Help with Aiptasia problem

[LuanFutemma]

I Need Help with my aiptasia problem, i’m tired of this, maybe someone have a some idea…

i have a 130gal mixed reef, and a lot of aiptasias everywhere.
I start with the Aiptasia-X - just mutiply more.
I introduced a some peppermint shrimp (3) and after a 2 days they disappeared
So i try berghias nudibranchs (5) and i never see any results and never seem them anymore.
So i decided to go with filefish sugested by my LFS, he’re doing very well, but since I bought it (2 months already) never see pick any aiptasia.
Week ago decided to put peppermint again (6) and now, I didn’t see then anymore again, after 3 days.

i really don’t know if some fish are eat them.

my fish stock:
- 1 Sailfing Tang
- 1 Powder Brown
- 1 Naso
- 1 Pseudochromis Neon dottyback
- 1 Spotted Filefish

a loose a cleaner shrimp and a Fire shrimp a few months ago, they was big, and live for a year in the tank with no problems, but they just disappeared as well, first my fire shrimp, after 2 days my cleaner shrimp.

I hope you guys can help me with something.

 

[Doctorgori]

I’d bet the shrimp are hiding
hit or miss if they eat any aptaisia, mine have in the past…usually

 

[Chrisv.]

I Need Help with my aiptasia problem, i’m tired of this, maybe someone have a some idea…

i have a 130gal mixed reef, and a lot of aiptasias everywhere.
I start with the Aiptasia-X - just mutiply more.
I introduced a some peppermint shrimp (3) and after a 2 days they disappeared
So i try berghias nudibranchs (5) and i never see any results and never seem them anymore.
So i decided to go with filefish sugested by my LFS, he’re doing very well, but since I bought it (2 months already) never see pick any aiptasia.
Week ago decided to put peppermint again (6) and now, I didn’t see then anymore again, after 3 days.

i really don’t know if some fish are eat them.

my fish stock:
- 1 Sailfing Tang
- 1 Powder Brown
- 1 Naso
- 1 Pseudochromis Neon dottyback
- 1 Spotted Filefish

a loose a cleaner shrimp and a Fire shrimp a few months ago, they was big, and live for a year in the tank with no problems, but they just disappeared as well, first my fire shrimp, after 2 days my cleaner shrimp.

I hope you guys can help me with something.

A few thoughts:

1) the nudibranchs may have been eaten by the dottyback. My pack of 10 adults eat 1-2 large aiptasia a week. The 5 isn't what will solve the problem, it's their offspring. They take a while to amp up their population (if not eaten). Like a few months.

2) the peppermint shrimp are probably hidden deep in the rockwork, and you may never see them, but they are probably there. They do eat the nudibranchs, however. Not all PS eat aiptasia.

As for the filefish.... assuming all of your fish are plump and well fed...I wonder what would happen if you fed only nori for a week or so. The tangs would be 100% fine. The dottyback will eat amphipods and various reef beasties. The file fish would be left wondering what to eat and might be inclined to go for the aiptasia.

I think the shrimpies would also get hungry and be more inclined to eat the aiptasia during the fast as well.

 

[xabo]

Like you (The OP) I started with Peppermint Shrimp......nothing. Added Berghai, never saw them. Added a AE Filefish, after a week all Aptasia gone. I have no idea whether it was the Berghai or the Filefish that worked. After researching I discovered that the Berghai come out after the lights are off to eat. With the Filefish I didn't feed anything but it was the only fish in the tank at that time.

 

[LuanFutemma]

I’d bet the shrimp are hiding
hit or miss if they eat any aptaisia, mine have in the past…usually

They’re hiding very well so
Tkx

 

[LuanFutemma]

A few thoughts:

1) the nudibranchs may have been eaten by the dottyback. My pack of 10 adults eat 1-2 large aiptasia a week. The 5 isn't what will solve the problem, it's their offspring. They take a while to amp up their population (if not eaten). Like a few months.

2) the peppermint shrimp are probably hidden deep in the rockwork, and you may never see them, but they are probably there. They do eat the nudibranchs, however. Not all PS eat aiptasia.

