not yet).
<<If not there already…is only a matter of time (and
not long at that)>>
So my question is: do we just toss the rock
(which is sitting by itself on the sand), mushroom coral and all, or do
we try to treat/remove these little buggers?
<<Eradication in situ is
possible; usually through “injection” with acidic or caustic
formulations like Lemon Juice or concentrated Kalkwasser solution, or
one of the commercially available products (e.g. – Joe’s Juice) , though
not always easy accomplish. It will be easier to “treat” this rock if
you can remove it to a treatment/quarantine tank. Or, if it seems the
Corallimorphs are too severely damaged to recover (unlikely…are
amazingly resilient organisms), you can just give the rock a freshwater
soak for a day…scrub it down and let it dry in the sun for a week…and
reuse (though obviously it will no longer be “live” rock)>>
They are
right up between the corals so chemical treatment would be impossible
without likely killing the mushrooms as well.
<<Quite the
contrary…injecting the pest anemones will have little/no deleterious
effect on the Corallimorphs>>
And it seems that physical removal is
difficult/likely to cause further spread.
<<Agreed, I would not
attempt this…at least not in the display tank, and not without “rinsing”
the rock in clean saltwater before returning to same>>
And, of
course, there seem to be more of them now!
<<Multiply like magic…
Ever heard of “Tribbles?”>>
The corals seem happy in our new tank,
and I hate to condemn them if there is something else we can do, but we
also don't want the whole tank to become infested with "baby feather
dusters!"
<<Not necessarily a “Death Knell” (I have several of these
pest anemones scattered about my tank), but quick offensive action
against these organisms is usually best…and certainly easier in the
early stages>>
Sorry for being naive!
<<No need for apologies,
everyone “begins” somewhere. I trust you have read re these organisms on
our site? If not, please start here
(http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/aiptasia/aiptasia.htm),
and do follow the for removal/eradication strategies as well>>
Thanks
for your help.
- Rebecca
<<Happy to assist. Eric Russell>>
Aiptasia & Sea Hare comp.... & Bio. alg. contr. 2/3/08
Although our 55 gallon FOWLR has been doing fine (fish growing & happy,
no death, stable water) I have three nickel sized Aiptasia and some hair
algae.
Can/will the sting of an Aiptasia injury or kill a Sea Hare?
<Won't be the best combination but certainly not the best solution for
both problems. For the Aips see here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/aiptasia/aiptasia.htm.
And the causes of the Hair Algae must be addressed first. The Sea Hare
will just be recycling the nutrients the algae use. Read on Nutrient
export etc. Olly>
Aiptasia eating blenny. 12/20/07
Hi, I was told by a very
knowledgeable reef keeper that there is a blenny that eats Aiptasia. I
was wondering if anyone here has ever heard of them, and if so, could
give me a name to further research them. I was told that they are black,
if that helps.
<Have never heard of such a blenniid, blennioid...
but not impossible for sure. Please write back with a scientific name if
you find out. Bob Fenner>
Cooking With Aiptasia? (The Crazy Man's Guide To Aiptasia Elimination!)
12/1/2007
Hey all!
<Scott F. your guy tonight!>
Keeping up
the good work as usual, I thank you for all your help, and of course as
we progress we come across new issues.....
<Always seems that way,
huh?>
Well, I just got a new rock last night, and unfortunately it
had about 4 Aiptasia riding on it. I scraped/pulled/rubbed off with a
paper towel, tweezers and razor blade all but one of them. Short of
smashing the rock with a hammer and just keeping the piece attached to
my new Xenia, I thought of something else worth a shot and wanted to
hear one of your expert's take on it.
<OK...I'm not an expert, but I
am a serious fish geek!>
What if I were to lift the part of the rock
that has the Aiptasia on it out of the water, and then use a torch
lighter or even an actual torch to Burn the heck out of the Aiptasia?
<Good heavens, man- you're gonna charbroil your Aiptasia? Why not choose
an easier technique like pulling out your fingernails and spearing the
Aiptasia with them, or isolating the Aiptasia in a quarantine tank and
forcing it to listen to an old Backstreet Boys CD? Seriously, there are
some easier ways that are effective.>
I am pretty sure that even as
resilient as these things are, they wouldn't be able to survive a few
seconds under a flame would they?? Do you see any negatives to this
idea? Positives?
<Well, I'm sure that they wouldn't survive the
"flambé" action, but the idea of taking a blowtorch to a rock kinda
frightens me! Negatives? Hmm- third degree burns, exploding rock,
property damage...Hmm-guess I'm just being paranoid- I just see upsides
to this procedure, bro! Heh heh.>
I read all about it, and short of
the guy who covered in salt and microwave his rock ( which I would never
do ) I thought this might be a breakthrough in Aiptasia
control/eradication, any thoughts?
DJ Payne
<Well, I'm thinking
that you could also try building a high-powered laser to do the job...or
maybe you could get some liquid nitrogen from the local hospital and try
freezing it off the rock...Or maybe, just maybe- you could do it the
EASY way and mix up a concentrated solution of Kalkwasser and inject it
into the mouth of the anemone via syringe. There is also a nice
commercial product called "Joe's Juice" that is injectable and does a
wonderful job. Look for it online or at your LFS. Not as sexy as making
a homemade high-explosive device, or mixing toxic chemicals, true- but
it's effective and avoids the risk of burning down your house, upsetting
the balance of power in the free world, or injuring yourself! I hope
that you take my sarcasm in stride: I just think that you could do this
more easily and safely. However, if you DO have a good recipe for
"Aiptasia Foster", do pass it on to the Culinary Department at WWM! Good
luck! Regards, Scott F.>
Re: Seahorse in refugium, and now Aiptasia contr. -11/27/2007
Thanks for the quick reply. We have decided, based on your advice, to
not use sea horses in the refugium. Instead we will nano tank some dwarf
seahorse in a separate tank.
<cool>
On another note, I have been
battling Aiptasia anemone for quite some time to no avail. We got the
problem from a friend who tore down his tank and gave me some live rock.
Tried Joe's juice,
<doesn't work>
peppermint shrimp, and even
removing bad bits of rock, but just couldn't get ahead of them.
<In
my experience, you need quite a few peppermint shrimp for this method to
work at all...>
I was considering a copperband butterflyfish when my
LFS recommended a Slender Filefish (Monacanthus tuckeri). We were told
he is reef safe, but will be a bit nippy and sample a few things.
Sounded similar to the copperband except this guy will eat readily.
<Hmmm... I wouldn't put either in a reef thank. Please see here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/BFsBestWrst.htm
and here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fishfish.htm>
We got him and he has
cleaned almost every Aiptasia in the tank, doesn't seem to bother
corals, nips a bit at various worms,
<Doesn't mean he won't
eventually... but too late now, let's hope he doesn't.>
and will
happily eat most frozen foods. I wonder why this fish is not mentioned
in the control of Aiptasia?
<Hmmm, I don't know, but I imagine that
(as with most animals) they're not entirely consistent. Yours seems to
be quite helpful for Aiptasia and harmless to corals. This might not
always be the case for every fish.>
I live in the Netherlands and
they seem to be common in tanks here, however I rarely see them on
American sites.
<Thanks for sharing your experience. :-)>
Anyway
thanks again for the advice/education. Have a great day!
<You too,
thank you.>
Layton
<Best,
Sara M.>
Aiptasia... reading 11/11/07
Dear Bob,
I have a
glass Anemone that lives in a little hole on one of my pieces of live
rock. I was wondering how to get rid of him. My husband thought to pluck
him out with some tweezers but that did not work, it just receded into
the hole. (It is also a very deep and small hole) I heard injecting
boiling water will work but how can I do this when it always goes back
into the hole?
<Would have to remove this rock...>
Is there a way
to get rid of it without harming the rest of the life growing on the
rock?
<Possibly>
Also how quickly do they reproduce and what do
they look like when they are smaller? any insight would help and thank
you in advance for your time.
Sincerely,
Carla Warren
<All
posted... Start reading here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/ca/cav1i3/aiptasia_impressions/aiptaisia_impressions.htm
and on to the linked files at the bottom. BobF>
Re: Creature
ID, Pseudocorynactis sp, Aiptasia – 10/04/07
>Hi,
><Hello Ben! Sorry for the delay. I had some problem accessing your
links>
No problem. Just wanted to be sure you got it.
<<Yes! Got
it!>>
Now maybe I can help you. That link is to "flickr"; flickr uses
Java, but otherwise should work with any modern browser. It is one of
the most widely used sites in the world for images. Firefox will work
perfectly, as will Opera, Safari, Explorer, Omniweb and Mozilla. Just
make sure Java is on. Firefox is *highly* recommended - best browser on
the planet, and it is free.
<<I have a Mac so I'm using Safari.>>
>just a cornucopia of living goodness.
><Amazing, isn't it?>
Indeed it is.
<<One of my favorite things was just watching what
developed from the LR.>>
>We popped it in our 55-gallon tank, which
was about two months old at the time, and everything has done just fine.
><Glad to hear! Is this the tank in your bathroom? Is quite a beautiful
bathroom I might add!>
Thank you. My sweetheart and I built it. This
was an empty box, an abandoned church, and we're building an interior
into it as time and funds allow.
<<How cool! You have done a
beautiful job with the bathroom for sure!>>
Yes, that's the bathroom
tank. We have three others that are freshwater. Odds are good there are
more salt tanks in our future. We have room, and motivation is growing.
No surprise to you, I'm sure.
<<Yes, as one of my crewmate Andrea
said... Multiple Tank Syndrome is hard to fight.>>
>But do watch out
with this Xenia... it can become a "weed".>
Not sure I mind, really,
I find them quite beautiful. Especially when they pulse.
<<Assuredly! Xenia can be quite beautiful, some people can't get xenia
to grow, while others can't get rid of them!>>
The intent is to make
a reef tank, not so much a fish tank, but I'm not sure we're looking for
conventional imports - I'm very curious to see what grows. All manner of
things are starting up. If they really get crazy, maybe I'll put them in
a new tank. :-) They took transport poorly, took many days to recover,
and some died. Be easier if they were local.
<<Absolutely, shipping
is a big problem with this coral.>>
>We only have a couple of small,
innocuous fish at this point, going slowly.
><Slowly is good!>
That's my understanding. I'm patient. Mostly. :-)
<<Heehee! Can be
hard but is worth your while!>>
><This appears to be Pseudocorynactis
sp, a Corallimorph.>
Ah. Thank you. With the name, I found a pic and
a little info on your site. Very good.
<<Glad to hear!>>
><This
may be an Aiptasia that has collapsed upon its self... a good thing...
more reading for you below on this matter.>
Nope, definitely the same
as the other patch; opens nightly now. Funky little thing.
<<Oh Good!
Pseudocorynactis sp. are very desirable corals.>>
>The last patch of
jelly still looks the same as shown in the image above. Here's how a
closed one looks:
><This pic is a duplicate of the Xenia.>
Now
THAT is just plain weird. I still have the original email in my outbox,
and the correct three pictures are linked. Can you tell me what web
browser you are using?
<<Safari.>>
Something is flat busted.
You're not using... cough... AOL, are you?
<<Heehee! No.>>
Because there's just no polite way to put it, AOL is last decade's
technology today, busted, crippled, censored and laden with the digital
equivalent of Aiptasia. Or copper sulfate. :)
<<Heehee!>>
><Ummm,
if you like Aiptasia... You will want to try to eliminate this pest.
More here:
Yes, I've read all about them, and am willing to throw one
or more Nudibranchs in there if required,
<<Can work, but I would
recommend other means first. Especially while you have a reasonable
amount to get rid of. I would recommend injecting the Aiptasia with a
syringe filled with either Calcium or Lemon juice. The Berghia
Nudibranch are good, but are obligate Aiptasia eaters... therefore once
the Aiptasia are gone the Berghia will slowly starve to death. The other
means can be effect.>>
but so far, they just seem interesting and
pretty to me.
<<So far but you really will want to get rid of them.
They can kill and limit the grow of other desirable species.>>
No
migration. Yet.
