Need Recommendations: Unwanted Aptaisa in sump/refuge

globaldesigns · #1 08-18-2010, 05:21 PM

Well my Display Tank is aptaisa free, as I do nuke the odd one I find. I have noticed quite a colony of them on one of my bubble traps in my sump/refuge.

They are in a place where it isn't easy to get at them, amongst the tube worms, sponges, snails and other critters I do want, but there are quite a few of them. I am not worried about them going into the display, but do want to get rid of them.

Since I cannot easily inject them with Kalk paste, what critters can I buy to do the job. I was thinking of some peppermint shrimp, but they may get snagged by one of the many pumps.

Any thoughts! Or am I just being fussy... As I said, the display is doing well, should I just leave them to help clean the water in the sump?

Murminator · #2 08-18-2010, 05:44 PM

I'm tagging on I have the same problem none in the display but my sump and overflow have a bunch

Buzz · #3 08-18-2010, 05:48 PM

If they aren't hurting anything and not going to spread to a undesirable location I would just leave them. I read a post on another forum where someone was looking to add some to his sump as they are supposed to be good filters.

naesco · #4 08-18-2010, 06:38 PM

You are being fussy.
Don't risk harming other critters in your tank or introducing an aptaisia eater that will starve when she eats the few remaining in your sump.

Zoaelite · #5 08-18-2010, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by naesco

You are being fussy.
Don't risk harming other critters in your tank or introducing an aptaisia eater that will starve when she eats the few remaining in your sump.

+1, they make great filter feeders and if they are out of the display tank I would just let them grow.

JonT · #6 08-18-2010, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zoaElite

+1, they make great filter feeders and if they are out of the display tank I would just let them grow.

+1 =2?

They are right where you want them. By them being there, that is an indication you have "food" going through the sump. By them being there, they are removing that "food" from the system. There are setups that use these and other "pests" as natural filtration. Until the day they start to take over the display tank, I wouldn't worry about it. Perhaps stick a couple peppermint shrimp in the display to help if any show up.

globaldesigns · #7 08-18-2010, 08:37 PM

Thanks everyone... I will take the advice and leave them alone.

fkshiu · #8 08-18-2010, 09:57 PM

I'm of the opposite view. You've got a bit of a ticking time bomb if you allow aiptasia to thrive in your sump. Since they constantly clone themselves and reproduce eventually some aiptasia will be sucked up your return pump and into your display.

Since they are in your sump, you've got more options to get rid of them there assuming you aren't keeping any corals down there. Pick up a couple of reef unsafe camel shrimp and they'll go to town on the aiptasia.

On the zeovit forums, I think, this was a technique someone stumbled onto to get rid of aiptasia: place aiptasia covered rock in sump with camel shrimp then remove the rock as soon as they were done eating the aiptasia but before they started to snack on any corals on the rock.

naesco · #9 08-19-2010, 12:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fkshiu

I'm of the opposite view. You've got a bit of a ticking time bomb if you allow aiptasia to thrive in your sump. Since they constantly clone themselves and reproduce eventually some aiptasia will be sucked up your return pump and into your display.

Since they are in your sump, you've got more options to get rid of them there assuming you aren't keeping any corals down there. Pick up a couple of reef unsafe camel shrimp and they'll go to town on the aiptasia.

On the zeovit forums, I think, this was a technique someone stumbled onto to get rid of aiptasia: place aiptasia covered rock in sump with camel shrimp then remove the rock as soon as they were done eating the aiptasia but before they started to snack on any corals on the rock.

What happens to the couple of camel shrimp when they finish eating the aiptasia?
Also don't you mean peppermint shrimp? I know they eat aiptasia and you can put them in your main tank. I was not aware that camel shrimp eat aiptasia.

intarsiabox · #10 08-19-2010, 12:42 AM

If you want to get rid of them you could try sucking up a little kalk paste in some air line tubing that will reach far enough and then gently blow the paste onto the aiptasia and they will suck it in. Basically same idea as using a long syringe.