Aiptasia

[nisemu]

Tell me the steps you used with the berghia and how many did you buy.
I really don't believe worms eat nudies.

The company I ordered from has a video on how to acclimate them,
https://reeftown.com/faqs#:~:text=Most fish, however, don',can do damage as well.
refer to the "what eats berghia?" question

 

[Dburr1014]

The company I ordered from has a video on how to acclimate them,
https://reeftown.com/faqs#:~:text=Most fish, however, don',can do damage as well.
refer to the "what eats berghia?" question

How many did you buy?
Did you put them in at lights out?
Did you put them in next to, but not on, an aptaisia?
Has it been more than 3 months since adding?

 

[Daenion]

The nuking from orbit is the guaranteed approach. However, for that size of tank I would try to get 3-4 berghias and see how they fare. They usually wipe them out but sometimes aiptasis come back after a few months (2-4 months is what I saw most frequently, mine haven’t made a comeback yet.) If the nudis are a good size they will clean that tank in a month or so.

 

[Jmp998]

I keep seeing ‘bristle worms ate my berghia’ but I am skeptical. I farm Berghia and intentionally have bristle worms in my grow outs as they are free, effective, hardy cleanup crew. Maybe there are different bristleworm species with different behavior, but in my experience bristleworms do not harm Berghia or their eggs.

 

[Jim Gomoll]

If chemical treatment, Nudis, peppermint shrimp haven't worked and special Aptasia eating fish are a concern I'd bite the bullet and buy a Majano Wand. Many reefers don't want to spend the $160 but if it works Zap Away!!!
Amazon and many reef sites have them.

 

[Jackcarp]

I used to have a copperband butterfly that took care of every single one, but then I had a mishap with the power on my tank and I lost my fish. My aiptasia came back because I didn’t have my copperband so I put around 20 Berghia in my 110 gallon tank and that took care of them. Unfortunately the berghia died without having anything to eat. I have aiptasia now so I was going to get a couple peppermint shrimp which have worked for me in the past. If that doesn’t work then I’ll go to a filefish. Aiptasia are always going to be a potential problem so I would recommend finding a natural way to get rid of them like the peppermint shrimp.

 

[Rocketfish]

Ive been dealing with aiptasia for months on end, I'd say around 7 months. I first used the Red Sea aiptasia x, as I was advised to do so by my local fish shop (who coincidentally introduced this into my tanks!) it didn't work, they all spread, they got huge, they reproduced and now that entire 20 gallon is taken over by aiptasia. Since then I have tried nudibranchs, they got eaten by bristle worms (that also were introduced via my local fish shops corals which I dip every time so im very unsure of how all of this happened in the first place) f aiptasia, about 20 peppermint shrimp over time because they kept getting eaten, boiling water, and about twice a week now for a month ive been going in with kalkwasser paste and injecting them with it, to no avail. Now my 13.5 gallon is also covered in aiptasia. I call aquarium maintenance places to see if they can help, they tell me to get peppermint shrimp, nudibranchs, copper banded butterflies, or file fish to eat them. I explain I have done nudibranchs and peppermints and that I have nano tanks so no copper bands or filefish can go in them, and then they say there is nothing they can do for me. I am losing all my hope, this is seriously messing with my mental as I truly do value my fish tanks. However im seeing no end in sight to this mess. I cant keep dealing with this it feels like insanity.

I had a similar issue with bristle worms interfering with my berghia nudibranch. I made a 3d printed trap that worked really well then did the berghia nidibranch to knock them down. It did a good job. I would do your small tank first, then as the aptaisia goes down swap rocks from the other tank to the small tank and have them keep going. If you can't deal rocks just do the same process in the bigger tank and it will work fine. Also if you have any wrasses, they will eat the berghia's! You may have to go directly to peppermint shrimp but get like 6. They will knock them out, but it will take a while

After I got the bristle worms under control and I was down to only a few in the main tank I got 4 peppermint shrimp and they knocked out the rest and kept them away for good.

Aptaisia x and f-aptaisia can work, buy I had mixed results and it wasn't permanent.

 

[Rocketfish]

The company I ordered from has a video on how to acclimate them,
https://reeftown.com/faqs#:~:text=Most fish, however, don',can do damage as well.
refer to the "what eats berghia?" question

The bristle worms dont eat live berghia, but in my experience if you have a bunch they will "stick spines" into the nudis which seems to prevent them from reproducing well.