<<Yet being the key word here...They can really take
of and multiply very, very quickly.>>
If they start killing things,
as seems likely from everything I've read, then it'll be a Nudibranch
picnic as soon as I can get some.
<<Again I would recommend other
means first, and use the Berghia only as a last resort. Cheers and good
luck to you Ben! Mich>>
Ben
Aiptasia free – 9/29/07
I'm sure you don't care, but Bob, I have
to tell someone... my tanks are 100% Aiptasia free now!! It took 2
years, 30 peppermint shrimp, and probably half a gallon of sodium
hydroxide (not all at once> obviously),
<Holy oven cleaner!>
but
they're gone!! I can't find a single one of them! Now I just have to
never add anything more to my tanks ever and I'll never have to see one
of them again! lol Sara
<Mmm, until you've done a few dives, become
more observant... B>
<<I have this picture in my mind of Bob twirling
in a circle with a beer over his head singing a certain hash song...
Mich>>
It took 2 years, 30 peppermint shrimp,> and probably half a
gallon of sodium hydroxide (not all at once> obviously),
<Holy oven
cleaner!>
<<Forget the oven cleaner Batman! Thirty peppermint
shrimp?!?!?!? Sara, what did you do with 30 peppermint shrimp? Serve
them with cocktail sauce!?!?!? Heehee! Mich>>
Aiptasia on Derasa Clam 9/6/07
Hello,
<Hi Chad, Mich here.>
I have recently acquired a Derasa Clam (2-3 in).
<Little.><<A bad,
too-small starting size... RMF>>
It has not been fully extending its
mantle for about 2 days.
<Not good.>
I checked with a flashlight
for Pyramidellid but couldn't see any. Instead I found an small Aiptasia
anemone on his shell.
<This may explain.>
Do you suggest lemon
juice or something different?
<I think I would try to manually
remove, you may just be able to scrape it off the clams' shell. I would
be hesitant to use any acids or bases here.>
It is a 30 gallon tank
so no Butterflies!
<No.>
Thanks Chad
<Welcome, Mich>
Potential aquarium problem(s), Aiptasia infestation 8/24/07
I recently bought some decorative corals. We had some problems with
one of the corals, that died, but what remains is going very strong,
including the two sets of "mushrooms" visible in the bottom middle
in one of the pictures.
<Ok>
Also doing very well are the
anemone-like things (which I believe are technically worms from my
Internet research). They are very pretty, and we like them, but they
are spreading like mad! The original 3 are now 2-3 times bigger than
when we got them, and there are probably 20 baby ones popping up all
over the aquarium.
<Don't look like worms (featherdusters I'm
assuming, look like Aiptasia Anemones.>
Have I destroyed my
aquarium with this? Any way to keep them (because they are pretty),
but keep them in check? Or do I need to get rid of them all. How so?
<Most people try to get rid of them, they are very difficult to keep
under control. A few methods can be found here
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/Aiptasia/aiptasia.htm
and here
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/cav1i3/aiptasia_impressions/aiptaisia_impressions.htm
.>
Other than the mushrooms, we have a fire shrimp, and some
snails and crabs. Snails and crabs seem like they need a refresh,
because I don't see as many of them any more. I think they got into
a war and killed each other off. Or the crabs killed all the snails
and then starved is probably more likely.
<Definitely the way it
would work out.>
No fish yet. (I plan on moving soon and want to
have as few things to try and keep alive as possible. - see below)
<Good>
This is in a 29 gallon oceanic bio cube btw.
ph/ammonia/nitrites/nitrates are all great, but I am not as vigilant
as I should be about water changes. However, I have very low bio
load (iMO) and a ton of live rock.
<Water changes are still
important.>
I have the main aquarium about 3/4 full of live rock
by volume (It was 30 lbs) as can be seen in the pics, as well as
filling 2 out of the 3 back chambers of the cube with live rock
pieces. (3rd chamber for pump) I also have a protein skimmer, but
this doesn't seem to do much other than be a host for algae.
<Need to get it working or invest in a better unit, they are very
helpful in maintaining water quality, especially if you are a little
lax with the water changes.>
Many of the aquariums I see online
or at stores do not have nearly the % of live rock by volume as I
do. I would like to have more room to see stuff, but do I need this
much? Is this type of filtration (Berlin?) sufficient?
<This type
of filtration is sufficient as long as the tank is not overstocked,
which you will have to be very careful of in a 29. How much is too
much is hard to say, it needs to be enough to support the bacterial
filtration, but leave enough room for fish to swim in. As far as
comparing to store tanks and photographs, they are not intended for
long term success, but to either look good for the photo or
facilitate the remove of fish for sale. Different requirement from
what you need.>
I was having a green/red slime carpet growing
over some of the rock, which I believe is actually a bacteria, not
algae. You probably know the thing I am talking about. It makes lots
of bubbles where it grows. I scraped it off the rock as much as
possible, and then siphoned it all out during my last water change
(which has encouraged me to be better about water changes), but
anything else I can do about it? Water changes will help, but I
think I also may have some issues with flow. The built in pump and
head don't seem to churn up the water much in the far corner, and
the slime is mostly growing in the lee of the rock away from the
pump. Should I add another power head?
<I would, and it is
probably Cyanobacteria http://www.wetwebmedia.com/bluegralgae.htm .>
I also had one green bubble algae, that I removed without it popping
(it was quite hard which I did not expect from the way it looked!)
<Bubble algae, a common occurrence.>
On the moving - I am
probably moving soon from Iowa to Chicago (3+ hours by car, +
traffic + pack/unpack.
<It takes 3 hours to get anywhere in
Chicago.>
What's the best way to get my aquarium there? I've read
stuff about dumping (gently! :) ) everything into a garbage can, and
using a battery powered heater and powerhead. Is this the right
thing? Should I just try to sell everything and restock in Chicago?
<I would try to move as little as possible, the LR in coolers with
wet newspaper, tank and equipment should be relatively easy, but try
to get rid of any livestock you can. Believe me when I tell you the
last thing you want to do after spending the day loading and
unloading a truck is to stay up and set up and aquarium. If you
don't think it can last a day or two in it's shipping container,
don't try to bring it with you.>
Thanks for any input and help.
Jason
<Chris> | 
|
Arrow crab eating Aiptasia? Shore 8/24/07
Hi
all
I'm a bit perplexed as to what happened to all of my Aiptasia.
(Not that I'm complaining)
I have had a saltwater tank for over a
year now and have ALWAYS had these little pests!
Thankfully they
never grew to the plague proportions I've herd
<Heeeee!>
tell
about.
When I upgraded to a larger tank I thought that I had finally
gotten rid of them but alas they followed me. I tried killing them with
Aiptasia Control and it worked but they kept coming back (Probably in
the filters) Anyway here's the thing. I added an arrow crab a few weeks
ago and they are disappearing think that my arrow crab is eating them.
<Oh yes>
It's an adult wild caught specimen that came from Florida. I
haven't actually seen the crab eating on the little pests but every
morning when I turn on the lights I see fewer and fewer of them.
The
two or three Aiptasia that are still in the tank are missing "arms" Have
arrow crabs ever been known to eat Aiptasia?
<Certainly have. BobF>
Aiptasia Removal - 7/21/07
WWM Crew,
<Hi Dan>
So, I got one
of these little buggers with some Caulerpa I bought. <Sorry to hear
that> I have removed the live rock it was connected to. If I let it dry
out for a few weeks and return it to my tank, will the Aiptasia return
or will it have expired being out of the water so long? (I know some
forms of macro algae just have to be re-hydrated to come back.)
<It
would kill it, but it would also kill anything on the rock and you’d
have to cure it again before returning it to the tank. I’d go with a
less aggressive approach since it sounds like a single anemone. One
thing about Aiptasia though, is that while you may be seeing only one,
there may be others you haven’t yet seen. Since you’ve already removed
the rock (and if you can do so), put it in a quarantine tank/container
to isolate, and treat it there. That way you can make sure you kill the
pest(s) and keep an eye out for any others that might show up. Please
see these links regarding methods of eradication:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/Aiptasia/aiptasia.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/cav1i3/aiptasia_impressions/aiptaisia_impressions.htm
.>Thanks Guys or gals, Dan
<You’re welcome and good luck! –Lynn>
Rock Anemones and Breaking Rocks to Separate Corals 4/21/07
Hi Guys,
<Hi Jim, Mich here.>
Here are two pictures that
I would like your thoughts on. The first I believe is a small group
of rock anemones.
<Looks like a pest to me.>
They are about
1/2 inches high. The aquarium is about 4 months old. I have two
small groups of these, which don't seem to be doing much. Do you
think that I should go out and get a couple of peppermint shrimp and
try to stem it now or is it possible that they won't expand?
<Depends.>
I enjoy watching the micro fauna but don't want to
risk all. I think of them as a weed-just a thing that is not growing
where someone wants it but otherwise interesting.
<If it were
me/mine I would remove from the system. If you allow to remain in
the system, I would watch carefully, and be prepared to take
action. More here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/cav1i3/aiptasia_impressions/aiptaisia_impressions.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/aiptasia/aiptasia.htm >
Anyway the second picture there are two colonies of different
creatures. Both colonies are expanding.
<A good thing.>
I
keep reading that they may beat on each other and kill one or both
colonies.
<Is possible.>
I wouldn't want that.
<Me
neither.>
These just came on the live rock and started to grow.
<Ooo! A nice gift from the sea.>
I would have to break the rock
to keep them apart. Is this a viable solution or is there another?
<It looks like the rock could be easily removed from your
system. If this is so, I think I would remove and use a chisel or
better yet a Dremel, and remove and relocate one of these corals.
<As far as ID's go I think this is Galaxea fascicularis,
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/oculinidae.htm
though Turbinaria
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/dendrophylliidae.htm
or Goniopora
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/gonioporapix.htm
could be
possibilities, it is difficult to tell from the photo.>
Thanks
for your help as always. Lots of great reading!!
<Welcome! Glad
you enjoy! -Mich>
Jim | 
|
Aiptasia gone? 4/18/07
Hello everyone at the wet web!
<Good afternoon, Olly here>
I have a question regarding Aiptasia.
<Heehee, Most people do>
My tank has had a problem for about a year
with them. I have zapped them with Kalkwasser, purchased a copperband
<Shouldn’t be purchased for short-term problems>
3 Berghia
Nudibranchs, and 2 shrimp <Peppermint?> over that time and nothing
seemed to work. In the last 2 weeks, amazingly them have simply
vanished! There may be 3 or 4 left, but that’s it! I haven’t done
anything different, changed any habits, nor have I added anything new in
quite some time. I am happy about it, but I am wondering if something
may be wrong with my system since these guys are suppose to be tough.
All of the fish, inverts and corals seem fine and all parameters are
excellent. Are my worries legit? What can cause such a quick demise of
the Aiptasia?
<There maybe something underlying, but this doesn’t
seem strikingly obvious from what you’ve said, so I’d say you’re good to
go. I would say that is was quite likely the Berghia Nudibranch, these
often “go missing” for extended periods of time but then re-surface in
increased numbers and a lot hungrier. It may be worth checking the
remaining Aiptasia at night with a flashlight to inspect for minor
aggressors – the Nudibranchs. Could also be an improvement in husbandry
that lead what was feeding the Aiptasia proliferation – nutrients,
overfeeding, lighting etc – to lessen, leading to a crash in their
population. Although I still firmly suspect the Nudibranchs! A last
thought – is the copperband still with you – may have just developed its
taste! Hope this helps, Olly> Re: Invader
4/16/07
<Hi Bob, Mich with you again.>
I do not know where
the nutrient could be coming from. I feed very, very sparingly,
<Perhaps a change in food brand would help?>
and have
been for quite a long while (started with a fight against BGA which I
have won, only to lose against Aiptasia and hair algae).
<There are
several methods for Aiptasia control. More here and related links in
blue:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/aiptasia/aiptasia.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/cav1i3/aiptasia_impressions/aiptaisia_impressions.htm
Only been a little over a week since you wrote in about these
issues. This battle will take time, once changes have been made.>
Despite all of WWM's positive words, I wonder if the problem is not the
DSB, both of them or maybe just the downstream one, which has flow only
across the top. Thoughts?