As for the filefish.... assuming all of your fish are plump and well fed...I wonder what would happen if you fed only nori for a week or so. The tangs would be 100% fine. The dottyback will eat amphipods and various reef beasties. The file fish would be left wondering what to eat and might be inclined to go for the aiptasia.

I think the shrimpies would also get hungry and be more inclined to eat the aiptasia during the fast as well.

1) wow, so dottybacks eats nudibranchs
2) ‍ - can be and i just notice that they can eat the nudibranchs as well
I’ll try feed just nori ans Let’s see what happens

thanx

 

[wattson]

I put an ORA Matted Filefish (2.5" Big) in my tank 2 months ago plus 4 PS about 3 months ago,, The Matted file fish as of last week ate all aptasia in the display and last Thursday and Friday he made meals out of the PS that were almost as big as him...
This file fish is a machine and now goes around the tank all day hunting and eats food I give him twice a day.. I always try to get a smaller file fish so they can get in between polyps to get the little aptasia. This little ******* is picking in one colony of zoas that has some Branching Hydriods and hes doing a good job but at this rate he will be out of food and have to wait for me to feed him.
Never had a File Fish ever harm any polyps.
** ORA Matted File Fish or a Jade File Fish are your best bets.

 

[Firstxreefer]

I always go for a little kalkwasser mixed with water put it in a pipette or syringe without needle and dribble a tiny bit in the center of the aptasia. Next morning it's all gone. I have been using this method for a couple years now. Had to do a lot at first to get ahead of the infestation but now I only occasionally see one or two.

 

[rwreef]

100% neon dottyback is your guy eating shrimp and nudibranch. I had to remove dottyback because he love those expensive peppermint shrimp snacks. He would also demolish bristle worms. Dude was a beast. But had to go.

 

[Chrisv.]

1) wow, so dottybacks eats nudibranchs
2) ‍ - can be and i just notice that they can eat the nudibranchs as well
I’ll try feed just nori ans Let’s see what happens

thanx

I'm not 100% sure that the dottybacks eat nudibranchs, but they love various other reef creepy crawlies. Back when everyone thought bristle worms were a one way ticket to reefing armageddon, the solution was to get a dottyback because they like worms. Obviously burghia are not worms, but my bet is that they would pull the wrasse move and go for it.

No harm in trying the nori thing...and honestly you could probably even extend it a few days longer. Just keep an eye on the tank and do what the fish need.

 

[Chrisv.]

100% neon dottyback is your guy eating shrimp and nudibranch. I had to remove dottyback because he love those expensive peppermint shrimp snacks. He would also demolish bristle worms. Dude was a beast. But had to go.

Ah another data point. Cool!

 

[Chrisv.]

100% neon dottyback is your guy eating shrimp and nudibranch. I had to remove dottyback because he love those expensive peppermint shrimp snacks. He would also demolish bristle worms. Dude was a beast. But had to go.

lol. Just looked at the pic. Living in a skull. Epic.

 

[rwreef]

lol. Just looked at the pic. Living in a skull. Epic.

He was an awesome fish. But too many expensive snacks for that guy. Since removal I've used Nudibranch and shrimp ...both are still alive. Not the case when dottyback was in the tank. My2cents

 

[gbroadbridge]

I Need Help with my aiptasia problem, i’m tired of this, maybe someone have a some idea…

i have a 130gal mixed reef, and a lot of aiptasias everywhere.
I start with the Aiptasia-X - just mutiply more.
I introduced a some peppermint shrimp (3) and after a 2 days they disappeared
So i try berghias nudibranchs (5) and i never see any results and never seem them anymore.
So i decided to go with filefish sugested by my LFS, he’re doing very well, but since I bought it (2 months already) never see pick any aiptasia.
Week ago decided to put peppermint again (6) and now, I didn’t see then anymore again, after 3 days.

i really don’t know if some fish are eat them.

my fish stock:
- 1 Sailfing Tang
- 1 Powder Brown
- 1 Naso
- 1 Pseudochromis Neon dottyback
- 1 Spotted Filefish

a loose a cleaner shrimp and a Fire shrimp a few months ago, they was big, and live for a year in the tank with no problems, but they just disappeared as well, first my fire shrimp, after 2 days my cleaner shrimp.

I hope you guys can help me with something.

