Crotalus
Active Member
That's why I wonder about getting a couple of Berghia. The aptasia are never in the same place. They are random all over the tank. I can't see the Berghia covering that much real estate. More would just starve.
Aiptasia as a Pest - and HOW to get rid of it
- Thread starter SHNICI
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OP
OP
they aren't going to starve I think, just not sure how will be able to cover that much area. Every animal on the planet have his own "smell" and they are able to find them by that, how you think they make difference between aiptasia and anemone ?!
And like I know by that "smell"in the water current they find them where they are, not only crawling and investigating each square inch/centimetre and checking each hole and crevice. Just not sure only 2 do they will be enough to can keep the aiptasia under control.
If you can find where to get them from, and isn't that much about the budget, get at least 3-4 Berghia I think
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OP
OP
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dhanking
Active Member
A lot of people complain that peppermint shrimp aren't eating aiptasia but that is just because they have the wrong species. Mine will always eat aiptasia. keep in mind they hunt in groups so you have to have at least two in a tank. Many ornamental shrimp are territorial so buy the smallest shrimp first. My cleaner shrimp terrorizes my two peppermints. Also a tip to get your shrimps to eat aiptasia: Starve the shrimps and they will be more inlcined to eat the pest. Don't starve them enough to hurt them though.
OP
OP
Probably let the nature done it..., but if someone go after the Berghia, have to take out the peppermint shrimp and the filefish, as they will go after the nudibranch for sure.
You are absolutely right, many of the "peppermint" shrimps aren't the exact SP which eat Aiptasia, and the people don't know why at all, isn't only the starving, if they aren't the exact SP they aren't going after the aiptasia at all.
ShepherdReefer
5000 Club Member
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 - basic <- / -> 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
-> Joes Juice Aiptasia/Majano killer<- -> Turn off powerheads before feeding. -> Shake well before use. -> Fill supplied syringe and tip with 'patent pending' mixture. -> For Aiptasia: Gently place syringe over their mouth, feed anemone a small amount of mixture. -> For Majano: Spread a small amount of mixture at their center. -> Both anemones will consume product and perish.
JoesJuice is an easy to use Reef safe product that will kill Aiptasia and Majano anemones. Simply feed the problem anemone a small amount of JoesJuice and watch the results. Within minutes, the anemone has disappeared and for good!
-> 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) Cons: some can pick on your zoanthids
->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
We purchased a filefish...she ate every one of the aiptasia's.
OP
OP
good for you mate, friend of mine had to borrow filefish, because the one he bought don't touch them
And he just gift it back to the LFS at the end.
PR_nano
Valuable Member
So went to the LFS to grab some peppermint shrimp and only had one left. The first night heard that peculiar pistol shrimp snap. I would hear it one or twice most night but it was at least five consecutive times. Thinking my candy cane went on rampage as I haven't seen the peppermint since.
Crotalus
Active Member
My LFS told me specifically that these were aptasia eating peppermints. I know I can't tell. I haven't seen them since the first night. I'm told that they hide during the day. I see one aptasia right now. If it's still there tomorrow I'll nuke it with kalk paste.
Pistol Peet
Reefing , family ,God, country.
burgia nudabroncs only. I've tried peppermint shrimp, filefish nothing put in the nudabroncs and walla like magic eradicated. I don't even know why we still recommend filefish and peppermint shrimp. nothing compared to nudabroncs. like BRS says right tool right job. Aptaisia-x will only or more than likely tick it off and spread same with lemon juice and syringes. We are doing people (fellow reefers) a disservice by not getting straight to the point with nudabroncs. Super glue or putty yes for 1 or 2 on a new frag plug
Pistol Peet
Reefing , family ,God, country.
Don't do this just by burgia nudabroncs and save the spread and headache they r natural predators of aptaisia and the very best way to get rid of them go to saltyunderground and by some.
Pistol Peet
Reefing , family ,God, country.
Let the burgia do there thing no better way nothing good happens fast in a reef tank. Buy a few more if needed but they breed fast saltyunderground is the best place i found for them. Joe's juice will just tick them off and spread there spores.
OP
OP
Not everyone can spend the amount of money, to get enough Berghia for the job, and saing that, when they eat all of the aiptasia they will struggle to death, it's expensive way for one time only, if after month you introduce new aiptasia then you have to buy/get again berghia (not everyone will be able to keep it feeded and....
Some people are happy with them own way, and what they know and what work for them, the shrimp and the fish they can keep it after the aiptasia is gone. If it come back they do the job again.
Just not everyone is lucky with the shrimp, because most/some of the LFS sell different peppermint shrimp look like, and it don't do the job at all, because isn't the same SP. but like @Pistol Peet say, Berghia is born just and only for this job xD
jaxteller007
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Has anyone tried putting their Berghia in their overflows? If so how did you do it? I just got some today and am in the process of acclimating them. By far the most significant outbreaks of Aiptasia in our tank right now are in our overflows. I just don't know how to place any of the Berghia's in there. I'm worried if i try to place them directly on top of an aiptasia, they will get stung/killed but i can't just drop them in the overflow and let them swim can I?
OP
OP
I hope Isn't too late for the answer:
By myself I'm breathing Berghia since weeks ago, and to be honest with you they can't stay on huge current which I think you have in your overflow box, if you can slow down the water flow there (from the return pump for example) or if you overflow box is from the biggest (which some times are all the back side) and the flow isn't that big, then you can stop the return pump for a while (10-20 minutes) and when the flow stop at all there place the berghia gently near the aiptasia (if it's at the bottom), on the wall you can't make it to stay there it will fall and you can't keep it by fingers until it's on the glass/acrylic (it's very gently and brittle, easy to be damaged by tools) I use Spoon and gently grab them under, or turkey baster and suck it VERY GENTLY.
So I think if the current in your overflow box where the aiptasia stay isn't that big, and the aiptasia is on the bottom (or on the wall close to the bottom) then the berghia will be able to get it), And if you don't have filter socks and your skimmer isn't on the water flow from the overflow box, then the berghia at the end can enter the sump, from where you can gently pick it up and back in the DT.
Friend of mine done something else: he left half of the Berghia (3 from 6) in the sump, the rest in the DT, after with metal blade gently scrub the aiptasia from the overflow box (no traces left there) and when the aiptasias (near 7-8) enter the sump, the berghias take care of them completely (plus the offsprings which appear from taking the aiptasia off, because when you disturb it it spill filaments from which usually can regrow new aiptasia).
If is too late for all what I explain, please let me know what you done at the end and how they are doing the job for you
OP
OP
@jaxteller007 I check your Build thread now, and I see you have the overflow boxes with lower and upper intake. If by mistake the aiptasia aren't on the pipe to the sump and the berghia don't go on it and enter in, if you just drop them down (with your return pump off for at least 10 min) I think the Berghia will do the job for you. you are on better position with that type of OF box
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