<I would keep. Do you
occasionally vacuum the sand bed?>
Maybe I should clear all sand out
of the downstream fuge completely?
<If it were me/mine I would try
implementing other options and leave the DSB in place. -Mich>
Bob
Lee
Another Aiptasia Question - 03/20/07
Just
finished setting up my 240g with 300lbs of LR and I have noticed about
10-14 Anemone's.
<<Uh-oh...cultured live rock was it?>>
Some
large, some small, some brown, some clear, some striped.
<<Ah
yes...>>
After searching the web I have decided these are Aiptasia.
<<Is very likely>>
This LR is in an Agg FOWLR tank, I understand
they breed like crazy with lots of nutrients which I'm sure to have with
a Grouper, Lion, and Eels.
<<Indeed>>
But my question is this,
does Aiptasia have any benefits (filter
feeding, extracting wastes,
etc)?
<<They are amazing absorption feeders, pulling dissolved
organics from the water (one of the reasons they are so
successful/difficult to eradicate)...but...>>
And do they pose any
threat to large fish?
<<Mmm, good question...they do have a fairly
potent sting. I wouldn't think they would pose a big hazard to large
fish...but a heavy infestation may prevent these fishes from
getting/staying in their favorite hidey or sleeping holes in a closed
system...thus creating stress and all the possible ailments/troubles it
will bring about. My opinion is a few here and there wouldn't be a
concern...but I wouldn't let the Aiptasia overgrow the entire system>>
Other fish planned were a Harlequin Tusk, Yellow Tang, Queen Angel, and
possibly a Sohal Tang. Lastly I read on one of your articles about
Aiptasia that the Queen Angel eats it, but can't find that info anywhere
else on the web to confirm. Can you confirm?
<<Not personally,
no...and though I consider Bob a reliable source, each fish is an
individual...>>
I do not mind having a constant grazing material for
an Angel to eat on it this is true.
<<Time will tell>>
I missed
Anthony's lecture at ThatFishPlace this past weekend, but the tent sales
pulled me away :o).
<<Bet it was a good time>>
Thanks for all
the hard work guys,
Joe in MD
<<Pleasure to assist...EricR in
SC>> Aiptasia Control 2/27/07
Hello,
<Hi John>
My
question is simple! I'd like to use Kalk slurry to fill the hole the
little Aiptasia bugger is in. Then plug the hole with epoxy so it can
never return! Good idea? Bad idea?
<As long as there is no back
door, I'd just plug the hole.>
I can easily take the rock out so
that is not an issue. My only concern is a chemical reaction. Will the
slurry and epoxy, being in such close proximity to each other, cause a
reaction that could leach awful no good compounds into my tank? Ever
been done by anyone you know?
<To be on the safe side, I'd plug the
hole 15 minutes after the Kalk shot.
Do read here and linked files
above for more info on control of these little &%$#*s.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/aiptasia/aiptasia.htm>
Thanks WWM Crew,
<You're welcome John. James (Salty Dog)>
John
My little Aiptasia... 2/26/07
I got some base rock
for my 45g tank and along came a little Aiptasia, barely as wide as a
dime, and before I knew it was an Aiptasia (24 hours ago hehehe) it
became my little pride and joy.
<Wait a while... for the "Day of the
(Glass Anemone) Triffids!">
It really is cute, and I thought it was
another cute little hitchhiker on the cheap rock. However... Seeing its
true nature on the internet has led me to the decision to possibly buy
an Elegance Coral to eat it but I don't think my tank will be able to
support something so hard to care for. They seem to have an awfully high
death rate, and I have a Sun Reef 50/50 bulb as the only source of
coral-friendly light. My budget barely allowed for that at the time, and
the only upgrade will take two of my measly paychecks at the moment. So
I was trying to think of some relatively easy to keep coral that might
eat the Aiptasia but be able to survive as long as I do the necessary
additives and food. I got the stupid Aiptasia some Zooplankton which he
ate with much vigor. Any suggestions other than
letting it slowly
die out in the air for a week or so?
<Could work, yes>
Apparently that "little" Aiptasia will be a nuisance in the future, and
as much as I think he's cute, I know I have to find a humane way of
killing it. I figured getting eaten alive is more like nature's way
right? :)
<Mmm, what is it about "nature's way" and living in a
transparent box that doesn't seem to quite gel here? I say, either keep
the little bugga-boo or rid yourself in whatever way seems facile>
BTW, the tanks inhabitants are a pair of False Percula Clowns, a Green
Spotted Puffer, a Canary Wrasse, a handful of snails and crabs. There's
less than 10lbs of base rock at the moment since its so expensive to get
the stuff, and even more if I wanted to get liverock - I'm doing the
"one step at a time" approach. There's an Emperor Biowheel filter
(Forgot what size.. It has room for two cartridges) and a 90g Red Sea
Skimmer, and plans in the way for a homemade sump/refugium later. Thank
you very much, I hate being such a newbie but the internet is so full of
conflicting information I'd like to double check and see if I'm heading
the right direction.
<Mmm, yes.... Please read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/cav1i3/aiptasia_impressions/aiptaisia_impressions.htm
and the linked files below. Bob Fenner> Re: My little
Aiptasia... 2/27/07
Okay so I was looking through
all the FAQs and really considering an Elegance Coral until I read this
one :
"Elegance Coral
Hi Guys and Girls <Hi Joe, MacL here>
I just got a new elegance coral for my established reef tank. It is in a
nice open sandy area so I am hoping it does well. However my needy
clownfish has not unexpectedly taken up residence in it almost
immediately. Is my newcomer in serious danger and is there anything I
can do? <It can be a real problem. Often they host and don't irritate
the corals but sometimes they do irritate the corals and indeed kill
them. These fish can be deadly to corals and really there isn't much
you can do about them besides find another host they will go to OR get
rid of the coral. Sorry to be such a downer. It is possible that it
won't irritate the coral at all, in which case you have a interesting
situation to enjoy.>"
Is something like this a serious enough
problem to reconsider? If I went through the trouble to get a decent
Elegance, feed him, and take care of him... Would my two clownfish
stress it out trying to make a home on it?
<Is a possibility...
though these fishes generally choice other, more agreeable host species>
I want something that would kill the Aiptasia but be enough of a home
for my Clownfish, while simultaneously not beating the hell out of the
three bumblebee gobies. They can eat 3x their weight in food, and have
no hesitations of where they go for it, and I'm worried something as
strong as an Elegance will eat them for dinner. Maybe I'm just crazy.
Any suggestions then?
<Yes... other means of Aiptasia control...>
I don't want something as delicate and hard to keep as an Elegance if
it'll probably just die (increasing the demand for more Elegances
collected in shoddy conditions and just screwing up the oceans some more
sounds like a cruddy plan if it'll just die)... Thanks a lot, sorry to
be such a bother!
<Please read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/cav1i3/aiptasia_impressions/aiptaisia_impressions.htm
and the linked files at the bottom. Bob Fenner>
One last question!
This is for future reference when I dive into the world of corals...
What is your opinion on Pulsing Xenia versus Starburst Polyp (Briareum
sp)... Also, Colt Coral would kill those I listed above right? There's
so many different types of corals and whatnots, Its easy to get misled
and I refuse to trust anything less than 5 sources... Waste of money and
corals are animals, I'd hate to kill one just for experimentation/newbie
purposes.
<Read on my friend, read on. BobF>
Aiptasia
anemone removal 2/26/07
Dear BOB,
<Hi Jason, Mich
here.>
One other quick question for you. I seem to have Aiptasia
anemones but only in my refugium. Thankfully they have never migrated to
my main tank.
<Yet!>
Almost all of them hang out and reproduce
in the bioballs and first baffle of the refugium. Hence they are
inaccessible to inject.
<I'm not sure I understand why they would be
inaccessible>
I can only consider emptying the water and letting
them dry out and refill it. Do you have any suggestions as to how to rid
my refugium of these pests?
<Lots of options please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/aiptasia/aiptasia.htm
and
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/cav1i3/aiptasia_impressions/aiptaisia_impressions.htm
and related links in blue.>
Thanks
Jason
<Welcome! -Mich> Re: Aiptasia Anemone Removal – 2/26/07
Dear Mitch,
<Hi Jason, it's Michelle.>
Reason the Aiptasia are
inaccessible in the bioballs is because the refugium I have, the width
of the baffle is that of one bioball.
<Yikes!>
So maybe the
bioball chamber is 24" H x 18" D x 1.5-2" W. SO getting a needle,
siphon, etc is near impossible and removing the bioballs is a mission
in itself.
<Sounds like it! Perhaps some DIY tongs are in order.>
Plus no shrimp or nudibranchs can get into that area and hence injection
with my arm and a needle is hard as well. Any Aiptasia that get into the
main refugium chamber I kill without a problem.
<This is good.>
The only thing I can consider is emptying the refugium and cleaning
them out but I also don't want to kill that many tube worms, pods and
other beneficial bacteria.
<Vigilance is a reasonable option.>
Best regards,
<And to you! -Mich>
Jason Aiptasia in
Swim (FOWLR) Tank, Multiple Pygmy Angels in a Tank - 02/15/07
Hello,
<Hi there Kiet! Mich here.>
First of all, I wanted to
say your site has provided me with an abundance of knowledge in
maintaining a healthy aquarium.
<Glad to hear this!>
The first question I wanted to ask was; would it be alright to leave
Aiptasia in a swim tank? I know they can be harmful in a reef setup, but
I was not sure about fish only tanks.
<Should be fine.>
The second question I was wondering was; should pygmy angels be kept one
to a tank?
<Yes, best to be solitary, unless the tank is very
large.>
Thank you,
<You're welcome! -Mich>
Kiet
Aiptasia Dilemma, Removal Options - 02/15/07
Dear Crew
<Hi Dan! Mich with you tonight.>
I recently purchased some Caulerpa
racemosa attached to a small piece of live rock which I placed into my
new refugium.
<OK.>
After a little while I noticed that the live
rock is home to quite a few Aiptasia anemones.
<OK.>
So my
question: should I try to combat the Aiptasia by adding some hermit
crabs, or would it be better to try and detach the Caulerpa and chuck
the rock into the bin?
<You can try the hermits, Peppermint Shrimp
(Lysmata wurdemanni) are if they’re hungry enough may help. Chemical
options also work i.e. Kalk paste, lemon juice... Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/Aiptasia/aiptasia.htm removing
the Caulerpa is also an option.>
I'm not sure if this is
possible since the Caulerpa racemosa seems to be pretty fragile.
<Hmm, usually is quite hardy.>
Is it easy to attach the Caulerpa to
another piece of live rock or the substrate?
<Really no need for it
to be attached, but should be easy to do if you so desire>
Thanks!
<Welcome!>
Dan Aiptasia Control, Caulerpa
2/14/07
Dear Crew
<Brenda here>
I recently purchased
some Caulerpa attached to a small piece of live rock which I placed into
my new refugium. After a little while I noticed that the live rock is
covered in Aiptasia. So my question: should I try to combat the Aiptasia
by adding some hermit crabs, or would it be better to try and detach the
Caulerpa and chuck the rock into the bin? I'm not sure if this is
possible since the Caulerpa is very fragile (the bubble variety).
<If you decide to remove the rock, it can always be added later as
“dead” rock. It will take some time before it becomes live rock again,
but at least it’s not a total waste. As far as which method is best to
remove Aiptasia, it seems the jury is still out on this. Some hobbyists
have luck with one method where others have had no luck. Here is more
information on Aiptasia control:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/Aiptasia/aiptasia.htm I
think you will be fine removing the Caulerpa, it should reattach
soon. There is more information here on
Caulerpa: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/caulerpafaq2.htm
Thanks!
Dan
<Your welcome. Brenda> Kold Steril Filter
Reason for Aiptasia and Algae Growth 10/4/06
Thank
you for your website and the vast amount of information. The
information has prevented me from making numerous errors.
