What is this on my blastos?

[testuser]

Yes, I know that one or two of the blastos aren't doing so hot (or one rather is completely gone), but it's had a rough go. Aptaisia was its first new unfriendly neighbor that stung it a lot. But now, is this a mini starfish in the circled area in the attached picture? Should I remove it? What is it?

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Yes, I know that one or two of the blastos aren't doing so hot (or one rather is completely gone), but it's had a rough go. Aptaisia was its first new unfriendly neighbor that stung it a lot. But now, is this a mini starfish in the circled area in the attached picture? Should I remove it? What is it?

View attachment 3116675

That's a pest nem like Aiptasia. You definitely don't want it growing that close to your corals.

 

[Spare time]

Poke it then superglue over it

 

[testuser]

Poke it then superglue over it

Would it be possible to simply rip it off? I've already super glued on this poor blastos before.

 

[Shibaken3]

if u rip it off there's a chance that it can spread. would recommend covering it up with super glue

 

[Spare time]

Would it be possible to simply rip it off? I've already super glued on this poor blastos before.

The aiptasia is on the skeleton. A drop of gel superglue on the aiptasia or aiptasia-F is the safest way of doing so. Do it asap too to prevent more aiptasia

 

[testuser]

Right on. This particular blastos has been such a headache. It's amazing how these eggs or wherever they came from keep hatching on this piece. I'll use gel super glue. Thanks all!

 

[testuser]

Welp. I tried to take the blastos off the rock and my tongs slipped and I nicked the aptaisia-esque pest... I still placed super glue gel over the area, but it didn't see to be there anymore. How screwed am I, seeing as I could not locate the floating, torn piece? And I assume that the issue would be propagation and growing on another coral, right?

 

[Goaway]

It's a terrible possibility.

What size tank do you have?

 

[testuser]

It's a terrible possibility.

What size tank do you have?

Rip. I have a 4.8 gallon tiny tank. I was hoping that it would be blown into the overflow, but it could have easily gotten stuck in my macro algae I suppose as well.

 

[Goaway]

True peppermint shrimp will be your best bet on an outbreak. Can still hope for the best that no more pop up.

Hopefully now the blasto will recover.

 

[testuser]

True peppermint shrimp will be your best bet on an outbreak. Can still hope for the best that no more pop up.

Hopefully now the blasto will recover.

Appreciate it, and I'll keep those guys in mind if I see more crop up. Do you think I am at a greater or worse advantage with my tank being rather small? Also, can these reproduce if torn apart?

 

[Goaway]

Appreciate it, and I'll keep those guys in mind if I see more crop up. Do you think I am at a greater or worse advantage with my tank being rather small? Also, can these reproduce if torn apart?

That depends on you. I've seen large tanks over run with aips, we're talking 100g tanks filled with aiptasia and people quit.

If you go in to shred the aip, those fragments can grow new aips. The peppermints don't actually rip them up to release in the wster colum. They eat the anemone. Last resort as they might eat your coral once their done with the aiptasia.

Lets just hope no one else pops up.

 

[testuser]

That depends on you. I've seen large tanks over run with aips, we're talking 100g tanks filled with aiptasia and people quit.

If you go in to shred the aip, those fragments can grow new aips. The peppermints don't actually rip them up to release in the wster colum. They eat the anemone. Last resort as they might eat your coral once their done with the aiptasia.

Lets just hope no one else pops up.

Fair enough! I will hope for it to just be filtered out into the overflow, but will keep an eye out in the meantime. Appreciate the advice!

 

[Spare time]

True peppermint shrimp will be your best bet on an outbreak. Can still hope for the best that no more pop up.

Hopefully now the blasto will recover.

The right species of peppermint shrimp is, I think, the one algaebarn sells

 

[Goaway]

The right species of peppermint shrimp is, I think, the one algaebarn sells

I forgot about them. They'd be a safe go to.