The Dreaded Aiptasia.

[steelhealr]

Hi..more than three months ago, I posted an I.D request for something I found in my chaeto in my back fuge. Here it was:

It was ID'd the next day as aiptasia. I went back to get it and...OOPS. GONE!. Couldn't find it. Well, guess what I saw on a vacated coral skeleton on my trumpet corals this morning:

I pulled up the frag and 'amputated' that calcareous limb with the hitchhiker on it. Over six months into this and voila: aiptasia. NO ONE IS IMMUNE. I get this funny feeling that this is not the end of it. IF you look at the 1:00 o'clock position from the aiptasia on the last pic and strain your eyes, do you see something I think I see? I hope this guy was the same as the one in the back fuge. What is scary tho', is if the reason it got out was it was shot thru the pump in chamber 3, I'll have my hands full. So far, I've been visited by valonia, cyano, aiptasia. I hope hair algae is not in my tea leaves. SH

 

[Navarre]

Im afraid to say i have a plague of them myself. I have tried joes juice but they are back with avengance. I dont have peppermint shrimps in the tank but im considering this seriously. I am also considering geting an aiptasia eating nudibranch

 

[steelhealr]

I"m getting a lot of positive feedback re: peppermints. If I find anymore, that will be the way to go. I've heard that nubibranchs are very good for this..but..shortlived. Also, I think your sized system could handle a nudi death better (they're also nicer to look at than peppermints). SH

 

[Tiggs]

i treated with JJ and bought 2 pep shrimp- no sign of any nasty aps since!

 

[Lynden]

Are Aiptasia rock anemones? And are these animals just simple hitchhikers? What is the major danger of them?

 

[Boxcar Muzzdogg]

In the last week I have begun researching marine tanks. According to a book I have, the red legged hermit crad loves eating aiptasia, but will not harm other anemones. Apparently there is also certain chemicals that can be injected into the aiptasia, which to me seemsvery impractical and potentially dangerous. Can anyone Give more information on these two options?

 

[steelhealr]

Sure...aiptasia is an anemone which, in a home aquarium, is picked up as a hitchhiker. The problem with them is that the tend to multiply and overtake the tank. The aiptasia has a nasty sting and can destroy other corals. The main problem is if you break/damage the aiptasia, each piece can grow into a new one.

The usual treatment for aiptasis is one of several methods:
1) Complete removal as you have seen above
2) Get someone to eat them, classically the peppermint shrimp
3) Inject them. Usually with boiling water. There is a product called 'Joe's Juice' which is frequently used. Some people use Kalkwasser, highly concentrated calcium.

Easiest method would be to add a peppermint shrimp IMO. SH

 

[Boxcar Muzzdogg]

What about hermit crabs, has anyone ever tried those?