<Thanks
and welcome>
I have a 125 gallon reef tank and I switched from
Reverse Osmosis water from the water store to the Kold Steril Filter
using my city water. I seem to have had an increase in Aiptasia and
green algae growth over 6 months time.
Do you think this is because
of the minerals in the water that did not exist with RO water?
<Mmm,
interesting speculation... if only we could "go back" and set up a few
replicate systems to test this hypothesis... Don't know>
Should I
add an RO system after the Kold Steril Filter to get rid of the algae
and slow the spread of Aiptasia?
<Mmmm, I definitely would not. The
KS unit is very likely doing about all that can be to provide clean
water. I would employ other means of pest anemone control. Please read
here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/aiptasia/aiptasia.htm
and the linked files above>
I have one other question. I have a
Niger trigger in a different tank that is fish only. The tank is 130
gallon high. What if any other fish would be stable with the
trigger? I have had the trigger for 6 months and he does well. I do
not want to crowd him as he grows.
<Please see WWM re Odonus niger
and general Trigger Compatibility... Bob Fenner>
Thanks for your
help.
Darrell
Aiptasia 8/24/06
Good
morning,
<And to you>
I'm starting to see a couple of Aiptasia
in my main display ( I have 5-10 in refugium). I have a four line
wrasse, a fridmani, flame angel, cinnamon
clown, dragon goby, seven
blue green Chromis, one fire shrimp, and four skunk shrimp in my 150 gal
mainly SPS reef. I am by no means over run with
the Aiptasias, but
I would like to nip the problem early.
<You are wise here>
I've
searched your site concerning the wurdemanni shrimp but I'm not sure
what "all but the largest Aiptasia" means.
<Mmm, ones that are much
larger than the shrimp let's say>
I have one that is about 1" in
diameter, would that be considered large?
<IMO, yes>
How do
you think this shrimp would fair with my current stock? Any suggestions
would be greatly appreciated.
<I would likely try "cutting this
back" before hoping, adding the shrimp... with a strong vacuum and a
sharp tool... Bob Fenner, who likes large pizzas, but not too large!>
Aiptasia (sorry I know you get a lot of these emails)
8/14/06
Hello once again. I have a 90 gallon tank that has
a lot of Aiptasia which seem to be spreading. I have read your FAQs
on Aiptasia and realize that it is probably a nutrient problem. I
feel as though I am not overfeeding... fish eat food within a minute
(spectrum pellets and Mysis). I currently only have 3 fish, a Kole
tang, clown fish, and a Pseudochromis (blue flavivertex) all are 3
inches or less. I have a lot of corals currently mostly on the sand
bed because of the Aiptasia on the rocks, I also feed the corals
Mysis, Cyclop-eeze, ZooPlex on a rotating schedule about 2 to 3
times per week. Corals include Favites, Favia, red trach brain,
green trach brain, torch coral, Montipora, green star polyps,
mushrooms, and Kenya tree all are doing very well. My question is
how can I limit the amount of nutrients and still feed fish and
corals... which I think is important (obviously for fish but also
corals)?
<Please read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/algnutrcontrolfaqs.htm
same
processes...>
All water parameters are great ammonia 0, nitrite
0, nitrate 0,
phosphate 0.1 calcium 400, alk 10 dKH, and pH
8.3. I do a 10% water change every week with deionized water and
Tropic Marin salt. My skimmer is a remora pro which I have set to
"overskim" which I have to empty every other day (brown water not
dark brown skimmate). I have killed some using Kalk paste but don't
want to go crazy and cause a pH spike. Any suggestions.
<Posted
on WWM...>
Should I try not feeding corals for a couple weeks?
<Aiptasia are not simply a matter of nutrient availability or no...>
Increase flow (currently 1 maxi jet 1200, 1 maxi jet 900 and a Rio
2100 for overflow return)? Oh yeah I do have a small cleanup crew 1
serpent star, 1 cleaner shrimp, 1 queen conch, and about 6 Trochus
snails. I am not too fond of crabs because I hear they are not 100%
reef safe.
<We're in agreement here>
So to sum up this
really long, wordy email, I would like any suggestions on how to get
rid of the Aiptasia I have and also to keep this problem from
reoccurring. By the way I have tried peppermint shrimp with no
success. I will include a tank picture. Thank you very much,
Ryan Nienhuis.
<... Please read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/cav1i3/aiptasia_impressions/aiptaisia_impressions.htm
and the linked files at bottom. Bob Fenner> | 
|
Aiptasia Hitchhiker - 08/11/06
Hey Crew-
<<Hey Rob!>>
I
just wanted your opinion on something...
<<I'm always happy to
proffer my opinions>>
I have a 75 gallon reef tank. I recently
purchased a frag of orange-eyed zoo's.
<<Cool!>>
It's a decent
sized piece and the polyps look great however, I just noticed that there
is an Aiptasia anemone on this frag.
<<Mmm, some
freebies/hitchhikers are neat...some not so neat...this one falls in to
the "not so neat" category>>
My tank is currently Aiptasia free.
<<Generally a "temporary" condition in this hobby>>
Is it really
worth having this $10 frag in my tank with the risk of the Aiptasia
spreading throughout my display?
<<That's a decision you have to
make my friend...but, eliminating this pest before it spreads is a real
possibility as well>>
Is there any way to keep the Aiptasia from
spreading?
<<Yes...kill it>>
What would you do if it were your
tank?
<<I would try to get rid of the pest anemone were this me/my
tank. My preferred method is to inject the anemone (run the needle
through the oral opening down in to the stalk) with full strength lemon
juice. Sometimes takes more than one hit, but I've found this method to
be very effective...and as effective (or more so) as any of the
commercial products I've tried>>
As always, I appreciate your time!
Best regards,
Rob
<<Glad to help. EricR>>
Aiptasia
seeds? 7/27/06
Mr. Fenner and gang,
<Hello there!>
Hello all, I have a 20G and 2.5G both mixed reefs. The 2.5G has been
somewhat neglected and at the moment, is being overtaken by Aiptasia.
<This is a very common problem with a tank this small. Nutrients,
unless you are EXTREMELY diligent run like crazy in a tank of this
size. I would suggest going bigger if you can.>
I have three small
colonies of Zoa's, one of which the dang Aiptasia is actually sprouting
up through.
<Just annoying, isn't it?>
My question
is, can I salvage/frag what I can of the unaffected Zoa's and put them
in my 20G that is Aiptasia free and not worry
about it sprouting up
in there, or is that just asking for trouble?
<Actually you can, but
there is always a chance that you'll be moving a few over to the new
tank. Once again, it is better to treat the problem than the symptoms
here. If you want to make the move, manually remove all Aiptasia (be
very care around the zoas, no need to break any of them and wear gloves
just to be on the safe side.) Then move over to bigger tank. Work on
getting nutrients down in your 2.5 though.>
Thanks for your time,
Mike Troolines
<No problem, have a great one! Jen S.> Re:
Aiptasia and Frogspawn corals 5/31/06
Hello Bob.
The
return of the Aiptasia, imagine that!
A strange thing noticed on the
specimen growing among the frogspawn colony: The tentacles closest to
the frogspawn polyps are receded and wilted while the pest tries to
avoid these polyps.
I found several others growing near the top of
the tank where the P. skimmer empties into the water. I know why they
grow here though only discovered their presence in the passed couple
weeks. This is where I put food for dispersion by the flowing water and
it sometimes collects near the top of the rock.
I purchased what I
thought are Peppermint shrimp but I am not so sure as these are larger
than usual and the coloration seems more subdued and the specimens
darker. These are neat little guys at any rate even if they do happen to
be the wrong shrimp. I am still looking for the Berghia but have never
seen one offered at any of the LFS(s). Right now I am using my QT tank
for control though the one rock is exceptionally large where these pests
reside. I may restart my 55 gallon tank and purchase a Copperband
butterfly or similar species for control... not sure though as incurring
more expenses and maintaining yet another tank might get real old real
fast. Maybe if I can repair the light fixture on the 24 gallon (I think
the external ballast went) then the new light I got could get moved....
Decisions, decisions....
Sincerely,
James Zimmer
<<James: Frogspawn has a powerful sting. Sounds like it is stronger
than the sting of an Aiptasia. Peppermints are hit or miss. When I
have bought them, only about 1/2 to 2/3 eat Aiptasia. Berghia are
available online. If you do a search on www.reefcentral.com and other
sites you may find people selling them. Unfortunately, if they work,
they will die once they have eaten all the Aiptasia. Rather than use
critters, if you don't have too many, I like to make a batch of Kalk
paste and inject it into the Aiptasia holes with the plastic syringe you
get with baby medicines. After you inject it, don't scrape the paste
off. Eventually coralline algae will grow right over it. Best of luck,
Roy>> Re: Aiptasia and Frogspawn corals
- 06/01/2006
Roy.
Thank you for the advice on Aiptasia
control.
I have used the Kalk paste or slurry also and depending on
location or orientation to preferred animals I am sometimes reluctant.
Yes, this
latest crop will have my work cut for me. I may just use
the paste method again for the large rock as it is too much to move into
the
smaller QT. As for smaller rocks I can move them and train,
hopefully, the shrimp to eat the pest anemones. I will not use
concentrated Ca(OH)2 near the frogspawn if I can at all help it.
Again, thank you.
James
<<James: You're welcome. Based on my
experience, the Peppermint Shrimp will either like Aiptasia or not
(that's why if you have a big enough tank, it's good to buy 2 to 3 to
see who will eat them). In my best case, one peppermint ate about 100
Aiptasia within about a day. It was amazing to see him attack them. He
looked like a boxer working on a speed bag. Unfortunately, for that
Peppermint Shrimp a Skunk Cleaner Shrimp attacked him and ate him. I
guess the Skunk Cleaner liked the taste of Aiptasia fed shrimp. If you
are careful with the baby medicine syringe and make a thick enough
paste, you can inject the paste with a lot of control (like you are
decorating a cake). If some of the paste starts to float off, just
disburse it as fast as you can. In my experience, if a little bit
brushes a coral (such as your frogspawn) as it floats buy, it won't hurt
anything. Best of luck, Roy>> Aiptasia - 5/12/2006
I am
pretty sure that I have Aiptasia Anemones in my tank but want to verify.
<<OK.>>
Are these the only anemones that populate quickly?
<<No.>>
They seem to be multiplying quickly. I keep finding new
ones. The photos I looked at are pretty much the same thing I have in my
tank.
<<If they look like Aiptasia, they likely are.>>
I can't
believe I have been feeding this thing.
<<Most live rock has a few
hitchhiking.>>
Is it 100% necessary to get rid of them?
<No. Depends on your system and other inhabitants. I would opt to
remove them.>>
How much harm can they really be?
<<They do move,
and can sting/kill other corals and livestock. There are many products
available to eradicate them, as well as some natural predators. Read
here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/aiptasia/aiptasia.htm.>>
Thanks for the help
Mike
<<Glad to help. Lisa.>>
Importing Aiptasia from LFS? 4/27/06
Dear Mr. Fenner,
<Jen S. here, Bob is at a conference.>
There are two prominent LFS's
in my community that have nice corals.
Store A has noticeable
Aiptasia growing in their systems (one or two per tank, but not
infested); Store B has essentially none.
<Very common to see in a
LFS>
However, compared to Store B, Store A has a better selection of
corals and- overall- friendlier, more helpful staff.
<Go with Store
A then.>
I read your Aiptasia article and came away with the
conclusion that eventually I'll have to deal with these pesky beasts.
<Hopefully not with diligent care.>
My water parameters are great
for a three month old system (good skimmer, Chaeto refugium, Nitrates
zero).
<You system is quite young to be adding a lot, be
careful!>
I am told that one way to control Aiptasia is through
prevention, with good nutrient export the key.
<Yup, and manual
removal.>
Question: with regards to potential importation of
Aiptasia into my system, does it really make much of a difference which
store I shop at?
<Shop where you like the selection and staff>
Also, will dipping my newly bought corals in Seachem Reef Dip make any
difference with regards to Aiptasia...or any other nasty thing for that
matter?
<I’m not sure, I doubt it. Manually remove all that you see
BEFORE adding to tank, and anymore you see after adding. Good luck w/
the shopping! Jen S.>
Thanks.
Russell in Louisville, KY
Aiptasia, aka Glass or Rock anemone 4/16/06
Hello to one and all,
<Hello to you as well, Jodie here tonight>
I have a brief question. In the process of setting up a 90 gallon reef
tank I purchased 50 pounds of beautiful rock from Tonga. It has run
through the curing cycle, and realizing it was too little volume for the
tank I started looking for suitable base rock. Through a reef club I
acquired an additional 50 pounds of "used" Fiji. It looked in good
shape and I did not find anything dead during my inspection. Utilizing
very poor judgment I placed this rock in the curing/holding tank with
the rest of the rock. Now
a few hours later I see Aiptasia popping
out of every hole on the new rock.
<I feel your pain; it's happened
to me as well. I'd recommend moving it immediately to limit the odds of
spreading to your good rock.>
There are too many to inject or cover
in Kalk paste. Would pouring boiling water over the rock kill the pest
or should I dry the rock in the sun for a few days?
<Boiling water
isn't guaranteed to kill them all. They'll likely just pull back into
the rock, where the boiling water won't get to them quick enough. If
you're not worried about losing all the life in the rock, then I'd say
the sun is a more likely to work. Just make sure to keep in clean, and
re-cure it after it's "sun bath".>
Thank you,
<Best of luck, and
hope they haven't infected your good rock, Jodie>
Rob
Aiptasia Removal - 03/17/2006
Bob,
<Stuck with Josh today
I'm afraid.>
There seems to be a lot of options for removing
Aiptasia (Nuisance anemone) listed on wetwebmedia.com.
<Indeed.>
The first seems to be removing the cause of their growth (excess
nutrients).
<Yes.>
I am in the process of purchasing/moving a 90
gallon tank with live rock. There is about 80 lbs of live rock with
about 10 to 15 nuisance anemones growing. Since, I do not have any fish
to
put in the tank, would these die from starvation if I just set
the tank up to keep the live rock wet?
<Highly unlikely.>
My
plan is to setup the tank/filtration and let it run for 1 or 2 months
before adding fish/food.
<Good to Hear.>
Should I remove/scrub
the rock prior to putting it back in the tank.
<Scrubbing them will
only create more...a lot more.>
Would it help to cover the tank to
minimize light?
<No.>
Do you have any other suggestions?
<It
sounds to me like you're in a great position to use the Kalkwasser
injection method. This is what I would do.>
I would prefer not to
buy crabs/shrimp as I have a Panther grouper that will eventually make
this tank his home.
<Understood and glad to see you're planning
ahead.>
Thanks
Jack W.
<Welcome. - Josh>
Aiptasia status report/Aiptasia Control - 02/27/06
Hi,
Crew! <Hello Amy>
Just thought I would weigh in on my experiences
with Aiptasia control and a variety of methods, after reading all the
FAQs. Bottom line: Nothing yet seems to work. I have tried 1)
Injections with lemon juice. This worked temporarily; they eventually
grew back, and if you get even one or two hiding in crevices that you
can't see, it's all over - they'll reproduce out of control from their
hidden location. 2) Joe's Juice - this doesn't work very well
either. It does indeed kill the target anemone, but there is a
significant problem: it seems to force the dying anemone to clone. I
tested this by feeding Joe's Juice to an anemone that was stuck to the
wall of the aquarium, so it was clearly visible on all sides. Sure
enough, the Aiptasia died, but it left behind a ring of ~5 or so tiny
clones, which are now growing to full size. *sigh* I have used
literally a dozen boxes of Joe's Juice, and all it seems to do is induce
them to clone. Watch out!
Since I'm very much against bringing any
wild-caught animals into captivity now, I'm going to try Berghia
nudibranchs. I have two arriving on Tuesday morning. I'm setting up a
breeding tank, along with a holding tank for Aiptasias (not that this is
a huge problem at the moment - my main tank is covered with hundreds
now). Will let you know how it goes! If they clean up the Aiptasias,
I'll pass them along. <Thank you for the email and do let us know your
results. James (Salty Dog)>
Amy Euphyllia cristata and
Echidna nebulosa... and Aiptasia control - 02/20/06
Dear
Mr. Fenner or crew member that answers,
<Jessica>
Just a
couple of follow up questions. Regarding the below mentioned E.
nebulosa, what would you consider the minimum for housing him
indefinitely?
<... 150, 200 gallons plus, uncrowded...>
It is
possible that I could trade in a few of my smaller tanks (and there are
plenty) that have housed freshwater fish over the years for a predrilled
standard 125 (I have been collecting tanks and freshwater fish since the
ripe old age of 8). I would probably have to use cinder blocks for a
stand (it would look like my neighbors car),
<Heee!>
or wait
until I can next get to my dad's shop to build one, which could take a
while, but would the tank work no matter what I set it on?
<? As
long as the stand/support is stable, strong, planar, level...>
I
have read so many different minimum requirements, 50 gallons on
DrsFosterSmith.com, 60 in the article on WWM, and all sorts of
variations up to a recommendation of 100 gallons on other places on the
web. I am thinking the 125 will work, but I want to be sure
first. What are the ideal dimensions for housing such a beautiful
species?
<The bigger the better...>
Could I fill it
3/4 of the way
(which would render the pre-drilling useless, unless
I lower the overflow boxes somehow), with a cover and still have a happy
eel?
<Not indefinitely... which was your question/concern>
I am
thinking that with the lowered volume, maybe I could simulate intertidal
pools for him to get into (the overflow boxes), maybe place some treats
in there from time to time.
Also, on
a side note, I obtained the below mentioned E. cristata/divisa from my
friend, and it looks great in the rocks, half way up, right under a 175w
10000k MH lamp and very near an 800 gph powerhead (the powerhead is on
the back of the tank, pointed at the front and makes a nice sweeping
current through the tank, the coral is in the direct path of the
ricochet current). I still do not notice sweeper tentacles, and I
wonder if I should?
<Not necessarily... but might at night, after
feeding if you looked... and very likely if you placed another cnidarian
close... or it chemically influenced the system>
It seems to eat
if I place meaty food on its tentacles (formula one, prime reef, or
Mysis and human grade shrimp, scallops and squid, all used in Mr.
Fenner's marine mash recipe from CMA) Is there any way to tell which
coral I have without dissection/microscopic investigation?
<Euphyllias are rather distinct... usually just looking at the polyps
will give you a species ID>
Not that it makes that big a difference
to me, but I would like to label my display museum style so when the
nieces/nephews/friend's children come over I can encourage them to
read/learn for themselves, much as you do here on WWM. Is it possible
that I have the wrong
genus in identification, since there are no
sweeper tentacles?
<Not likely>
(I have looked at all the
pictures I can find on the net, I am certain it is a Euphylliid, but I
am no expert.)
Another side note, I have found a
useful strategy for removing Aiptasia from my rocks that doesn't involve
chemical or biological controls. With great patience, I have shaded the
Aiptasia from the light. While they may be less light demanding than
their more desirable counterparts, in my experience, they are no less
light loving.
<Agreed>
I have found that the shading makes them
migrate to the substrate, where I simply use tongs to pluck them from
the aquarium. I often have had to "redirect" the anemone's path with
more shading or by turning or moving the rock, but I have successfully
removed 14 Aiptasia anemones this way (over the course of about 1 1/2
months). I also have not seen a mass reproduction that I was wary of
after reading about chemical controls or other methods like
scraping. Once they were plucked, they were gone. I now have an
Aiptasia free display, in case anyone is interested. I harbor some of
them in a 20L under regular fluorescent lighting to play with. It is
interesting to watch them eat bits of shrimp or whatever I drop in
there. In a sense, I have a dedicated display for anemones, as they are
the only thing there, except a few rocks. I will remove rocks and said
anemones when I next QT something. I just wanted to enjoy having an
anemone for a while, and Aiptasia has been suggested by some on WWM (not
without hesitation).
<Thank you for this>
One last
thing. My fish (green Chromis and a firefish) have been eating the meat
that I am feeding the coral. Can I just feed them the marine mash
(every other day or so), or should they have flakes and pellets, too?
<No need for the latter>
I believe the flake and pellet food for the
fish is producing phosphates in the aquarium, and I do have some algae
growth that I could live without.
Thank you for
your investment in my tank's well-being. You folks are the greatest.
Best regards,
Jessica Groomer
<Bob Fenner>
Aiptasia Article - 01/10/2006
I am writing regarding your
article on Aiptasia. First off thank you for writing on this topic, as
there really isn't that much out there to read.
<We're glad you
enjoyed it.>
I was wondering if it was at all possible to keep the
larger anemones with out future outbreaks.
<Not really. Any time
there are available nutrients, they'll reproduce.>
I was also
wondering about what exactly they are doing to my fish.
<Stinging
the devil out of them.>
My fish really don't seem to mind, but how
do I know.
<Hmm...Watch if they ever touch them directly. Notice how
quickly your fish move away?>
So are shrimp the best way to go?
<Depends on what is in your tank really. Some risk to desired corals,
but generally a good choice.>
Thanks,
Joseph
<Gladly. -
Josh> Aiptasia Control - 01/04/2006
Greetings crew.
<Howdy Dean.>
Once again thanks so much for your help in our
fascinating world of Marine wildlife.
<Our pleasure!>
I have a
fairly new (8 month old set up) 180 gallon marine tank with a nice
variety of corals (soft and hard), Polyps, invertebrates, and fish.
Everything has been coming along great but I do have a small problem of
glass anemones slowing taking over every vacant spot in the tank (and
that’s a lot in a 180).
<Yep. Of course I'm sure you know this is
all about nutrient control.>
I have tried inoculating them with a
syringe with hot water as was recommended to me. This doesn’t seem to
work. I know that the addition of peppermint ?
<Yes.>
shrimp may
help as they are
known to eat these anemones. I am afraid that they
might eat my polyps or soft corals as well. What is your opinion on
this?
<I agree. FOWLR wouldn't be a problem but in a reef setting
this could be a problem. Not guaranteed to be however the desired corals
could be sampled/eaten as well.>
Are there any other remedies that I
could try without potentially hurting the other inhabitants of the tank?
I would appreciate any recommendations that you might think worth a try.
<A few things to start. First, very strict nutrient control and
aggressive skimming (This will mainly only keep it from getting worse at
this point). This will be a bit tough. IMO these and the desired corals
are similar enough to be affected by the same chemical controls, so if
you go that route use caution. Here's a good article from the CA
Magazine for you http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/cav1i3/aiptasia_impressions/aiptaisia_impressions.htm
>
Thanks again. Your experience and guidance have helped many of
us enjoy this hobby with your advise.
<You're welcome, being in the
position to give it has done the same.>
Dean Fowler
<Josh>
Aiptasia In My Sump - 12/28/05
I have a 300
gallon tank with three filters with submersible pump heads in the back,
I went to clean it and noticed white pod shaped hairy polyps hanging on
the walls of the filter.
<<Sounds like Aiptasia>>
Upon further
inspection they were also hollow. I have not added anything to the tank
in 7 to 8 mos. The live rock has been in the tank for 2 years this is
the first time I am seeing these polyps. The last thing I added was a
Sea Hare. The area where they are does not get any light.
<<Unlike
most anemones, Aiptasia can prosper without light. I have witnessed
first-hand their ability to survive without light while living on
organic material absorbed from the water, as in an unlit sump.>>
Are
these things good?
<<Depends on your perspective. Do have a read
here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/aiptasia/aiptasia.htm
I did vacuum quite few out while cleaning.
<<That's one
alternative. Regards, EricR>> Killing Aiptasia With Clay -
12/18/2005
Hello, great site.
<Hello Tony, glad you enjoy
it.>
I have a brand new marine tank that is still in its cycling
stage. A week ago I noticed that I have a few, very small Aiptasia that
apparently came free of charge with the live rocks that I purchased.
I've read from this site that these guys are carnivores as well as
photosynthetic. I haven't put any type of food into the tank, it is
still very bare with exception of a few snails and hermit crabs, so I'm
not too worried about the overfeeding factor. I've read from this site
that these guys are carnivore as well as photosynthetic.
<I'd say
omnivore as I've seen them eat anything that floats. (Fish do get their
revenge;)>
So I guess starving them to death won't be an option if
they can survive solely from the aquarium light. I've attempted to
inject lemon juice into their base, but they are really quick to retreat
back into their holes.
<I've never felt comfortable with that
method, seeing as pH is so sensitive.>
I thought of an idea that I
haven't seen mentioned on this site. How about plugging up their holes
of residence with some type of play-doh type of material, and keeping
them that way for, oh I don't know, a month? Or even longer?
<Came
as a shock to me, but Aiptasia can and does change location if it wants
to. I saw one lose a Mushroom battle some time ago, and it actually
moved to an entirely different rock. That said, it may be able to move
throughout the rock's pores. Take that, add blotchy grey spots all over
the place, and you have an undesirable method of control. I like
Peppermint Shrimp, and have also used a strong Kalkwasser solution to
rid myself of these. I think you should go to the CA Magazine, linked
from the main page. I believe it was there, in the CA Archives, that
they hold a good article on controlling pest anemones (also the place
that I heard of people trying your idea). Much good info. in the CA
magazines anyway. >
That will deprive them of food and light. Do you
guys see any reason this might not work?
<I guess I should have
written all that here. Oops!>
Thank you.
Tony
<You're welcome. - Josh> Aiptasia anemone filtration?
11/22/05
I have been removing Aiptasia from my tank whenever I
find them. I recently read about keeping them in a refugium to help with
absorb nutrients. Is this a good idea?
<Can be... but in general, I
don't endorse... too easy for these to get about, into ones main system,
cause trouble stinging, chemically>
If I move them to separate
section of my refugium, do I run the risk of them spreading back to the
main tank?
<Oh yes. Bob Fenner> Quick Aiptasia question
11-20-05
I have been removing Aiptasia from my tank whenever I
find them.
<Good idea. Make use a lime based product to burn the foot
also or you will have more Aiptasia sprouting from the leftovers.>
I
recently
read about keeping them in a refugium to help with absorb
nutrients. Is this a good idea?
<Not in the least and not realistic
as aphasia are not filter feeders.>
<<You must have missed Anthony
Calfo's article on the utility of Aiptasia as a "filter" (direct link
shows a 404 error, but here you can find
Google's cached reprint of what is, I believe, in his "Book of Coral
Propagation - Vol. 1"). Marina>>
If I move them to separate
section of my refugium, do I run the risk of them spreading back to the
main tank?
<Yes, not even a risk, a reality. Travis>
Bubble Versus Aiptasia 10/13/05
WWM Crew,
I have a bubble
coral in close proximity to an Aiptasia anemone. The war is on. I know
the elegance coral can 'out-sting' Aiptasia, but will a bubble coral? If
it can, can I use it to kill the other Aiptasia in my tank?
<What
did you plan on doing, walking the anemone to visit the
Aiptasia?> <<Dude! It's a coral! Not an anemone... RMF>>
I wouldn't
call it an infestation, but I do have about 10 more Aiptasia in my 135 g
reef. They don't seem to be multiplying too quickly, but I would like to
take care of them before they become a problem. As soon as my LFS has
peppermint shrimp (the real ones... I read all about it!)
I will
grab a half dozen of them as well.
Broken record time... you guys
have no idea how much help you have been over the years. I have a crazy
set up that would never have been possible without the knowledge
obtained here (and Visa!).
<Read here BJ.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/aiptasia/aiptasia.htm
- James (Salty Dog)> -Another shark- 10/9/05
Justin,
<Pat, I apologize for the extended wait on the reply, I have been under
the weather.>
Nice to meet you, and many thanks to you and the rest
of the WWM for all your help. On your advice I did some research in your
anemones FAQ's. I was not able to positively ID the organisms living in
my tank, but my chosen livestock comes first so I will rid my tank of
the offending anemones no matter what they are (the feeling I got
reading your pages seems to be that all accidentally acquired anemones
are parasitic). <<Mmm, not "parasitic"... don't live in or on other
species... RMF>>
My tank contains three small sharks (an epaulette, a
bamboo, and a coral cat, 400 gallon is in the works for January, two 29
gallon sumps/ wet-dry trickles with bio-balls are currently cycling with
my current 150 so they are ready for the new tank) as well as one large
tesselata moray.
As such I am always wary of medications, sharks
seem to react negatively to such things. Your FAQ left me with two
alternatives I am interested in trying: One was peppermint shrimp. I
understand that a few of these will dispatch the offending organisms,
but in your opinion would they have a chance to do such before they
themselves fell to the bigger predators in the tank? <<No, they'll be
eaten. RMF>>
I also saw that I could remove the rock the anemones are
growing on and boil them to kill all the organisms on it (recall that it
is established volcanic rock and not live rock from the sea), or failing
that I could just toss it and replace it with new rock. Your wisdom is
greatly appreciated.
<I really think you best bet is to put the rock
into your sump and let the peppermint shrimp reside there and see if
they will clean it off. Otherwise ask your LFS to see if you can bring
the rock to them for their shrimp to clean then pick it up when its
done. Otherwise boiling works or does hypersalinity in the 1.60 range in
a container and put the LR in that, It will kill everything or most
everything as well. Third idea is to use Kalkwasser to inject the
anemones full of and that kills them that works very well.>
Also: I
have a few questions regarding sharks. As I said I already have three,
but in a four hundred gallon with ridiculous filtration (the two sumps I
mentioned, 1200 GPH protein skimmer, six foot home made suspended gravel
filter in addition to heavy mechanical/carbon filtration) I would be
comfortable adding one more.
< Unfortunately I would not as you are
already overcrowding a shark tank. Each requires quite a lot of water
and space and may kill another shark if not enough space is available.
Also if you really want to keep a shark for its lifespan or the three
you have, I would look into making a Saltwater pond of several thousand
gallons. MattieJ on Aquaticpreadators.com has the most expertise on such
things and keeps an 18,000gallon tank in his basement, and a 35,000
gallon 55ft by 35ft pool for 5 sharks. one or two being Blacktip reef
sharks.>
My totally unrealistic dream is a black tip reef shark
(LOL, some day), and your FAQ's/information sheets turned me off to
leopard sharks. I was wondering about the Freycinet's epaulette shark
(Hemiscyllium freycineti) and the hooded carpet shark (Hemiscyllium
strahani). I searched you site and got a hit with no information on the
latter and nothing at all on the former. I've also searched on-line
dealer inventories exhaustively and found nothing.
<<Ever hear of
fishbase.org? A listing of species, with as much information as
they have is packed into a huge database. There are no assessments
of availability within the ornamental trade. Marina>><<<Actually
Marina, if you look at the "Use..." per species, you'll find there is a
description "Aquarium" for species. RMF>>>
You can see pictures
of them here:
http://www.seapics.com/spsearchLynx/cgi.pan$188140x1x10?spsearchLynx
and here:
http://www.seapics.com/spsearchLynx/cgi.pan$qs+&hemiscyllium&strahani?spsearchLynx
respectively.
My question is do you know if these species exist in
the trade, or are they entirely unattainable? I realize the scope of
this question is massive and any help would be appreciated.
<Hmm well
I do not know about either of those sharks in the trade, however as for
the Blacktip shark I DO NOT recommend it for any aquarium less than
several thousand gallons as it is a constant swimmer and requires space
and a lot of it to survive. The only ones outside of public aquariums
that are thriving belong to MattieJ at AP (see above). If anyone knows
about those particular sharks you are searching for he would, He also
goes on shark collecting expeditions at times and has the licenses etc
to do so. I highly recommend you get in touch with him.>
<Justin
(Jager)>
Thanks!! Pat Hyposalinity & Aiptasia 10/8/05
Hello,
<Hello Katja (unique name)>
I would very much appreciate
your feedback :>. I just had a huge outbreak of tiny, clear Aiptasia
(glass Aiptasia??) in my seahorse tank possibly due to excess freshly
hatched brine shrimp.
<Yikes, but are you sure that is what they
are? Unlikely they would have resulted from a shrimp hatch.>
They
cover everything...glass, gravel, rocks, plastic plants. I have set up a
baby horse tank so as to
1. protect babies from being stung and
2. stop feeding the main tank so well.
Can I starve the Aiptasia
somehow?
<Unlikely as such, they produce much of their own food.
Could try completely covering the tank so no light enters...heavy black
sheet etc. I'm thinking if we take away the light source they require,
they can't produce any food. Can't really tell you how long this would
take.>
I cannot obtain true peppermint shrimp (only camel back),
Nudibranch nor red legged hermits. Do other varieties of hermit shrimp
.i.e...... very small & black help?
<Never heard of others helping>
I suppose anemone shrimp would not eat them
<No>
(only shrimp
safe with baby horses due to small size). Would you know of any other
biological methods safe with seahorses? Chemical injection and even
Kalkwasser etc methods would be near impossible due to the sheer number
and
tiny size (needle pin size for most).
However if I remove my
horses (I assume I would need to do this?)...how long would I need to
run the tank at ca. 1.01 salinity to ensure it is effective? And given
that I have live rock and associate crew, will most of the micro-live
e.g. bristle worms, Brittlestars die thus causing a ammonia spike and
recycle of the tank? If yes, how long before it would all stabilize
again do you think? Also would my mushrooms (morphs) and one soft coral
survive?
<I don't think much will survive at 1.010. You may have to
take it down lower to insure an effective kill of your Aiptasia along
with any other living organisms on your live rock. If your tank is large
enough, Copperband butterfly fish are good eradicators of Aiptasia but
the care level is not easy.>
Maybe I need to simply start afresh i.e.
strip tank...soak in freshwater for a week.. ?
<This might be your
best bet. I'm wondering if you added something else in your tank that
would cause this kind of outbreak. It sure doesn't sound like Aiptasia.
I know they are prolific breeders but not in the amounts you describe.
James (Salty Dog)>
Thank you in advance. <You're welcome>
Hyposalinity & Aiptasia Follow-up 10/8/05
Thank you James :>.
They certainly are Aiptasia as I tried to kill an adult several weeks
ago (silly me) and thus spread its tissue to happily regenerate across
the entire tank. But I'll either start afresh OR try to get some Stop
Aiptasia from Carol Keen in America. Cheers Katja
<OK, good luck with
your eradication. James (Salty Dog)> Aiptasia and snails
9/19.5/05
Hello,
I have a few Aiptasia on a live rock in my
55 gal. marine tank. I would
like to leave them alone if they are
not doing any harm.
<Then do so>
But will they harm my snails or
fish?
<Only if the fish/es are very careless, the
anemones far more numerous>
The snails crawl all over the rock and I
am afraid
they will be stung by the Aiptasia. Also the fish swim
very close to the
Aiptasia. The only fish I have now in this two
month old tank are blue
damsels and clownfish but I plan to add more
fish. Am I better off getting
rid of the Aiptasia and can I just
leave them be?
<If they concern you... might be better to eradicate.
Bob Fenner>
Geraldine Kluska
Aiptasia in the Chaetomorpha
- 09/11/2005
Good morning fine folks! Hope you're having a nice
relaxing weekend.
<More or less, yes. Thanks. Hope you've had a
good one, too.>
I received some Chaetomorpha from a fellow aquarist
a couple of days ago through the mail. It was very compacted but
otherwise looked nice and green and healthy.
<Nifty.>
I put some
of it in my 20 GAL holding tank and the rest in my "in tank refugium" in
the main tank. The refugium is nothing more than a box made of egg
crate and wrapped in window screen to contain the algae and keep the
Yellow Tang out.
<So far, so good....>
Tonight as I was feeding
the tank, I noticed something sticking out of the Chaeto.
<I'm hearing the "Jaws" theme starting, here....>
Upon closer
inspection, there seem to be MANY Aiptasia living in it.
<Insert hysterical scream>
I thought they would only be introduced
via Live Rock.
