How to get rid of aiptasia in FOWLR tank?

[BlackTip]

A friend of mine has a 240g FOWLR 6 years old tank. His rocks are infested with aiptasia. He tried injection and manual removal without success. He is moving his tank to his mancave in the basement. It is a good opportunity to clean his tank from this pest.

What is the best way to get rid off aiptasia once and for all?

All help and ideas are much appreciated.

[Pife]

I have had nothing but good luck with matted file fish and bergia nudibranches.

[das75]

+1 for the file fish. Had some aptasia bigger than the fish and though for a while looking like the fish was a bust then one day was WOW nothing left.

[tc2007]

With FOWLER, a matted filefish is a no brainer. Only with corals, it is problematic.

[snorvich]

Racoon butterfly is guaranteed. Either endemic.

[alex gonzales]

+1 on the racoon butterfly, he will clean them up in no time! Beautitul as well.

[Dmorty217]

racoon butterfly is guaranteed. Either endemic.

+2

[Shinte305]

On my reef tank I bought 3 peppermint shrimp and I had over 7 little aptasias and one huge one, in a matter of 2 weeks the shrimps took care of them never seen another one since and it's been like 6 months.

[BlackTip]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

My understanding is that shrimps and aptasia-eating fish will not eradicate aptasia, it will just keep it in check.

How can he get rid of it? He may want to introduce corals in the future.

His plan is to take the live rocks, place it in containers with tank water, and keep it in the dark for few weeks.

Will his plan work? Is there any other, better, or faster way of doing this?

[snorvich]

His plan is to take the live rocks, place it in containers with tank water, and keep it in the dark for few weeks.

Will his plan work? Is there any other, better, or faster way of doing this?

The question posed was for a FOWLR tank. The darkness plan will not work.

[johnike]

I have a Raccoon and a Filefish.
Wiped out hundreds upon hundreds within months, I may stay FOWLR in the 240 now!

[CuzzA]

3 peppermint shrimp in my 90 eliminated Aiptasia within a week. Commercial products are a band aid that, IME, won't solve the problem. Just them separating us from our money. Lesson learned.

Lights out will not solve the problem.

[BlackTip]

The question posed was for a FOWLR tank. The darkness plan will not work.

Maybe I didn't ask the question correctly.

Currently, he doesn't have any corals in his tank. Just fish, live sands, and live rock. After he moves his tank to the new location in his house, he would like to add corals and fish. I don't know what type of corals.

Is his live rock doomed? Is there anyway he can get rid of aiptasia for good?

Also, can someone please explain why long blackout period will not get rid of aiptasia. I'd like to understand and be able explain to him the reason, so he won't waste his time.

Thanks,

[toothybugs]

Simple - aiptasia doesn't require light to survive. I had polyps in all the dark spots of my old tank. They were glass clear but it was definitely aiptasia.

[melvinakshay]

I've tried copperbands 3X no luck at all and they are really fragile fish :(

I'll try a racoon this time.

[snorvich]

I've tried copperbands 3X no luck at all and they are really fragile fish :(

I'll try a racoon this time.

Copperbands have an undeserved reputation for aiptasia removal. The Australian endemic seems to work more often than not but it is still a roll of the dice. Raccoons are not a roll of the dice, they work every time.

[brett559]

A CBB worked in my tank, got rid of lots and lots of really big aiptasias. But they are tougher to care for.

Raccoon butterflies are amazing fish. If were talking FOWLR, no brainer! Get the raccoon; they will ALL be gone. And you get an amazing fish to boot.

If he decides to add corals later on, rehome the raccoon and add some peppermint shrimp. They will do a good job of keeping new aiptasias from coming back. That's what I did. When I sold my CBB, I threw in 4 pepps and I haven't seen any aiptasias. That was 4-5 months ago.

[das75]

Maybe I didn't ask the question correctly.

Currently, he doesn't have any corals in his tank. Just fish, live sands, and live rock. After he moves his tank to the new location in his house, he would like to add corals and fish. I don't know what type of corals.

Is his live rock doomed? Is there anyway he can get rid of aiptasia for good?

Thanks,

I'd day unless your planning on leaving it dry for a week in the sun, chance are the aiptasia will return. This is probably why people are suggesting how to deal with it in tank.

[anbosu]

Copperbands have an undeserved reputation for aiptasia removal. The Australian endemic seems to work more often than not but it is still a roll of the dice. Raccoons are not a roll of the dice, they work every time.

My CBB decimates aiptasia. For a while that is all it would eat.

[snorvich]

My CBB decimates aiptasia. For a while that is all it would eat.

Terrific. Odds are about one in four even considering the Australian endemic. (Odds are only about 50/50 that they will eat in captivity).

[goldslinger]

Aptasia-x works everytime. BRS etc. sells it.

I always worry about critters that eat aptaisia as it is pretty closely related to some corals, too.

[mindi]

agree last post...i have eliminated all visible aiptasia from three tanks now using aiptais-x ...it works very well and even better when you get a little practice shooting it at just the right time. i have never had a shot anemone reappear.
admit a heavy infestation would take quite a while to get one at a time but the product works 100%

[snorvich]

agree last post...i have eliminated all visible aiptasia from three tanks now using aiptais-x ...it works very well and even better when you get a little practice shooting it at just the right time. i have never had a shot anemone reappear.
admit a heavy infestation would take quite a while to get one at a time but the product works 100%

Well, if you have certain sensitive fish, I would suggest great care using aiptasia-x as it can change the pH in your tank.

[mindi]

interesting..have only ever fired maybe 3 or 4 at a time. Is it acidic or basic..?..so knocking over 30 or so in one killing spree might be a bad move.

[melvinakshay]

Maybe that's why im failing. I keep getting the CBB from Philippines not Australia. The Aussie ones are a lot more expensive. In my quest for getting the right CBB I Iost 4 of them but I finally got one that eats aggressively. It has survived the first month and looks great.

[wildman926]

kleins butterfly fish. It will wipe them out in no time