apistasia outbreak....

[moparnut]

what is the best way to get rid of these pesky anenomes for good? ive been away and the wife has been feeding the tank but nothing else. ive got what seems like thousands of the buggers everywhere, in and on the rocks, in the sand, even on the filters.... any ideas??

Thanxx

[Gseclipse02]

pepermint shrimp/ apistasia eating file fish

[Reefer4ever]

I hear these are the best to rid your tank of these: berghia nudibranch

I also hear butterfly fish, such as the copperband, raccoon, long-nosed and peppermint shrimp help, as well

[Mike]

Copperband butterfly

[allan]

I used to have a pair of peps that kept aptasia on the extinct list. Now I have five and either they haven't found the couple that I do have or they're vegans.

I've tried the lemon filefish (sold to me as Aptasia eating File Fish), and mistook my large pink and green open brain for aptasia. I lost the brain, and my aptasia continued to mock me.

Copperband is a beautiful fish. I gave it a try for that reason. My yellow tang couldn't tolerate the new addition. Either she thought the copper was a tang or simply did not wish to have another fish compete for my attentions. Since the copper is a finicky eater anyway I removed her to the frag tank. She never ate and thus withered away.

I think the peps that I have are beginning to figure things out, as I am down to just a few. But my colony of aptasia was fixed by me removing their rock form the tank.

I hear a lot of good things about the nudis, but the cost has always kept me away.

[kkiel02]

I had an outbreak on the 125 and threw in 4 peppermints. A couple days later they were all gone.

[alton]

I hear these are the best to rid your tank of these: berghia nudibranch

I also hear butterfly fish, such as the copperband, raccoon, long-nosed and peppermint shrimp help, as well

The berghias are slow but sure if acclimated right. What we forget sometimes when we add berghia and wonder why they are not working? It is because aptaisia do not require light,so for everyone you see there are many more hidden between your rocks that the berghia will eat first. In my 29 I added them and it took 4 months for the aptaisia to disappear. After a week I lost my patience popped the ones I saw with red sea aptaisia X, but then next week I had some come back. So I would dose again, and again more popped up. So I quit dosing and then one day I noticed I could not find any aptasia. Remember Nudis work at night so after you add them say good bye. I have had a copper band in my 300 which was in my 200 before that and I have never had aptaisia in either tank.

[Scream311]

Purchased some coral that had Massive Aiptasia. Picked up 5 Peppermint Shrimps, used Lemon Juice and injected the bodies of each anenome and thery are all gone. Works wonders. Just do a small water change rite after

[Regric25]

I recommend the following methods. Try each one until you find one that works for you. The following have worked for me.

Syringe and Lemon/lime juice, Aptasia X(might take a couple of applications for larger ones). Also depending on size of tank do a little at a time so you dont affect your PH too much.

I have never had any luck with peps but I think it's hit and miss with them. Make sure you dont get camel back shrimp they will eaet your coral. They look just like peps.

I have heard filefish or copperband butterfly fish work pretty good.

[justahobby]

Peppermint shrimp are terrific, but you have to be very careful and watch them around LPS. And don't put too many. I and several others on here have woken up to find them eaten their way through cherished corals. Best bet is too take them out as soon as they are finished or put the rock in seperate tanks and let the peps do their worst, if that is an option.

I hear lots of good things about injecting, but they always come back IME.

[tebstan]

Careful with the lemon juice if the aiptasia is anywhere near a coral, it's easy to damage them. I've had good and bad luck with the lemon juice depending on what is nearby. The aiptasia x works well if you can get it right in the mouth. Aiptasia have a knack for growing where I can't reach them on the bottom of a base rock.

The group buy of berghia nudibranch was a little over a month ago... maybe they'll jump in with some feedback?
I would be interested in trying a few if I heard first hand experience of the effectiveness. How many does it really take to get the job done? They're pricey, and they may breed?

[alton]

I had two in my 29, several years ago I only had 2 in my 158. The trick is to get at least one with eggs and or get three.

[TMWTim]

Another method is to inject kalk right at the base. Gone.

[stoneroller]

careful with copperband butterfly... they will also turn on your corals, esp. LPS

I use a paste of kalkwasser and cover them up with pumps off. I do get some return so I reapply the paste. Seems I can manage populations this way

[ErikH]

Start over with new rock. It's cheaper In the long run...