<Anything they can grow on can introduce
them.>
Could you please take a minute and look at the pictures and
tell me if I have the ID correct? Is it Aiptasia?
<Yes sir.>
If
so, I'll just throw the Chaeto out so as to make sure it does not get
into the main tank.
<I would probably store it in your
separate/quarantine system and kill the little guys with Kalkwasser
injection. Either way, good to get 'em out of your tank.>
Yet
another "plug" for quarantining EVERYTHING wet that goes in your tank.
<Yes, agreed.>
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y195/navajo001/aip3.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y195/navajo001/aip2.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y195/navajo001/aip1.jpg
As
always, THANK YOU for your time and all that you do! Still hoping to
get enough experience and confidence to be able to volunteer my time to
your site someday.
<Hey, gain that confidence quick! (grin)>
Thank you,
Tom (The Tool Man)
<Wishing you well, -Sabrina>
Aiptasia on neon star's rock 8/16/05
Hello crew,
<Stephanie>
I just realized I have Aiptasia in my tank - on the
same rock my new neon star polyps came with! i just bought the coral
last week and it looks like the
Aiptasia is growing very fast! I'm
worried it will
harm my neon stars since they're both sharing the
same little piece of rock.
<Might>
I've been reading that
peppermint shrimps can get rid
of this pest anemone. Will it damage
the neon stars as well?
<Likely not>
The Aiptasia came with the
neon stars, so they're all on the same little piece of rock.
Let me
know when you can, much appreciated!!
thank you!
Steph
<Bob
Fenner> Aiptasia problem 7/30/05
Hi,
I have tried many
ways to get rid of my Aiptasia. It
seems to work for a bit, but
then sooner or later,
they show up again and then there's more. I
know that
particles of the Aiptasia might cause more to come,
but it's really hard to get them out of the crevices
of the live
rock. Also, I can't take out the rock
they are on anymore, because
my featherduster has
stuck himself into the crevices and growing in
there
too. I have tried lemon juice, a peppermint shrimp
(After
about 4 days the peppermint disappeared. I am
still hoping it's
there hiding, but I fear for the
worst) and I even rigged up a way
where the half the
rock with the feather duster on it was submerged
in
saltwater and the other half is in air getting flushed
with
fresh water. Please help! Here are some of the
ideas I have:
-I
heard that the peppermint has to be bigger than the
Aiptasia to eat
it,
<Incorrect>
so I was thinking of moving the
rock to my
other tank and have a larger peppermint
feast on it.
-move the
rock to the other tank and use stop
Aiptasia, however I don't know
how to get the ones
inside the crevices.
any help would be
greatly appreciated.
thanks!
<No, thank you... for helping
yourself. Please study... starting here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/aiptasia/aiptasia.htm
and the linked files above... You will find there are more, better
routes to go. Bob Fenner> Aiptasia Trouble, large tank, lots...
6/29/05
Hello,
<Hi there>
I need to ask your advice. I
have a 300 gal tank with about
200pds of live rock. I have hundreds
of Aiptasias , I have tried
Joes Juice, and all the other products
but they grow quicker than
I can remove them. There are baby ones in
my overflow. I have tried
Peppermint shrimp but they are useless. My
LFS said the only thing
Left to do would be to get some base rock,
remove the current rock,
Clean the old rock. Let it stand out for a
few days. Then cure it and put it
back in.
<One approach>
What are your feelings on this? I noticed the base rock they have is not
live.
Would there be cycle problems with doing this. I have 4" of
live sand.
<Your system will have to recycle, yes>
My tank right
now sits at: Salinity 1.024, PH 8.3, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 40 ,
Ammonia
0. I do not want to screw the water up. Can you assist?
<Mmm, only
you can do the actual work here... Have you tried nutrient limitation?
There are times, situations where it seems better to best to virtually
tear down a system, "nuke" the pest anemones, start again... For what
this is all worth, I would re-read over our coverage of this and other
pest anemones, their control. Starting here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/aiptasia/aiptasia.htm
and on to the linked files above. Bob Fenner>
Thanks,
Scott
Re: Aiptasia Trouble 30 Jun 2005
Thank you Mr. Fenner for your
quick response.
If I started from scratch, Or the tank went through
A new cycle. I could not leave the fish and Inverts
In there?
Correct?
<Correct>
I would not want to lose any fish.
If I
put Prime or Some other chemical to neutralize the
Cycle would that
be a Idea.
<Not worth the risk>
I hate putting anything in my
tank
Except food. I learned a very hard lesson about all these
So called wonder ( Miracle) cures.
Thanks again
Scott
<Welcome. Bob Fenner> Aiptasia, calcium... reef maint. f'
Thanks for the help you have already provided (always helpful). But my
new problem arises with a glass anemone that has grown on a couple of my
LR's and am pretty sure it is about to spread like "wild flowers". My
tank has only been running for approximately a month but with the
addition of LR it sped up the cycle, and in fact finished in only 2
weeks. Now all the water
parameters check out fine. I have also
introduced some purple
algae (coralline). Which is holding on but
hasn't spread yet. I am worried that it is too good to be true because
why my tank is flourishing so quickly, it seems like everything I have
introduced to the tank and everything I have done has resulted nicely
and yet I don't think that I deserve such results.
The tank is
already pretty full (35G, 20lb of rock (need more), clown, damsel,
snails) which I want to keep for a while. Anyways back to the question
which is how do you recommend the removal of this anemone, or if I even
need to, and also I am trying to get this purple algae to spread and
purchased SeaChem's calcium, but am a little curious on the exact
procedure
you would recommend when applying (during water changes?).
<Cycling can occur quite quickly with live rock present. I would
suggest cycling any additional rock in another container for the safety
of your animals. Calcium and Alkalinity must be maintained in
balance. All the calcium in the world is useless without alkalinity to
go with it. I strongly recommend a good quality test kit for both of
these parameters and using a good quality calcium and buffer to maintain
both. Coralline algae growth takes quite a while to get going, so be
patient!>
For the removal of the anemone I have read that peppermint
shrimp are great but I don't know if I want to introduce one this early
to my tank. Do you think it would be ok or should I wait and find other
means to remove the anemone? My lighting
isn't great if this
matters, and filtration is below average, but everything that I do works
and have had no problems (knock on wood). I don't want to change
anything but I also don't want my tank taken over by pest anemone's as
your website put it. All the help you could give will be appreciated,
thanks Travis <Peppermint shrimp are great for large infestations, but
unnecessary for one or two. If you only have one or two anemones, you
can kill them by injecting them with peroxide, very hot water or
Kalkwasser paste. There is also a product called "Joe's Juice" that
works very well. You can also chip away the section of rock that it is
attached to and discard it. I would suggest getting rid of it now before
it does spread. Best regards. AdamC.> Correcting Some Common
Problems...
Dear Crew,
<Scott F. with you today!>
Sorry
to annoy you again.
<Never annoying us...We're here to help!>
My
new 230 gallon tank is inundated with hair algae and pest anemones.
After reading and reading articles in your web site, I have concluded I
could be fighting a losing battle. I had intended to set up a quarantine
tank and remove all my fish, I also intended to let my main tank go
fallow. To ensure that no ich lurked there, if I completely covered the
tank at the same time to remove all forms of light would this rid the
algae and anemones?.
<It might put a damper on the algae, but the
anemones may survive. I think it's more wise to go to the root of both
of these problems-Excessive nutrients somewhere in the system,
supporting their growth. Thoroughly review everything that you do with
this system, from stocking to maintenance to feeding. Husbandry issues
can cause these problems. Consider starting with your source water. Do
you use RO/DI water that is free of excessive nitrate, phosphate, and
other potential algae "fuel"? Do you run an efficient protein skimmer,
producing skimmate on a regular basis? Are you conducting frequent small
water changes? Are you running chemical filtration media, such as
activated carbon, Poly Filter, etc.? While use of these media is not a
"crutch" to replace proper husbandry techniques, they can help maintain
good quality water between water changes. Think about nutrient export.
Lack of proper nutrient export processes is probably 90% of your
problem. Nuisance algae and anemones almost always are the result of
these deficiencies.>
Or should I drain the tank, and start from
scratch, with new rock, bioballs and sand?
<You could, but it may
simply be better to modify the system and correct some of the things
that are causing the problems.>
Ensuring that I screen any future in
habitants prior to entry. Would I need to do anything else if I went
down this path? i.e. Treatment to the tank prior reestablishment.
<Well, as I suggested, establishing more effective nutrient export
processes is the way to go. Also, consider reviewing feeding techniques
and stocking as well. These are all easily correctable problems. Start
by looking in the WWM article index and reviewing some of our articles
on maintenance, husbandry, and nutrient export. The information is all
there to help you correct or re-start your system. I briefly touched on
some ways to correct the problems that you are experiencing; there are
many other ideas on the site, so do take a look!>
In the mean time I
shall attempt improved lighting filtration. And water changes, I
intended to install an abalone, I've been told these are wonderful with
algae. However if this is as successful as some of the FAQs I have read
I would rather restart now while I have no corals and a low fish
population. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. John
<Well,
John you could re-start the system if you want, but it may be better
just to correct the problems that you have. Creatures like abalone,
snails, etc. are helpful, but they are no replacement for properly
designed systems with efficient nutrient export systems...Get to it- you
can do it! Good luck! Regards, Scott F.> Tap water Rinse for
Aiptasia? Another Infestation of Aiptasia after Buying Gracilaria
- QT!
Dear Crew,
<Paul>
After receiving in the mail, a
half-pound of beautiful Gracilaria parvispora infested with Aiptasia, I
am at a loss as to what to do with it. Currently, it is isolated in a
bucket of saltwater with lighting and aeration but the vendor does not
seem to want it back. Is it possible to completely kill the Aiptasia and
its larvae by soaking the Gracilaria for several minutes with
chlorinated tap water?
<Mmm, no>
I don't want to contaminate my
aquariums but I hate to simply throw out the Gracilaria.
Thanks,
Paul
<I would go the route of using a purposeful Glass Anemone
predator with this red algae, while still keeping it separate from your
other systems. These Aiptasia-eaters are listed on WWM. Bob Fenner>
Aiptasia
I need help please, my live rock is becoming over run by
Aiptasia. I bought a Peppermint shrimp to help counter that, but it has
not touched the Aiptasia. If I cut on of the Aiptasia with a knife would
that help stimulate the shrimp to eat or would that just make them grow
faster.
< Brent, read here for suggestions.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/aiptasia/aipcheminjfaqs.htm
>
Thanks so much for your help!
<You're welcome. James (Salty
Dog)> Aiptasia infestation & quarantine question
Dear
Crew,
<Hi Paul, MacL here with you this fine and lovely day.>
Last week, I obtained a half-pound of live Gracilaria parvispora (Ogo)
from a dealer in Hawaii. I specifically asked the dealer if I needed to
quarantine the Ogo before adding it to my downstream marine refugium.
His emailed reply was no. <First and foremost, quarantine everything!>
Upon adding the Ogo to my refugium, I noticed a few dead amphipods. A
few days later, I discovered three 1-inch Aiptasia specimens attached to
the glass and to a clump of Ogo. I've never had Aiptasia in my tanks
before. After spending all night throwing out everything in my refugium
including live rock, quarantining the Ogo in a bucket after the fact,
sanitizing my refugium and hoping that the Aiptasia hasn't made it to
the main tank, are there any other precautions I should take?
<You
should be aware that lots of people use Aiptasia in refugiums for
nutrient export. On the other hand its possible that this dealer was
unaware that he had Aiptasia in his Ogo. Most people are going to say
that you don't have to quarantine grasses etc before you put them in
your tank because usually they come out of a situation where they've
been used for nutrient export.>
Regarding the dealer, should I simply
warn him to check his Ogo tanks for Aiptasia or should I also demand my
money back? What is customary?
