Drastic measures for eradicating aiptasia

[Treebeard]

I have a 46 gallon tank which only has two fish in it, some snails, crabs and a sand sifting star. It has about 30 pounds of live rock and a couple inches of live sand, but the aiptasia has gotten out of control. I am considering removing the live rock and cooking it to get rid of the aiptasia. Can I safely do this without affecting the tank, or will it need to cycle again when I put the rock back in?

[Myka]

Ime you will need to cook the rock for a VERY long time to eradicate aiptasia if by "cooking" you mean putting it in a dark container, and not cooking it on the stove. You will affect the tank minimally if you're cooking in the dark. If you're cooking on the stove...that will be a big deal. Can you post a pic of your rock??

[Treebeard]

As I understand cooking live rock means placing it in a dark tub with a powerhead and raising the temp to about 95 F.

I do not have a pic handy, but last night during a case of insomnia, I was shining a red light around my tanks and was shocked by the amount of aiptasia in the 46 gallon tank. I also saw 3 small crabs, oodles of copepods, and various worms in the 90 gallon tank. I am not sure if they were all good or bad, but it certainly was an eye opener!

[mark]

If you're thinking of going through the effort of removing the rock, just might consider hitting the aiptasia with a small butane type torch. Just sitting in a tub they just might like it.

Just a note, I've got a few aiptasia, but never noticed them more at night (they're out all the time).

[Myka]

+1 on the torch, but you would have to cycle the tank (rock) again afterwards (which you could do in bins instead).

As I understand cooking live rock means placing it in a dark tub with a powerhead and raising the temp to about 95 F.

Yes, although you don't need to raise the temp (I wouldn't). I was just checking because some people DO cook their rock on a stove to kill things.

[jsmth321]

I know not everyone has luck using peppermint shrimp, but so far they have never failed me.

Worth a try and less work if it works.

[workn2hard2day]

i know not everyone has luck using peppermint shrimp, but so far they have never failed me.

Worth a try and less work if it works.

+1

[my2rotties]

I have had great luck with peppermint shrimp and my butterfly fish. They do not eat the large monsters that were there prior to me bringing them home. I have had the shrimp for 3 months and the butterfly for four. I am just noticing the decline in the aipatsia now so it did take awhile. I do not see any new smaller ones popping out, but the big ones are big and healthy. I cannot do much about them since they are out of reach... I also found zapping them with products available for removing them just make them come back even worse.

My really badly infested rocks were removed and scrubbed off in salt water to remove some of the offending aiptasias as well, and then I did a really quick zap under tap water... I have over 400 pounds of rocks so it did not effect my system with die off and such though. I am not sure if you could get away with the same thing. These rocks were within my reach and were really bad. No more have shown up but my shrimp and butterfly have been taking care of them now...

QUOTE=jsmth321;408356]I know not everyone has luck using peppermint shrimp, but so far they have never failed me.

Worth a try and less work if it works.[/QUOTE]

[Treebeard]

I have two peppermint shrimp in the 90 gallon tank but I still have to use other methods to get rid of the odd aiptasia. I never see the shiftless little critters venture from the rock they hide in to the other end of the tank. :frown:

I know not everyone has luck using peppermint shrimp, but so far they have never failed me.

Worth a try and less work if it works.

[my2rotties]

I have ten in my tank and see three of them all the time. The others I am not sure about but I see the skins from them shedding a lot these days. I put them in at night in various parts of the tank by hand to make sure nobody snagged. The three I do see are where I put them... the other ones were put in the isolated areas where I am sure they still reside but I hid them. I notice the aiptasia is receding... I just wish I could get the big ones. I see my butterfly picking at the rocks all the time, but she loves my puffer's seafood medly I make for him... She is the fattest butterfly I have ever seen.

I have two peppermint shrimp in the 90 gallon tank but I still have to use other methods to get rid of the odd aiptasia. I never see the shiftless little critters venture from the rock they hide in to the other end of the tank. :frown:

[Marlin65]

I used the Tailored Aquatics stuff works great. You might have to do it a few times to get them all.

[Treebeard]

I have some that stuff on order from OA for the 90 gallon tank, but with the amount of Aiptasia in the 46, I would need a gallon of it!

I used the Tailored Aquatics stuff works great. You might have to do it a few times to get them all.

[snowmoon007]

Maybe you should try a pair of peppermint shrimp from Red Coral. It took care of my aiptasia problem in about 3 weeks time. Now I don't even see a trace of them anymore.

[Rippin]

Another vote for the Peppermint shrimp. If one doesn't work, try another, or another one. They are relatively inexpensive, and if you don't want them after they've finished with the aiptasia, they're usally easy to catch at night with some bait.

[Scavenger]

Maybe you could find a local friend with a raccoon butterfly fish and see if you can borrow it for a bit. I'd say purchase one, but don't know your future tank plans and 46 is a bit small for a perminant home for one in my opinion.

[Ian]

+1 for the tailored aquatics stuff..1 dose on each and no more have appeared....

[Danny]

Copper band butterfly. They eat a ton ,but pick at the rock all day.

[RuGlu6]

I know not everyone has luck using peppermint shrimp, but so far they have never failed me.

Worth a try and less work if it works.
+2
i know its hit or miss but for $9.99 its way better solution.
the only thing is they will not eat large apteisia.
If you consider cooking the rocks may as well dry em for a month or two and then re-sycle the tank.

jmo

[Treebeard]

How larger is a large aiptasia?

+2
i know its hit or miss but for $9.99 its way better solution.
the only thing is they will not eat large apteisia.
If you consider cooking the rocks may as well dry em for a month or two and then re-sycle the tank.

jmo

[mark]

The hit and miss with Peppermint Shrimp and aiptasia seems can be partly attributed to mis-identification.

The true Peppermint L. wurdemanni (which eats aiptasia) is quite similar in looks to L. rathbunae (which doesn't always develop a taste).

Though I've allowed (by neglect) the aiptasia to come back, I managed them before by the ones I could reach with Kalk paste (made with mysis juice) and with Peppermint shrimp the ones I couldn't. For some reason shrimp (Peppermint or Cleaners) don't seem to last in my tank more than a couple of month.

Here's one article on the two species.
http://www.reefs.org/library/article/hopkins_redfield.html

[hillegom]

Do aiptasia move like mojanos? Can you put a shell on top of an aiptasia and have it move to the shell and then discard? I know that works for mojanos!

[no_bs]

Try a racoon buterfly. Worked for us. Wiped out hundreds of them.