Aiptasia as a Pest - and HOW to get rid of it

[Kris 2020]

Can you give an estimate of volume used per aptasia roughly? 1cc? more or less? I'm curious just to stay up on methods.

I would say 2 or so cc, I squirt it slow then hit the area where the aptasia was again once you can see well enough.

 

[SHNICI]

So when you use a syringe to squirt the NaOH at or on the aptasia, I think it has a chemical reaction with the saltwater (I’m no chemist so I don’t know why) and it makes it super hot where the NaOH meets the water. So the aptasia just kinda, melts, like it’s generally gone when the fog clears. I usually squirt a little around the space where the aptasia was after, just in case. A little of this stuff goes a long long way. it will dissipate in a white kinda swirly fog in the water. I’ve never had the residual foggy swirl hurt anything it touches in the tank. It doesn't seem to change the water chemistry in any way. I would guess after it’s reaction with the saltwater that it’s inert? The NaOH will kill whatever it touches directly out of the syringe though, so do be careful if corals or inverts are nearby. I turn off the flow to squirt but turn it right back on again to dissipate the fog. I’m trying to think of anything else, it’s been forever since I’ve had to use it. If my colonial hydroids pop back up I may try some on them.

I would say 2 or so cc, I squirt it slow then hit the area where the aptasia was again once you can see well enough.

Thank you mate, I'll update the info! Tat's good enough for everyone I think, and I'll include: don't treat many aiptasia at once, as the NaOH will precipitate with the Mg and the Ca (Magnesium and Calcium) and NaOH + H2O = Na+ and OH- ions. The reaction will be Exothermic, where heat will be released.

 

[Sleeping Giant]

My Berghia nudibranchs have been slow but steady and amazing

 

[SHNICI]

My Berghia nudibranchs have been slow but steady and amazing

I love them, they just do the job best as possible.
Of course is best if we never catch the aiptasia, but... it can happen (some are able never had it in them system), but this Nudis are just lovely.
@Sleeping Giant if you can catch them when they are attacking and start eating the aiptsia, please make one video mate. I want to attach it to the main post if you agree ;Playful

 

[SHNICI]

Superglue must have not covered completely as they re-appeared.
Kalkwasser paste disintegrated them but must have throw-out spores as I got tiny ones in its place a few weeks later
Lemon this was similar to kalkwasser but I felt it worked better
Berghia these took some time but eliminated about 95% had 3 in a 20gallon and they also breed in tank.

Ordered Joe Juice, comes in tomorrow and also have 5 berghia but tank needs to be nuke.

how many aiptasia you got ? You are treating that much... I think the Berghia will take all them off, as they have to feed on something, and that's the only think they eat in your system.
If I have them, I'm not going to treat with anything else.

 

[Sleeping Giant]

I love them, they just do the job best as possible.
Of course is best if we never catch the aiptasia, but... it can happen (some are able never had it in them system), but this Nudis are just lovely.
@Sleeping Giant if you can catch them when they are attacking and start eating the aiptsia, please make one video mate. I want to attach it to the main post if you agree ;Playful

my YouTube Channel

 

[SHNICI]

my YouTube Channel

do you member how long it took for the Berghia to eat that one ?

 

[Sleeping Giant]

do you member how long it took for the Berghia to eat that one ?

It depends on the size, but about an hour, leaves and usually finishes the following morning

 

[SHNICI]

It depends on the size, but about an hour, leaves and usually finishes the following morning

thank you mate, you have some big Aiptasias in that system, but the CUC will take care of them for you!

 

[Sleeping Giant]

thank you mate, you have some big Aiptasias in that system, but the CUC will take care of them for you!

I do have some biggie's in there, I actually don't mind having them, and if I can keep the population low but maintained with the Berghia nudibranchs I would be happy.

 

[SHNICI]

I do have some biggie's in there, I actually don't mind having them, and if I can keep the population low but maintained with the Berghia nudibranchs I would be happy.

That's lovely, most don't like Aiptasia, I don't like them too, because most of them I got between GSP where I can't treat with chemicals that much, because I'm risking the polyps. But the Berghia..., really can take it from there. Soon I'll get some Nudis. I have separate ball (2l) tank, where I keep alive Aiptasia, replacing some water time by time, dropping some live bugs pods etc.., and it's growing there, but it's under control away from the DT

 

[Darren in Tacoma]

I have used AiptasiaX for years and always works. Super easy. Just killed 2 that popped up yesterday, took all of 5 minutes.

