Arggggggggg Aiptasia ****in Me Off! :)

[JEMichael IV]

Hi, sorry for the subject line, thought I would get it out before I write start this message.

I was doing some archive reading on Reef Central and Reefs.org about remove my Aiptasia Problem as I have tried Boiling Water, Aiptasia Remover, and Overdosing them with kalk. Kalk has seemed to work the best but I found this thread and wanted to get anyones opinion on this method. I remember Scott Passe talking about Aiptasia removal at one time but I dont remember if was you or not, but if anybody can look at this thread and give me there opinion I would greatly apreciate it as I would like to start tonight as I am free since the bad weather and would be a great time to do it:

http://www.reefs.org/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=034063

[chipmunk]

Copperband butterfly. Worked for me. Only problem was my yellow tang wanted to kill the copperband, so I had to move my yellow tang.

FWIW, Ron Shimek uses copperbands too.

That thread has an interesting method, perhaps worth trying....but IMO & IME, anytime you are trying to kill them yourself you aren't going to zap every aiptaisia so they'll eventually return. Seems like a lot of effort only to have them reappear. Why not just let loose a copperband on them and let him do your job for you 24/7?

-chipmunk

[JEMichael IV]

Well no matter how many times I try to kill them they come back double. I am going to include a link to a picture but it is not for the weak at heart. Thankfully it is only on the backside of my tank. The frontside has no aiptasia which is where all my corals reside.

I thought about a copperband in fact there is one for me at my LFS which they have been holding for me but I am worried about my Yellow Tang also. I am setting up a 50 gallon refugium for my tank, I would have had it setup a long time ago but I have been having alot of plumbing issues. But looks like it is going to be getting up soon. My plan was to put the Yellow Tang in there and the copperband in my main tank so he wont be disturbed.

They have had the Copperband for 2 months now in there reef and he eats brine shrimp and mysys and aptasia. He does not bother any of the corals in there main tank so I am getting lucky here.

But the Copperband is small not a hugh heffer. So I doubt he will touch the larger ones so I am going to have to give him a head start.

I wanted to take some out with Kalk but I wanted to use something else as it seems I cannot get the base so they reproduce and they do it with something fierce! Must be a counterattack or something but it is working!

Here is the link to the picture. Its like this on the whole back side of my tank, just click below:

Aiptaisa Sucks!!!! (http://216.149.30.83/aiptasia2.jpg)

[chipmunk]

But the Copperband is small not a hugh heffer. So I doubt he will touch the larger ones so I am going to have to give him a head start. That might be a good idea.

You are lucky if you located a copperband already proven to eat aiptasia, prepared food & leaves corals alone. You better grab him quick before someone else buys him!

That picture is SCARY! You have aiptasia hell in your tank! It almost looks like you are farming aiptasia.

[JEMichael IV]

You are telling me, I am almost ready to give up.

I dont think that this Copperband will touch them as they are large and he is so small.

He is not going anywhere. He has been there for 2 months and he was the owners fish and he had aiptasia and its gone so my guess is the copperband.

But what could I try now? To reduce it before I introduce him.

John

[chipmunk]

I might try kalk to shrink down some of the bigger monsters in there.

Who knows, maybe the copperband will eat all the big ones too.

One thing to remember about copperbands - give them time and have patience. It's not always apparent, but the fish will slowly rid your tank of aiptasia. Also, IME the copperband will eat all your tube worms first before moving onto the aiptasia.

[JEMichael IV]

yeah my featherdusters. I kinda was expecting that but I can move them

[Gary Majchrzak]

Git that copperband in there! BTW, though I dislike plagues of aiptasia,the pic is beautiful.

[JEMichael IV]

Gary, what do you think the odds are out of 10 of that Copperband really going after that stuff? 5 out of 10? or what?

[Gary Majchrzak]

I think 10 out of 10 will consume aiptasia .The key is to get them to acclimate to your tank. Aiptasia alone will not sustain them.Copperbands PREFER any worms- terebellid or otherwise. If you search forums, you will see my postings regarding a Threadfin {or Auriga} butterflyfish we let loose to knock out aiptasia in my sisters reef.Apparently a few other individuals have also done this,including hCS3- moderater Henry. They have found the same result as I have: The auriga ate aiptasia and left desirable corals and other inverts alone,EXCEPT for worms,including featherdusters. Another point to remember- once aiptasia is in a big system like mine,it will probably always be present,waiting to multiply once the predators are gone. You must allow the copperband more time to work it's magic than a threadfin.My sisters threadfin took out a HEAVY aiptasia infestation in a 75 gallon reef in 1 week!

[BeakerBob]

I just tried the NaOH method and it worked out just great!

Can't remember the thread, but I used 1 Normal sodium hydroxide (1N NaOH) liquid reagent in a tuberculin syringe. This reagent can be found in most laboratories at universities, high schools, and hospitals. It is caustic since it is very alkaline and can cause burns. Handle it carefully like you would Kalk.

I put it in a small tuberculin syringe with an attached needle. Some Aptasia was a direct inject (~0.2-0.3ml or cc) and others just in the same hole where the aptasia hid. All that was left was dissolved tissue floating around!

[chipmunk]

DEQbob, Your method works well if your tank is aiptasia free and you bring in just one or two new rocks with a few aiptasia. But, if you have a plague like JEMichael IV you'll never kill every one unless you nuke the whole tank and every other living thing in there. -chipmunk

[BeakerBob]

Chipmunk,

I agree. If the infestation is too big, the best way to get rid of them is to find a natural predator for the aiptasia.

[thamilton]

I have heard that peppermint shrimp can take care of this little problem. I have a couple in my tank and I initially had a few little outcroppings of the nasty stuff, but after a couple of weeks of having the shrimp in there, I never saw it again. I can't say for sure if they ate the stuff or not, but I know I have never seen any of it again.

Travis

[chipmunk]

JEMichael IV,

Any luck yet?

-chipmunk

[SeaMatt Nematocyt]

BAH! Copperbands!
They may eat other corals so be careful. I use shrimp. Yep the little pink shrimp they sell by the millions. They will completely consume your aptaisa issue in no time. They will not eat the big ones, but those can be killed with Kalk.
I had millions in my tank, got two shrimp and all atipasia was gone in about 2 weeks.

[Jerry Gonzales]

Matt,
John already has some peppermint's in there. But he got some lame ones or they just come out because he has a hawk fish. I think the peps don't want to be eaten while eating:eek1:

[JEMichael IV]

Well Jerry I have actually seen the Peps out and next to the Hawkfish. I got some mid size ones so the hawkfish doesnt seem to bother them. They are just lazy!!