Aptasia and Bubble Algae

[msujohn]

I have been battling aptasia for several months, i use a kalk paste and it kills it but they seem to pop up in other locations a week later? Is adding a couple of peppermint shrimp a better long term option? How many would I get? Any concerns with them in a reef tank?

I also have some bubble algae, not alot, but on one rock. I pulled out (manually) everything I could get to, but still have some on the rock. I've read adding emerald crabs is a good option. But, I worry that they will kill fish, etc. What other option do I have to kill this bubble algae?

[wildman926]

I have used a matted file fish for quite some time to rid my tank of aptasia and mejano anemones. The keep to keeping him reef safe after all "APPEARS" to be gone, is to keep him fed. Otherwise, they will dine on your corals. I strongly state "appears", because aptasia or majano anemones can hid in the rock for quite some time. This has been my experience.

On the bubble algae, why not take the rock and scrub and rinse it in a bucket of sw?

[oblio]

Aptasia, copper banded butterfly. Ive had on and off battles with aptasia for years. nudibranches did an amazing but then 9 months later they reappeared. I got a copperband and the aptasia are gone as much as I cant see them. And thats good enough for me. He eats mysis so in between I hope to keep him happy, to be honest now I want the aptasia to show up so he has something to do. :)
The bubble algae, since I got my water params better and better it has disappeared for the most part, super high flow areas seem to show a few now and then, like the return weir. or on the mp40 itself. But I simply pull em off and throw em away when I see them.

[msujohn]

On the bubble algae, why not take the rock and scrub and rinse it in a bucket of sw?[/QUOTE]

I have quite a few nice pieces of coral on the rock and worry I'll disturb them.

[davocean]

I would only buy emeralds from sites that advertise they eat valonia(BB algae) and that is what I would use.
I've had CBB's that eat aptasia, but they are sensitive, sometimes don't eat it or anything else, matted filefish would be my choice on that, easier to keep, not expensive, easy to catch if you wish to pass it along.
Our local club passes a few around just for that.

[Buzz1329]

Sorry to beat a dead fish, but IME, emerald crabs do not eat or otherwise reduce the population of bubble algae. Over the years, I've tried dozens from at least a half dozen places (including one that "guaranteed" the emeralds would take care of bubble algae), but IME it just ain't so.

The only thing I have seen mithrax eat are LPS polyps. I have seen different mithrax from different sources do this. Could be that my experience is unusual. Although given the different sources and number of these guys I have tried, I doubt it.

Further:

"In addition, while most stay relatively small (those in the genus Mithraculus) there are some that will grow to much larger sizes (those in the genus Mithrax) and may need to be removed at some point, as they are more likely to pose a threat to other invertebrates and may even catch and eat small fishes. "

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2010/12/inverts#section-0

So IMO, I would look for another method of reducing your bubble algae population.

Good luck,

Mike

[davocean]

I have had HUGE bubble algae outbreaks completely wiped clean by using emeralds, and so have a great many others.
No, not all eat it, but many do, and the ones that are trained and gauranteed usually do, and hey, they're gauranteed, get your money back if they don't, not a lot of risk there
And yeah some get big, I've never had them bother fish, but really big ones can knock stuff over, but they are pretty easy to catch

[jj5]

How reef and coral friendly is a Copper Band Butterfly or Matted File Fish?

[Buzz1329]

I'm wondering how exactly you would get your $ back if mithrax don't touch your valonia? IOW, how do you prove a negative? And would you have to collect the crabs from the tank to return them? Good luck with that.

I respect and accept others' experience, and maybe I am an outlier. But my experience has been that dozens of mithrax from multiple sources (including the one that guarantees results) have not eliminated a single valonia from my tanks. Again, the only thing I have seen them eat are LPS polyps (especially Duncan polyps). They grow and grow, and IME it is a PITA removing/killing them.

Others may have had more positive experiences with these things. But I have not.

Mike

[Buzz1329]

One more point and then I'll shut up. I swear.

It's also common knowledge that if you burst valonia bubble while trying to remove it, it will then spread throughout tank.

I don't agree with this, but assuming it's true. Mithrax cannot swallow valonia whole, right?

IOW, if they eat them, they must tear them apart to get them down their gullet?

So applying common knowledge, this means that by eating them, the mithrax would release a s--t storm of valonia throughout the tank.

Obviously, this can't be true because mithrax supposedly reduce/eliminate valonia.

So if you believe that mithrax can control valonia, you'd have to agree that manually removing the BA by hand or with metal dental picks (my preferred methods), will not cause proliferation of the stuff.

So why not just remove them manually without spending $ on crabs that may endanger your LPS?

Mike