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

Pistol Peet · Jan 16, 2023

SHNICI said:
Have seen filefish as well doing nothing, have seen eating the aiptasias really but easily get a taste of other corals as well, for the peppermint shrimps is a bit different, they'll taste other corals probably when they get very hungry. But about the Berghias...., there isn't any doubt! For sure they'll take everything off for no time.
2 years ago had a farm already for Berghias..., unfortunately after 6-7 months raising them I contaminate the main-display tank probably with eggs, and in nearly month and half I got there no aiptasia (I do spread the aiptasias as mad to be honest with you, using them as a source of food for the berghia farm)..., soon I'll try again, once I get constant source of aiptasia to feed the berghias.

I had thought about taking them from my desplay once cleared after moving a contaminated rock to a different 20 gallon or so and then trying to keep them alive by ticking off the aptasia really bad and spreading it like mad in a isolated 20 to 30 gallon. I ended up plucking them out and giving to my local fish store for there aptasia infestation.

Magik884 · Jan 17, 2023

Dodge Ram said:
Had a 75 gallon completely addled with them and decided to just tear the thing down. Never using bottled bacteria starter again it left the rock open for the infestation. Tried kalke paste and xtasia stuff...waste of time. Gimmicks

Rocks looked like a mountain range of pine trees.

Smart cure was move fish, drain tank, throw the rest out into the sun to bake.

How did you clean the tank overflow plumbing etc. to make sure they will not re appear ?

Pistol Peet · Jan 17, 2023

Magik884 said:
How did you clean the tank overflow plumbing etc. to make sure they will not re appear ?

The nudibranchs go down the over flow in the sump everywhere just let them do there thing.

ReefingInTheBuff · Jan 17, 2023

I had an infestation in my reefer 750 including in the sandbed. Had a guy come out who told me to break down system and start over.

Bought a filefish, CBB, and 30 peppermint shrimp and several months later don’t see a single aptasia.

Moral of the story is don’t give up you can get it under control.

I had tried aptasia x and found it spread aptasia more then controlling it but that may have been my error.

I did throw kitchen sink at it but I feel this was much cheaper than starting over.

I rehome the peppermints and keep filefish and am getting another CBB (old one died) to keep things in check. CBB will be proven to eat mysis but feel can still help.

Magik884 · Jan 17, 2023

Pistol Peet said:
The nudibranchs go down the over flow in the sump everywhere just let them

I ment once tank is dry no water in it. I have all the berghia predators right now( cbb peppermint shrimp and wrasses) and thinking of a reset dump all the rock and sand and restart with kp aquatics starter rock.

Pistol Peet · Jan 18, 2023

Magik884 said:
I ment once tank is dry no water in it. I have all the berghia predators right now( cbb peppermint shrimp and wrasses) and thinking of a reset dump all the rock and sand and restart with kp aquatics starter rock.

I c . I broke mine completely down soaked everything in bleach. Does the trick.