No... Not Aiptasia!

[Mhay]

I have spotted it, well two actually... possibly 3. They are all fairly small currently and I want to get rid of them ASAP. All of which are located on a new frag I acquired from my LFS about 3 weeks ago or so. My initial plan was to try the kalk paste. But then I thought that I don't even want to mess with this stuff at all and perhaps I would just pull the frag out, remove the little bundle of white palys I have and re frag them on a new clean plug. Then I don't have to worry about if the Aiptasia is dead. But then I started reading if you tick it off it will spit out a whole bunch of spores and I know I don't want that. So my first question is, should I go with the kalk paste or is it safe to remove the frag plug and re frag my palys? My second question is, I don't dip my corals, I know I should. Would dipping them have prevented this? Or is aiptasia "immune" to most dips?

[CodeBlueMedic]

In for answers on this one...

[schatzi]

I don't know if dipping would help but this is a good example of why folks QT their corals. If it were me I would pull the frag and use a new plug and hope for the best. I think you will disturb them less doing that than if you try to exterminate them.

[ajespo85]

Aiptasia eating Peppermint shrimp. Peppermints are hit or miss on which ones will eat it, but there are a whole bunch online and possibly at LFS that sell ones that will truly eat them! I'd look into that if you only have a few in your tank.

[coralsnaked]

Yes remove the frag plug and once out you can remove palys. Be sure to wear gloves and protect your eyes are palys are toxic. If the Palys come off with out the aptasia your good. other wise you can burn w/ a lighter or scald with hot water ect.. but if real close to palys all may be killed or damaged. If you kalk or aptasia x them in the tank then they will get pi==ed off and sent littler babies out to progagate as punishment. best to treat outside of tank when ever possible. And no dipping would not help they are little nems very simular to the palys in fact. Dipping helps for pest refered to as bugs and worms. Peppermints are hit anmd miss. But manual removal always works

[Mhay]

A new frag it is! I was thinking about getting a peppermint shrimp just because but I also have a cleaner shrimp. Will I have territory issues if I introduce a peppermint?

[schatzi]

IME I'd avoid peppermint shrimp unless you have an aiptasia problem. They can go rogue and start eating your corals.

[Sand.man]

I have had a few aptasia pop up from time to time.

So far, I find that aptasia X has worked for me every time. As long as you're patient and careful with it, and make sure that you inject/cover the oral disk of the aptasia, I've seen any aptasia disappear using this product.

It seems to be working for me so far, of course, it's a different story if your aptasia is nestled in between zoas/palys in which case you wouldn't want to get any ap-x on the polyps.

[Sk8r]

In all my years of keeping peps, I've known them to snatch one polyp of an sps coral (out of about 300) and decide they didn't want it.

Aiptasia is vastly over-rated as a hazard unless your tank has nutrient problems that completely overshadow the aiptasia problem: they just don't reproduce that much without a food supply. Usually they come and go. Useful in your sump/fuge, bit of a pest upstairs, but one pep shrimp to a hundred gallons can keep them in check.

[ca1ore]

I completely agree. Don't think I've ever had a tank that didn't host at least a few (or are Aptasia hosting my tank, hmmmmn), yet I have never had a problem. Majanos are more of an issue IMO.

[Fish Biscuit]

You'd be fine with a peppermint in there. I have 2 in my tank & they have always been fine with the pistol & cleaners.

They don't pick at my corals but will steal food from them once in a while. I usually throw some shrimp pellets in before I feed the tank for the morning & in the afternoon there's enough frozen for everyone.

[Mikesmith34]

Peppermints do work great as long as they are true peppermints. Now if you want something that will kill the crap out of ap's look up reef napalm. Follow the directions carefully. I use it to kill ap's , mojo's , keep mushrooms and xenia in line.

[Lavoisier]

In all my years of keeping peps, I've known them to snatch one polyp of an sps coral (out of about 300) and decide they didn't want it.

Aiptasia is vastly over-rated as a hazard unless your tank has nutrient problems that completely overshadow the aiptasia problem: they just don't reproduce that much without a food supply. Usually they come and go. Useful in your sump/fuge, bit of a pest upstairs, but one pep shrimp to a hundred gallons can keep them in check.

Hear! Hear! http://www.advancedaquarist.com/blog/aiptasia-removal-whats-your-preferred-method

My two most successful checks were a Copperband and Berghia verrucicornis nudibrachs. Both were wholly successful.

[johnike]

In all my years of keeping peps, I've known them to snatch one polyp of an sps coral (out of about 300) and decide they didn't want it.

Aiptasia is vastly over-rated as a hazard unless your tank has nutrient problems that completely overshadow the aiptasia problem: they just don't reproduce that much without a food supply. Usually they come and go. Useful in your sump/fuge, bit of a pest upstairs, but one pep shrimp to a hundred gallons can keep them in check.

I completely agree. Don't think I've ever had a tank that didn't host at least a few (or are Aptasia hosting my tank, hmmmmn), yet I have never had a problem. Majanos are more of an issue IMO.

Amen.
Maggie Kalk paste through a big needle will do the trick for you.

[shesacharmer]

I prefer a more natural approach and used just a bit of lemon juice in a syringe. It works great. Only use a little so you don't mess with your ph. Always try to remove the rock from the tank while dealing with it if you can...sometimes it seems they know which rocks you can't remove though! GL

[kenman345]

Dealing with what I believe to be Aiptasia in my tank right now. I only have a few little guys in my tank that are white-ish and hardly opened. I tried Aiptasia-X twice now and some have gone away but most are still around. I had my two scarlet shrimp and a coral beuty angelfish pass in the last 12 hours. I am concerned but hoping it's the Aiptasia and not some other unknown disease. I am thinking about getting a fish to help with the issue, obviously though this will be a long approach as I wish to Quarantine the incoming inhabitant.

Any recommendations? I have 2 peppermint shrimp but they are quite small and the nuisances are on the sides of the tank, rather far up. I have seen them near the spot but not actually on top of them.

[Sk8r]

Baby aiptasia look like a grain of rice, and peps may be eating those, while letting 1-2 adults continue to produce them. Clever peps. ;)

[Mhay]

thanks for all the input everyone! I think I'll first try removing the frag plug and see what happens. the rock they are on might be an easy move but not 100% till i really get in there.