I got sick of things not working so did a DIY.

Basically (ha) a 2M solution of Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) with some Calcium Chloride straight at them with a syringe and needle from an old Aiptasia-X kit.

Working well for me.

If you decide to try it, be extremely cautious as a 2M solution will seriously hurt you as well as the Aiptasia if it gets into your eyes. It can damage coral if it falls onto them so be prepared to blow it away with a turkey baster.

 

[Chrisv.]

I got sick of things not working so did a DIY.

Basically (ha) a 2M solution of Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) with some Calcium Chloride straight at them with a syringe and needle from an old Aiptasia-X kit.

Working well for me.

If you decide to try it, be extremely cautious as a 2M solution will seriously hurt you as well as the Aiptasia if it gets into your eyes. It can damage coral if it falls onto them so be prepared to blow it away with a turkey baster.

Is this much more basic than calcium hydroxide? Why the switch?

 

[gbroadbridge]

Is this much more basic than calcium hydroxide? Why the switch?

It's much more soluble, has a higher pH, and I had it on hand when the Aiptasia were laughing at me

When they get a breath of this it's pretty much over for them (so far).

 

[fishmonkey]

I Need Help with my aiptasia problem, i’m tired of this, maybe someone have a some idea…

i have a 130gal mixed reef, and a lot of aiptasias everywhere.
I start with the Aiptasia-X - just mutiply more.
I introduced a some peppermint shrimp (3) and after a 2 days they disappeared
So i try berghias nudibranchs (5) and i never see any results and never seem them anymore.
So i decided to go with filefish sugested by my LFS, he’re doing very well, but since I bought it (2 months already) never see pick any aiptasia.
Week ago decided to put peppermint again (6) and now, I didn’t see then anymore again, after 3 days.

i really don’t know if some fish are eat them.

my fish stock:
- 1 Sailfing Tang
- 1 Powder Brown
- 1 Naso
- 1 Pseudochromis Neon dottyback
- 1 Spotted Filefish

a loose a cleaner shrimp and a Fire shrimp a few months ago, they was big, and live for a year in the tank with no problems, but they just disappeared as well, first my fire shrimp, after 2 days my cleaner shrimp.

I hope you guys can help me with something.

When I got peppermint shrimp they ate all my aiptasia within 2 days. My tank was much smaller than yours though. Either your shrimp are hiding, got eaten, or flew right into a power head. My first conclusion is maybe something in your tank is eating the shrimp.
Maybe you can exchange the file fish for a new one or just not feed it somehow

 

[LuanFutemma]

100% neon dottyback is your guy eating shrimp and nudibranch. I had to remove dottyback because he love those expensive peppermint shrimp snacks. He would also demolish bristle worms. Dude was a beast. But had to go.

I was suspecting…
I’ll try remove or relocated him
Thanks

 

[LuanFutemma]

When I got peppermint shrimp they ate all my aiptasia within 2 days. My tank was much smaller than yours though. Either your shrimp are hiding, got eaten, or flew right into a power head. My first conclusion is maybe something in your tank is eating the shrimp.
Maybe you can exchange the file fish for a new one or just not feed it somehow

I’ll try just feed nori for a sometime,
Also, i definitely will relocated the Dottyback to make sure. I’m suspecting that he’re getting very expensive snacks…

 

[LuanFutemma]

A few thoughts:

1) the nudibranchs may have been eaten by the dottyback. My pack of 10 adults eat 1-2 large aiptasia a week. The 5 isn't what will solve the problem, it's their offspring. They take a while to amp up their population (if not eaten). Like a few months.

2) the peppermint shrimp are probably hidden deep in the rockwork, and you may never see them, but they are probably there. They do eat the nudibranchs, however. Not all PS eat aiptasia.

As for the filefish.... assuming all of your fish are plump and well fed...I wonder what would happen if you fed only nori for a week or so. The tangs would be 100% fine. The dottyback will eat amphipods and various reef beasties. The file fish would be left wondering what to eat and might be inclined to go for the aiptasia.

I think the shrimpies would also get hungry and be more inclined to eat the aiptasia during the fast as well.

I see the filefish picking at rocks and here and there, probably pods or something like that.
But aiptasia i’ll need to force Lol