How bad are the aiptasia outbreaks anyway?

[Tim Marvin]

Stupid............... :twisted:

[Chris]

Some tanks can withstand them... some are breeding grounds for them. My old 55G had a small outbreak but it never spread so I pretty much left them alone. A low nutrient system helps keep them from going wild too.

You should have room for a copper banded butterfly Josh... how about adding one to keep them under control?

[VGB]

Seems if the `fuge is connected to the tank....they will find their way in to the tank anyway....I have mixed emotions about peppermints but they do manage to elimate aiptasia...
I fought these pesky little buggers for years until peppermints got `em all....the peppermints have all died by now.....aiptasia free for two years now...

[Chris]

The thing to know about peppermints also is you should try to get the correct species. Lysmata wurdemanni are from the Atlantic and they'll gladly munch on them pending they're not being babied with other tastier foods. There's also a species off the coast of California and they look almost identical(Lysmata californica). They tend not to eat aptasia.

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/Arthropoda/CrustaceanPIX/SWShrimpPIX/Lysmata_californica.jpg
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/Arthropoda/CrustaceanPIX/SWShrimpPIX/Lysmata_wurdemanniAQ3.jpg

Can you see the difference in the two? :oops:

If you do a search on Dr. Ron's forum at RC there's some more detailed info about them and how to distinguish them apart. ;)

[Tim Marvin]

I don't know, you asked someone to call you stupid....LOL... I would not transfer the aptasia, you may be sorry.

[Tim Marvin]

I have had much better luck with the copper band than shrimp. Fish tend to eat a lot more than the peppermints.

[Tim Marvin]

Well, I avoid rock from Florida because of the unwanted life on it. I do like some of the other stuff, but I just don't like the outbreak problems.

[Tim Marvin]

Try the copperbanded.

[TexasState]

Think of what can happen if aitapsia can run rampant in your reef tank. They can spready quickly. They can irritate and kill your corals. Would you want such risks? As for peppermint, mine old one ate the three aitpasia I had in my old tank, they also like the eat my pink zooanthid polyps. They also like to rip into my bubbles coral and eat it.

--------
In his propagation book Anthony Calfo suggested that Aitapsia can in the sump/refugium as filter feeder. They help to clean the tank b/c they have a big appetite.

[RedDragon]

So Josh how did you get rid of this pest I am going to get some copperbands, I just was reading that you had the same problem as me so what did you end up doing? :roll:

[matt]

Well, someone local ought to try the bergia nudibranch (sp?) which you can get at inland aquatics, cultivate, and eats only aiptasia. If you could grow these buggers I'd certainly buy some from you. Check out the inland aquatic website for info on how to raise them. Since you need a good supply of aiptasia to feed them, I'll certainly donate a rock from my nano refugium. Actually, if you get a good colony going, you could charge people a nominal fee to take their aiptasia-infested rocks, feed 'em to your nudibranches, then return the rocks aiptasia- free, get new infested ones, etc. Could be a new side business.

Hurry up or Troy will jump on this :lol:

Matt

[Brett Wilson]

My CBB cleared out all of my aiptasia (that it can get to), ask Vinh, I had a lot of aiptasia. not any more :)
I also have a cool vid I need to digitize of the CBB eating some frozen mysis that was floating in the water column, definately not common for these fish.

How big is your rock, i'd gladly put it in my tank and let my CBB have at it (if it fits).

-Brett

[Sherri]

I'm still fighting these darn buggers also. I just keep kalking them - was told by "kakfish" (Ken) to make sure the kalk mixture is heated real hot first...Honestly I don't see as many returning since I started heating the mixture, but I still manage to miss one, so they are still there.

Also, a heads up....just stopped by a LFS earlier this week...out of curiosity to see what they had....had a bunch of corals...BUT saw aiptasia on them also. Ouch for those that are buying any. :scold:

Sherri

[RedDragon]

Well I was Just reading the old posts to seeing what I could learn and I found this one, he he, well I am getting 2 copperband butterflys from Tim they are said to be the best at getting rid of this stuff, and I would like to start this project with CBB, but where can I find some in Austin would I have to order some on-line, :roll: