Aiptasia attack

[Leedsbremner]

:scry: Just had a major invasion of Aiptasia, must have hitchiked in on my live rock, they were completly taking over the tank, thankfully I was advised to get some "Red Sea Aiptasia -X", a brilliant product easy to use and very effective. It cleared the tank with no problems, I am still getting one or two Aiptasia appearing but as soon as they do I treat them with the Aiptasia-X and bingo they are gone in a matter of minutes I have hopefully just got rid of the last of them.
I'll try to get some before and after photos uploaded.

[labnjab]

Peppermints can be hit or miss. There are several shrimp that are sold as and look like peppermints, but won't actually eat aiptasia. I've had great success with them in controlling aiptasia in my frag tank, sump, and a 10 gallon reef we had for a while, but I cannot use them in our 75 gallon display, which has hundreds of aiptasia. Something eats them in a matter of a few days, I'm assuming either our coral banded shrimp or yellow corris wrasse.

If you get the right shrimp and have no shrimp predators in your tank, then peppermints will usually wipe out aiptasia in no time.

[Cliff]

+1 to the above, Peppermints can be hit or miss.

If I am remembering what I read correctly, the ones that will eat them come from the Caribbean. The ones that I had would not touch any aiptasia at all. I had to remove the aiptasia myself

[Miltonic]

i recommend butterfly fish for aiptasia problems, like Copperband or Kleins.

[labnjab]

i recommend butterfly fish for aiptasia problems, like Copperband or Kleins.

I ordered just a copperbanded. We've exhausted all other methods and I would only recommend one as a last ditch effort to an experienced reefkeeper as they can be difficult to get to eat and have a slight chance of eating coral. Our local fish store has had it in QT for us for the last 6 weeks and has it eating frozen mysis and bloodworms and it looking great. If all goes well we should have it next weekend and hopefully end our aiptasia for good.

[Leedsbremner]

:22: Thanks for all the advice, I had heard that some Peppermints don't touch the Aiptasia. I'm still using the "Aiptasia-X" and seem to be winning the battle( found only two Aiptasia this morning).
I will try to get hold of some Peppermint and give them a try now I seem to have got the invasion under control.

[hockeyhead019]

peppermints are a craps shoot especially cuz some stores mislabel the shrimp, you'll sometimes get camelbacks instead of peppermints (camelbacks won't touch aiptasia) it's really tough to tell the difference so make sure you trust whoever you're buying the shrimp from if you choose that route

[Leedsbremner]

Thanks for the advice, I had heard that you have to make sure you get the right type. I have found a supplier that I have bought corals from before so I'll give them a try thumbs2:

[smaug]

camelback

http://petesfishplace.com/files/Camel_shrimp.jpg

peppermint.


http://joeknowsreefs.com/wp-content/uploads/wpsc/product_images/PeppermintShrimp.jpg

coloration is the same but body shape is very different. No hump and its a peppermint .

[chrisfraser05]

even then there are 5 variations of shrimp that actually look the same shape and colours as peppers. 2 eat apistaia and 3 don't!

We've had no joy with, long nose butterfly, file fish, 5 different peppers from different sources, lemon juice and aipistasia x.

I managed to source some proven berghus nudibranches at the weekend so we'll see how it goes!

My tank is borderline infested at the moment!

[Leedsbremner]

thumbs2: Thanks again for the photo's and advice, I'm still using the Aiptasia-X and am keeping them under control, I'll let you know of the sucess of the shrimps when I get them. I had heard about the Nudibranches but was told that when all the aiptasia is eaten they die and cause water condition problems, any advice about this would be appreciated:22:

[Leedsbremner]

24491:19: Quick photo of the tank, I'll try to get a better one soon.

[chrisfraser05]

you are quite right that without apistasia to eat they will starve.

I have aiptasia in all three chambers of my sump and in my weir too.

once the tank clears I'm sure that they will spread back meaning a constant supply. I might agrivate the ones in the sump to make them spawn more if it comes too it!!!

Imagine, encoraging apistaias to grow!

[labnjab]

The berghai nudibranches are the biggest waste of money, i spent $100 on 3 last year and havent seen them since and no reduction in the aiptasia population. I think you need a large amount of them to do any good.

[hockeyhead019]

gotta be careful with the nudi's too b/c some eat coraline and eat corals... which i'm assuming you don't want haha

[Leedsbremner]

thumbs2: Got 3 peppermints now and the first thing they went for was the Aiptasia (result), and as of this morning there is no sign of any Aiptasia in the tank, however I'll wait and see as they are resilient and will more than likely reappear.:hmm3grin2orange: