what are my aiptasia control options?

[aleok]

Yes, another aiptasia thread...

I have probably 100 aiptasia in my 90g tank. I was injecting them with boiling lemon juice, but they just come back stronger and bigger every time.

I would love to get the widely proclaimed Berghia nudibranch but i have a longnose hawkfish, who i'm not sure would eat them. anyone have experience with this? the guy killed my cleaner shrimp but hasn't touched my Nassarius Snails.

A CBB or matted filefish would look great but i'd hate it if it got the taste for my soft corals and destroy everything. I'm also not sure if he'd get along with my: Kole tang, fiji damsel, mated flame wrasses's, Bartlett's Anthias, and mated Ocellaris Clownfish.

anyone in the same situation that found a solution?

[DiscusHeckel]

No method will destroy aiptasia 100% because there will remain some in difficult to reach places, sump, under rocks and inside your overflow box. However, you can reduce their numbers significantly, so that they will stop being a nuisance to your corals and visual irritant.

I have used over the years the following methods:

berghia
peppermint shrimps
aiptasia X
Joes juice
kalkwasser paste
file fish

THE most effective method that worked for me was the use of a file fish. However, before I purchased it I had to remove all my clams and LPS corals. I do not think that a file fish will touch soft corals, including feather duster worms and coco worms, but it may have a go at zoanthids.

I used to have literally hundreds of aiptasia in my display tank. I can no longer see any except in my overflow box and sump. Attached are two photos that depict the state of my display tank before and after a single file fish. The whole saga started off with a SINGLE aiptasia some 6 years ago. Aforementioned chemical methods can sometimes be counter productive in that if you do not apply it correctly, aiptasia will sporulate as a survival instinct and will multiply as a result.

I hope this helps.

[tang named junkyard]

copperbands will wipe them out then starve after. I had a bad case and within a week they were all gone.

[aleok]

Thanks for the advice, removing my LPS coral isn't really an option, Majority of my tank is LPS

[Sapelo]

My filefish has never bothered a coral or zoa although he does love to hunt for pods? Every fish is different.

[laga77]

Just went through a bad case of Aiptasia in a 50g. They are gone now. I purchased 5 Berghia about 6 months ago and a pair of Matted Filefish about 4 months ago. There was a Longnose Hawkfish in the tank all ready. In that time I never saw the Berghia at all or the Filefish eat a Aiptasia. CBB will not starve after the Aiptasia are gone if you feed them properly. Just like any other fish. IMHO, the reason some fish go after corals or clams or whatever and others of the same kind do not, is the diet they are fed. If you only feed foods like flake or pellets and not a variety of fresh and frozen, the fish are not getting their proper nutritional needs and have to go seek them on their own. Good luck with your battle.

[TattedUpFishGuy]

I put two peppermint shrimps in my 75g and they cleaned the right side on the tank completely out of aiptasia. The left side still have a few larger ones but there had to be twenty of em they took out so far

[jcdeng]

my 2 peppermint shrimps cleaned all of them in the DT in 2 weeks, now I still do have a lot in the sump but I don't see any in the DT anymore.

[aleok]

Just went through a bad case of Aiptasia in a 50g. They are gone now. I purchased 5 Berghia about 6 months ago and a pair of Matted Filefish about 4 months ago. There was a Longnose Hawkfish in the tank all ready. In that time I never saw the Berghia at all or the Filefish eat a Aiptasia. CBB will not starve after the Aiptasia are gone if you feed them properly. Just like any other fish. IMHO, the reason some fish go after corals or clams or whatever and others of the same kind do not, is the diet they are fed. If you only feed foods like flake or pellets and not a variety of fresh and frozen, the fish are not getting their proper nutritional needs and have to go seek them on their own. Good luck with your battle.

What was the method that worked for you? Your hawkfish never went after your Berghia?

[laga77]

What was the method that worked for you? Your hawkfish never went after your Berghia?

Never saw the Berghia after I put them in. IMO a Longnose would not go after them if properly fed. Never saw the Filefish eat a Aiptasia. I had hundreds in a 50G and now down to a few widely scattered. Sorry I cannot be more specific.

[brett559]

I'd try removing the longnose and then try the berghia. If that doesn't work, get 5 or 6 peppermint shrimp. With the longnose out, they'll be safe and they'll get the job done slowly. My pepps cleared out tons of aiptasia.

[Sounds Fishy]

My six Peppermint shrimp ate some of the aptasia.I purchased them in May,but never actually saw them after their introduction.A couple months ago,I assumed one shed,because I saw a skin floating around belonging to a shrimp.They did a great job,but I think my reef lobster may have altered their numbers.Not sure.