<I might email him and tell him that
you ended up having to put the Ogo in quarantine because you found some
Aiptasia in it and you didn't want to chance having that go into your
tank. I'm sure he didn't mean you any harm, but if you feel very
strongly about it you might see if he's willing to give your money back
or perhaps you two can come to a compromise. You'll need to treat the
Ogo in quarantine to remove the Aiptasia from what's there.> Epoxy
to End the Existence of Aiptasia
Hi crew, learn so much each day
from your site!! Quick question: I have one Aiptasia on my live rock and
want to get it before it spreads. I use B-Ionic 2 part for my calcium.
Can I use that on it? If so, do I just use part 1?
<Hmm...I have yet
to hear of people using any B-Ionic on their Aiptasia problem, though it
may work. Most use Kalkwasser, fresh water, or boiling water, and
possibly even boiling fresh Kalkwasser water. If it is but one Aiptasia,
I have a trick that I use that I think would work splendidly in your
case. Purchase some epoxy used for mounting frags in reef aquaria. Take
a bit, and apply it over the anemone. Make sure it sticks and stays on,
applying the epoxy while the rock is held out of the water may help a
bit. Then simply let it dry over the anemone. It will soon become
covered in coralline and blend completely with your rock. Good luck,
Mike G> No-Fluoros: No-Go? Part II (The Plot Thickens)
Dear Crew,
Thank you for the speedy reply to my last message. I have
changed my ways, no more html!
<Good to hear. :-) >
Since the last
message, I have purchased the tank we had talked about previously. When
I went to pick the tank up, I found that along with several beautiful
corals and a fish it was an Aiptasia garden.
<Yikes!>
This would
not be a huge issue, but I was planning on moving the corals into my
display tank, to take up residence under my new 48" 250 Watt PC light.
<Sounds good. Oh, and Aiptasia is the incarnation of evil itself! It is
always a huge issue.>
I currently have the corals under the regular
Fluorescent I mentioned in my last message (because I do not have
anything else), and they are not doing well at all.
<That does not
sound too good.>
I need to take some immediate action.
<Agreed.>
Here are the two options I was contemplating:
1. Buy a peppermint
shrimp, go up to my LFS and beg them to let me borrow a PC light while
he does his job. (I doubt they will do this)
<Or purchase a PC light
yourself. Much more foolproof a plan.>
2. Frag the corals, put them
in my display tank, and start over with the 10 gallon.( I am worried
about any Aiptasia hitchhikers making it to my display tank.)
<Sounds
risky, the fragging part at least. The corals are under a lot of stress,
and fragging them could possibly lead to their demise. Only healthy and
established corals should be fragged. I would suggest moving the corals
and their bases to the main tank. But before you do so, let me tell you
of a trick for preventing Aiptasia from spreading in this manner. First,
remove the coral and rock it is attached to. You have a great advantage
over the Aiptasia: now that it is out of water, you have access to every
nook and cranny. Next, get yourself some aquarium epoxy (like sticky
play-dough). Apply over all Aiptasia. Place rock in main tank. The
Aiptasia will not come back after this.>
Would it be ok to Frag the
coral and try to save some of these beautiful animals? (Kenya Tree,
Xenia)
<By fragging the already stressed corals, you are only
compounding the situation. Move them to a new tank or upgrade your
lighting ASAP. Good luck, Mike G> Hair Algae and Aiptasia
Question 3/22/05
I am purchasing an entire Reef setup from
someone. It has been up and running for about 4 years. Here are the
specs:
75 Gallon - Drilled in two places on back
40 Gallon Sump
with a Mag 24 Return Pump
Aqua-c EV-180 with a Mag 7
6 x 65 W PC.
2 Actinic, 4 10k
4-5" DSB
125 lbs live rock
Livestock
-Various Corals - Mostly softies
-Too many fish - Vlamingi Tang,
Sailfin Tang, Hawkfish, Tomato Clown, Domino Damsel, Three Stripe
Damsel, Yellow Tail Damsel
-Inverts - Blue Linckia, Tuxedo Urchin,
Astrea Snails, Serpent Star, 2 Green Brittle Stars, 2 Coral Banded
Shrimp.
<Quite a crowd! I don't agree that there are too many fish,
but the tangs certainly belong in larger quarters. No less than 300
gallons for a Vlamingi!>
I will be moving the tank to my place on
Friday. There are a couple of rocks that have some Aiptasia (maybe 10
total in the tank) and some hair algae. When I move the live rock, what
do you suggest to eradicate them before putting them back in the tank? I
was going to hit the Aiptasia with some Joe's Juice. I was also going to
scrub the live rock in tank water prior to putting it back into the
tank. Any thoughts?
<Sounds like a good plan. You may also wish to
place the rocks that had Aiptasia on them into the sump or otherwise
segregate them so that you can keep an eye on them for Aiptasia growing
back.>
Going forward, I built a new Sump/Refugium out of acrylic and
will have some macro algae growing in there. I will also not be putting
all of those fish back in there. Way too much livestock. Hopefully this
should help eliminate the problem.
<Agreed. Good husbandry and
reasonable stocking should solve the problem, but be patient, it could
take months!>
Also, do you have any suggestions on the best method to
transport the fish and coral? I need to dismantle the tank, drive about
an hour, put the tank back together (including replumbing for the new
sump), put the water back in, and then add the livestock. I am going to
transfer as much of the water as possible. Keep in mind that I am in
Michigan and it isn't exactly warm up here this time of year. Thanks in
advance, Brian
<Ahhh... you got the right guy! I have moved more
tanks (mostly my own) than I care to think about. I would suggest
getting a few large shipping Styro boxes from a local fish store along
with a couple of handfuls of various sized bags (get lots. It is easy to
underestimate how many you will need and you can always take the extras
back). Each animal should go in it's own bag and into a box. If an
animal is too large for a bag, it can go into a bucket. Double bag fish
and double or triple bag corals. A trash can lined with a trash bag
works well for transporting water and Rubbermaid type toter containers
are good for rock. Take lots of towels!
Remove the corals first, then
rock, then most of the water. This will make it a snap to catch the
fish. Just be careful that you don't remove rocks with fish inside or
drop rocks onto fish!
Plan well starting days in advance. Set up as
much of the new equipment as possible and have plenty of spare plumbing
parts so you don't have to run to the store. Have a good plan for
getting the tank set up to a point where you can get all of the animals
in and go to bed and finish the next day if you have to.
I have had
bad personal experience and have heard other's horror stories associated
with moving DSBs. I would discard and replace it. Moving it in the tank
might work, but is very dangerous (broken glass) and disrupting it kills
much of the life and liberates A LOT of organic matter. Best Regards.
AdamC.> Transfer to new tank 3/22/05
Hello Crew, I would
appreciate some advice from the crew here. I am in the process of
setting my new custom made 380 Gal. Reef Tank. I am going to transfer
the rock and livestock from my 140 tank. I went out and got a new sump ,
Euro- reef protein skimmer, and all the trimmings.
<Wow! Sounds
nice!>
My questions are: In the old tank I have about 200 pounds of
live rock. I made the big mistake of buying it at Tampa Bay Saltwater.
Since I live here it was close. The reason why I say it was a mistake
ever since I got the rock I have had nothing but Aiptasia troubles.
<Pests can be a problem with live rock from any source, and eradicating
Aiptasia can be a difficult task! Catching the problem early is really
key.>
My other tank has rock from different area and never had a
problem. I want to transfer the rock to my new tank but do not want the
troubles. If I scrub it , I could loose all the good bacteria. Another
question I have is , how do I transfer the rock. If I take it out of the
tank it is in now, it will upset the filtration balance, If I transfer
the live stock and then the rock, it will upset the new tanks balance.
Of course I am cycling the new tank now, but I do not know how to go
about the transfer when it is time.
<Ideally, (assuming no Aiptasia
problem), I would recommend simply transferring everything at once. If
the new tank is set up, you could move the rock, the animals and as much
of the old water to the new tank as possible and you wouldn't have to
worry about a cycle. You would have some disruption, but no more than
any other method. If you are cycling the new tank with new rock, you
could move the livestock to the new tank and then quarantine each piece
of rock for a couple of weeks on it's way to the new tank to ensure that
it is Aiptasia free. This is tedious, but should be effective. Instead
of wholesale scrubbing, you could scrape off the individual Aiptasia and
then treat that small area of the rock with boiling water, strong
Kalkwasser or even a flame to ensure that any remaining tissue is dead
before quarantine.
I have 1 other question (SORRY) unrelated to the
new tank. I have a seahorse tank. I have had them for over a year. One
of them was pregnant and had 100's of babies. Of course I was not able
to raise them, they perished, I did not know what to do. I did not
expect them to get pregnant. Now the male that Had the babies has a big
bubble close to the back of his tail. I have tried to get the air out as
stated at seahorse.org But it hasn't helped. He can not stay right side
up, Do you have any suggestions? Thanks in advance. Scott
<No need
to be sorry! That is what we are here for!. Seahorse.org is the best
source of info on seahorses. I would try again there. Aside from
removing the bubble with a needle and syringe, I don't have any good
suggestions. Follow treatment with antibiotics may be warranted. Best
Regards. AdamC.> Aiptasia relocation?
Hi Bob / Crew,
Thanks again for all the assistance over the past few months, it has all
been invaluable to add to my little knowledge to make it just a little
more. If any of you, seriously, ever get over to Shanghai I would be
more than glad to help show you around the place, especially the
aquarium here, it's a stunner.
<Thank you for your input and kind
offer... you may see us yet!>
A quick question I cant find in FAQ. I
have 2 rocks in particular covered in what seems to be Aiptasia, still
trying to confirm this with a photo ID via internet as the tentacles
seem thicker...
<There are a few species, diversity in the Glass
Anemones... some squat, more/less transparent... and do change re local
conditions>
...than most I can see on pictures I have found, but
classic case of anything near them seems to be suffering and closing up.
I got them months ago at the onset of the system installed by the
Chinese and I didn't know at the time, especially as they looked quite
nice, but...ah well never mind. So my question is if I confirm that they
are Aiptasia, do they actually add in any way to the system, i.e.
helping water quality in any way?
<Yes... good point... these animals
could actually be considered a type of "biological filter"... have
seen/heard of folks using in a lighted sump as such>
The reason being
if they have a function then would I benefit if I moved them into the
sump area? There are lots as I say, about 30 pieces in all, some with
1-1/2" stem and 1-1/2" diameter.
Best regards
Dave
<Ahh! Worth
a try. Bob Fenner> Recurring Aiptasia
Date: Mon, 31 Jan 2005
Hi James,
<Hello Helana>
Thanks for all of your help.
<You're
welcome>
I added the 96 watt Coralife, and am waiting for the
delivery of the other light. In the mean time, I noticed a small
Aiptasia growing next to my open brain coral on a rock ledge. Several
months ago, I had Aiptasia growing on a feather duster, which then
hopped on a branch of rock( I thought it was a beautiful creature.
Wrong). I didn't realize until months later that this was a terrible
thing to have in your tank. I winded up taking the entire piece of rock
that had the Aiptasia on it out of the tank and throwing it out. Now, I
see another one growing. I also spotted a tiny tiny one growing on
another rock in a different location. Is it possible that this came from
all the coral I introduced into the tank in the last month?
<It's
very possible. I refer to it as the saltwater weed. And believe me these
can spread like weeds very quickly.>
Or, is it from removing the
initial piece of rock months ago?
<Could be, it's hard to say>
I've read tons of articles on this dilemma, and I just want to know the
best way to get rid of it. Would it be better to remove both pieces of
rock that have it on it? Or, would that cause it to spread as I removed
the rock from the tank?
<Wouldn't cause it to spread, but why throw
away expensive rock.>
I've read about lemon injections, other fish
to eat it, etc. but none sound practical. Also, until I figure out how
to solve this problem, can it harm my tank/inhabitants in any way?
<Yes, if they get to a plague proportion. I think one of the better ways
to rid them is to mix up some Kalkwasser according to directions on the
container and inject them with a syringe. Most people have pretty good
luck doing this. Some people have luck using peppermint or camel shrimp
to be rid of them, but it doesn't always work. There are certain fish
that will eat them, but the fish that can help can also help destroy
your coral. Try the Kalkwasser. James (Salty Dog)>
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