Do Aptasia lasers and wands work?

[Siddogg]

Aptasia out of control. Tried peppermint, 2 filefish and Berghia. Has anyone had success w lasers or wands? If so, please give recommendations. Thx

 

[mike550]

@Siddogg I haven’t heard of anyone actually being successful in using a laser or wand for eliminating aiptasia.

 

[Lavey29]

Not that well but sure is fun with some good whiskey

 

[Mjl714]

Yes. I’ve largely had success with peppermint shrimp, after they all disappeared i watch for aptasia and hit with my mojano wand, which works pretty well. I apply a multi pronged attack.

 

[albano]

Wand is mostly useless… unless you can burn every, single cell, it will return!
I have a filefish that does the work for me.

 

[taricha]

I got a laser strong enough to use as aiptasia removal, and once I got it - I realized I'd never use it in my tank. Just looking at the spot that you shine it on without glasses would damage my eyes, and how would I prevent my fish from looking at the bright spot?

 

[Enderg60]

No, but they sure are satisfying to use!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Aptasia out of control. Tried peppermint, 2 filefish and Berghia. Has anyone had success w lasers or wands? If so, please give recommendations. Thx

For me- the wand was a waste of money

 

[Siddogg]

Not that well but sure is fun with some good whiskey

Well, definetly makes it worth buying when you put it that way! Lol

 

[DaJMasta]

If your tank is the right size, you could also try a copperband butterfly. A healthy specimen with a good supply of aiptasia should have enough time to realize frozen food is also tasty and be able to be weened onto prepared foods - though they will pick at certain bivalves, tube worms, and sometimes LPS.

 

[bushdoc]

I had both, actually I still have "Majano Wand", now I use it to experiment performing water electrolysis.

 

[Siddogg]

If your tank is the right size, you could also try a copperband butterfly. A healthy specimen with a good supply of aiptasia should have enough time to realize frozen food is also tasty and be able to be weened onto prepared foods - though they will pick at certain bivalves, tube worms, and sometimes LPS.

Unfortunately I have a Demon Purple Tang! Wouldn’t end well w the CBB

 

[Lavey29]

Well, definetly makes it worth buying when you put it that way! Lol

And may I suggest Glenlivet 18 while you go on your aptasia killing rampage.

 

[Siddogg]

I had both, actually I still have "Majano Wand", now I use it to experiment performing water electrolysis.

Sounds dangerous. So, not a fan as an Aptasia elimination.

 

[mfinn]

I tried making my first gen aiptasia wand work for years. While it would dissolve the aiptasia, but more would pop up elsewhere.
While the lasers were fun to play with, ( I had burn marks in several places on my stand and a couple pair of jeans ), I found that most aiptasias had their base/foot in a small crack or hole, you could not get the laser aimed all the way down to the base. The aiptasia would usually pop back up in the same stop or another close by.
Plus there is always that theory ( or fact) that once you started attacking a aiptasia it would send off bits ( pedal laceration) ) to all parts of the tank.

 

[Heabel7]

Peppermint shrimp have worked for me but slow eaters and if the aiptasia are big they really don’t go after those. Filefish worked phenomenal in both my tanks until they ate most of the aiptasia and turned to regular fish food. Now they don’t eat aiptasia anymore. Aiptasia X is a hard no. Just makes babies.

currently I use a syringe with lemon juice. They don’t retract because it’s so sharp. It weakens them and sometimes kills them. But in their weakened state you can syphon them off the rock no problem at all.

 

[JPM San Diego]

I have battled aiptasia for years and never fully eliminated them.
I have used lasers, peppermint shrimp, Klein's Butterfly, and aiptasia eating file fish.
Klein worked great, briefly, until it realized my candy cane coral tasted better. Fortunately the damage was not permanent.
Peppermint shrimp seems to eat the smaller anemones, but ignorea the larger ones.
Filefish did the most damage, but I noticed he preferred to attack the base and stalk, not the tentacles.
Aiptasias in a hole were left alone. Eventually he decided my Euphyllias tasted better and he had to go.
Laser works great to vaporize tiny aiptasia within about 4 to 5 inches from the glass. Complete success there.
However, aiptasia of any size are just reduced in size, not killed. I can keep their tentacles short by burning them off. Having a 20 year old son is key. I never seem to find the time to keep up with it. He equates killing aiptasia to one of his video games and goes to town whenever he is home. Final comment. The dark red glasses are an absolute must. 100% compliance or don't even think about using a laser. Also, he does his work when no one else is in the room that might catch a stray reflection.

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

Pass on the wand, it spread more fierce than any other method of eradication. It's in the 'aquarium stuff that was a waste' pile.

 

[The Ginga Ninja]

Aptasia out of control. Tried peppermint, 2 filefish and Berghia. Has anyone had success w lasers or wands? If so, please give recommendations. Thx

How big is your tank? And how many Bhergia's did you try? They work! It just takes a bit of time, like a month per 10 gallons with the right amount of Bhergia's:

 

[Foomanj]

Boiling hot water in a syringe worked good for me. Dissolves them then sucked them up with a ridge tube.