 

[SHNICI]

I have used AiptasiaX for years and always works. Super easy. Just killed 2 that popped up yesterday, took all of 5 minutes.

but Like I say minutes ago with Aiptasia X I also kill and some of the nearest GSP, because the Aiptasia was just between the polyps. Only 2 options I had for the next 2 aiptasias there, and I test both of them:
-Sucking the aiptasia (after some time it regrow, because the base was in holl like in the LR.
- With super glue (I dry a bit the aiptasia with tissue and the LR near it, and only the polyps I left wet, after with gel S. glue I seal the aiptasia and the surrounding LR to the polyps

 

[|sCRIBe|]

I’ve tried X, F and peppermints many times and none of them worked but actually made matters worse. Once I added Berghia they cleaned and did work. Been free for almost one year. I would watch them come out at night and move 5 feet across my tank just to eat aiptasia. It’s a beautiful thing. Berghia will eat the smallest of them you cant even see. Highly recommend!

 

[ReefKeeperElite]

I guess I’m one of the lucky ones, since I’ve only seen one other peppermint shrimp fan respond to this thread, but this has been my aiptasia-free solution for 10+ years.

I currently have 3 peppermint shrimp in my RSR 750, they ate any aiptasia that ever popped up, they live for ages, and eat all the scraps my fish leave behind. A win-win-win.

I started using peppermints when I first started out in the hobby, and had 10-20 aiptasia. I added a couple, and the aiptasia were gone within a couple weeks.

I was convinced at that point, and never needed to use anything else.

 

[Reef GE]

My go to has always been a copperband, he keeps the aiptasia out of the display, and in the overflow where they need to be.

Did the copper band live long and prosper? Many people say they die quickly.

 

[Laurence Kofsky]

I think that's one of the most popular and common pest in our reef system, and I don't saw any in the hobby to say "I never - ever got Aiptasia in my reef system"
I want everyone of you who got problem with or just found his best solution to share it here.
Like the TITLE say, can we collect many different opinions on how to take it off/remove/kill/etc..
I'll write down some of the methods I know, I'm been using, and I hear about. Everyone, if have some suggestions, descriptions and advices be free to tell us, if possible to be more detailed Please, because here I see every day at least 2 are asking about. Photos included will be a bit better for the people or the newcomers who don't have a clue and how to deal with.
LIke a question: Do you know good enough DIP solution which can take it off as a hitchhiker - pest from the LR/Corral or even Chaetomorpha Macroalgae ( many of you are getting it with that buying it from LFS or getting from friends infested with Aiptasia).
-> Aiptasia - Wiki <- / -> Aiptasia - basyk <- / -> Aiptasia - thousands of photos <-

So I'll start with what I know it's working and I'm been testing:

-> Aiptasia X <- - probably the most popular in the Hobby: Shake the bottle -> fill the syringe with the liquid -> stop your pumps in the tank (not everyone do it, but is better to be done), stop return/s, wave makers etc.. -> go close with the syringe (with needle on it) slowly to the Aiptasia -> try to make the Aiptasia to digest it (usually everything what touch it, the Aiptasia is trying to digest) -> once the aiptasia touch with the tentacles over the needle push a bit in it mouth and dispose some liquid quickly in to can come over the aiptasia as well -> leave for another minute or 2 the water steady, and you can run your pumps and wave makers. Pros: depending how good you done the job, over 90% of the cases the aiptasia will be gone completely from the spot. Cons: if you fill with too much liquid from the syringe you can dama another inhabitants near/under it if it start fall off over them.

->F Aiptasia <- Stir well and shake prior to use. Turn off all power heads during application. Using included syringe, apply directly to aiptasia anemone. As you start to cover them, they will retract. Just cover them completely! Leave power heads off for 30 minutes or until product hardens. You can remove the hardened shell a few days later. After several hours, F-Aiptasia will create a 'shell' over the anemone and trap it with the caustic product inside the shell.
. Pros: Features by BRS Reef Safe; No injection required; No need to siphon anemone out of tank after application; Lasting results; No effects on water chemistry


-> Peppermint shrimp <- - it will find and eat them it can keep the tank w/o Aiptasia, and don't need extra care (once the aiptasia is gone it can eat and another meaty food). Pros: It's good on eating aiptasia and is coming as a part of your CUC. Cons: many people write that them peppermint shrimp never touch the aiptasia they have. Like I know, many report they got/purchase fake shrimp as Peppermint, do your research about.