 

[CoralB]

Look up a picture of a true peppermint shrimp . Their are look alike that don’t touch aiptasia. I made that mistake years ago but since I found the distinction I haven’t seen aiptasia

 

[CoralB]

No, theyre small- mine 3 years and only a tad over 3"
Both tanks are 24" and obviously you want to buy a typical 2.5" size that they are at when at an LFS

Are you still in Hawaii?? The fires in Maui have devastated that island . Feel bad for all those people . So tragic!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Are you still in Hawaii?? The fires in Maui have devastated that island . Feel bad for all those people . So tragic!

No, left there aug 2nd and I have friends there and they said its worse than the news stations are showing. Tragic is mildly putting it. Not like they can run over to a neighboring state. I have pics posted from Hawaii in snorkeling and diving thread and will post key west and miami pics over the weekend

 

[paragrouper]

I have only nano tanks that have aiptasia. they are 20 gallons and 13.5. this fish is too big unfortunately.

Biota Molly miller blennies will allegedly eat aiptasia. May want to check them out.

 

[argiBK]

If I were local, I’d offer to trade clean rocks for your aiptasia rocks.

Eventually looking to add a Copperband to my system and have considered sourcing aiptasia to kickstart it feeding in my tank (willing to take the risk).

 

[NigelRichardson]

Not allowed to get Nudies in Australia so they weren’t an option for me. Aiptasia-X (plus equivalents) allowed me to win battles - but I never won the war long term. Peppermint shrimp didn’t work either. LFS suggested “Australian Stripey” fish - which I tried out of desperation. I’m not claiming mine is a miracle worker - but i am saying that a couple of days after he went in my Aiptasia problem vanished. Close to a year later - no evidence they’re ever coming back. May not work for everyone - but worked for me…..

 

[FishFilet]

Ive been dealing with aiptasia for months on end, I'd say around 7 months. I first used the Red Sea aiptasia x, as I was advised to do so by my local fish shop (who coincidentally introduced this into my tanks!) it didn't work, they all spread, they got huge, they reproduced and now that entire 20 gallon is taken over by aiptasia. Since then I have tried nudibranchs, they got eaten by bristle worms (that also were introduced via my local fish shops corals which I dip every time so im very unsure of how all of this happened in the first place) f aiptasia, about 20 peppermint shrimp over time because they kept getting eaten, boiling water, and about twice a week now for a month ive been going in with kalkwasser paste and injecting them with it, to no avail. Now my 13.5 gallon is also covered in aiptasia. I call aquarium maintenance places to see if they can help, they tell me to get peppermint shrimp, nudibranchs, copper banded butterflies, or file fish to eat them. I explain I have done nudibranchs and peppermints and that I have nano tanks so no copper bands or filefish can go in them, and then they say there is nothing they can do for me. I am losing all my hope, this is seriously messing with my mental as I truly do value my fish tanks. However im seeing no end in sight to this mess. I cant keep dealing with this it feels like insanity.

In my large tank I had a copperband butterfly. Now I only have a 15 g. My ORA filefish ate every last one. Then I added some amphipods which introduced little Aiptasia. He ate them all. I’ll never go without one. And they are amusing to watch to boot.

 

[dadnjesse]

I tried everything you mention then I got a Copperband butterfly and I haven't had an Aiptasia since. The Copperband isn't a very big fish, at least mine isn't.

 

[Cichlid Dad]

I am in a winning, knock on wood, battle with aptaisia. I had a spare 55 gallon tank I drilled for a 10 gallon sump, reason to make sure nothing would eat the nudibranch. I put all of the infected rock in. Added nudibranch and never seen them again. Got a copperband and, well he is awesome, just haven't seen him eat aptaisia. Added a bunch of peppermint shrimp, I have not seen them since but I'm seeing 1/3rd of my rock clean. It's funny, it seems the shrimp comes out at night and the area free of aptaisia just grows and grows. Don't know which one is working but I'm happy.

 

[bluemon]

Poor bristlworms. Always getting a bad rap but

“britstlewom ate my nudibranch” is a new one.”

next thing i’ll be hearing is “bristleworms ruined my marriage and took a loan under my name”

 

[charlesk]

Tell me the steps you used with the berghia and how many did you buy.
I really don't believe worms eat nudies.

The only thing that will work is F Aiptasia did for me.

 

[nisemu]

How many did you buy?
Did you put them in at lights out?
Did you put them in next to, but not on, an aptaisia?
Has it been more than 3 months since adding?

its been more than three months since adding, I put in three, I turned the lights off in the tank, and I put them next to aiptasia. Since adding them the aiptasia has gotten worse, so I believe they are dead.