-> Filefish <- - Almost all the same as the Peppermint shrimp. I just know not all of them eat or touch aiptasia (the one which you are sure eat it, please show your exemplar Please)

->Berghia (Aeolid nudibranch) <- - What to say about, this is one of the animals which is the Aiptasia predator, it's feeding on Aiptasia, it's eating only that, it will take all of it wherever it is in your system., the best way is ti have 2 or 3, but if you have small system 10-30G tank and 1 will be enough (depending how many Aiptasia are in your tank/sump. Pros: it will take complete care of the Aiptasia. Cons: once the Aiptasia get consumed and if don't have more, the Berghia will starve to death.
Berghia eating Aiptasia - ->VIDEO<- (Autor: @Sleeping Giant )

-> Super Glue <- can work, you have to seal it completely and some area around it to be sure it can't escape and to spread or to swim to another position. Pros: can be very effective if you done it properly and very simple method as the Super glue dry almost immediately and is harmless for the inhabitants (if used adequately). Cons: if you don't seal it properly, and/or the LR is very porous the aiptasia can eskape and to spread/move to another place. Can be very hard to reach it with the bottle under the water. If you use liquid, not gel Super glue it can easy harden the hole and you can't squeeze under the water. Isn't good to use it if the Aiptasia is in close contact to corals (you can damage them).

-> pulling it out <- - you can do that easy if the Aiptasia is on flat surface, on a Chaetomorpha Macroalgae, glass etc but I'll suggest not to do it with bare hands, will sting you (if your skin is more sensitive) and try to catch it completely w/o leaving any single piece of it, because it can regrow almost always if left there some of it.

-> fresh, tap, RO/DI water <- depending on what you got aiptasia you can use that one as well. Very good for washing LR, Chaetomorpha Macroalgae (for 5 minutes will be completely enough w/o damaging the algae), after just dip in some aged tank water and you can put it in your tank/sump back again. Pros: Aiptasia can't survive after FW DIP, only if it's in deep crevice hole and the water isn't reaching the entire body Cons: you will kill most of the life in the LR, can damage corals if you dip them that way.

-> lemon juice/vinegar <- - the same as the Aiptasia X, but this one you can use it over the aiptasia and is good to squeeze some on the base if you can reach, to melt completely the body. Pros: almost always work as charm Cons: be very careful how much you use in to your system, it can change you PH, KH and some other chemical processes if you use too much.

Have on mind:
- always when you do use any chemicals: not to put in your system too much, because they can bring some negatives on the chemical processes. If you are using animals like peppermint shrimp, or filefish: try to compare the one is it the particular which do the job, because of the many reports not all eat Aiptasia in real, and some are sold as them, but aren't really the same SP
- If you can to pull out the LR or the frag out of the tank, to treat it in a box filled with tank water, will be the best way, because that way you are avoiding filling your tank with chemicals. At the end of the process just rinse it with some tank water, and you will be good to put it back on plase


if some of my writing isn't true, or you have additional advise or something to include, please write it down in your comments, all the info can be helpful for the rest in the hobby

Also I'll ask #reefsqaud members to check it, and if there is something and have different opinion which is good to be sticked on the top post, please do it, I'll check regularly and will take care to include it

The Matted file fish are the best. My tank at one time had a infestation that was taking over my tank. I tried a few of the mentioned products with only limited success. I finally acquired the file fish, as a local shop recommended it for eating Aiptasia. Within 2 weeks there were none to be found, from the smallest to the largest. I have never seen one since then and that was about a year ago. The fish is very hardy, a great eater and always on Aiptasia patrol.

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

Did the copper band live long and prosper? Many people say they die quickly.

I'm a little over 2 years with the copperband. The biggest hurtle with them is eating prepared food, a lot of times they starve to death because they don't equate what we add to the tank as food. My CBB went through 6 weeks of QT and because there wasn't any competition to feeding he took to prepared food right away.

Every tank that I've ever had, was blessed with a CBB, and I never had issues with them... now I have to find some wood to knock on, hehe

 

[SHNICI]

The Matted file fish are the best. My tank at one time had a infestation that was taking over my tank. I tried a few of the mentioned products with only limited success. I finally acquired the file fish, as a local shop recommended it for eating Aiptasia. Within 2 weeks there were none to be found, from the smallest to the largest. I have never seen one since then and that was about a year ago. The fish is very hardy, a great eater and always on Aiptasia patrol.

Thank, you, I'll include it in the Main post, is it possible you to have the particular one on photo Please, and can you show it to us, as there are few different Matted filefish SP as you can see from the link. I'll appreciate it and also many others from the users reading about.
Thank you for sharing the info with us!

 

[Mical]

I'm a SOLD Filefish person. I tried Aiptasia X (it made my nems extremely unhappy), I tried kalk, I tried super glue & even tried lazer method. All of those methods did nothing but irritate aiptasia, and aiptasia is a form of anemone - you upset it it splits/multiplies. IE: I would fry aiptasia w/lazer - next day there was twice as many. FINALLY I added a pair of ORA raised filefish and within a week my aiptasia vanished. According to folks at ORA - Filefish are shy and usually eat at night - so it might take up to two weeks before they devour aiptasia.