any reason not to decapitate aitapsia?

[dano]

Over the past few weeks I've noticed a growing population of aitapsia. Though i kind of like their appearance I understand they aren't good for the tank/corals. I can't add peppermint shrimp because I have fish that will eat them. So I was wondering if it was a good idea to take a razor blade and just try to scrape them out (maybe there are about 10), or if that will prpagate them or have some other deleterious impact? Thanks. Dano

[Ingo]

Welcome to H E L L ! Got them too. It is my understanding that when cut they will just multiply. For seven years I had a copperband butterfly and no aiptasia. When he died they came back with a vengence. I bought another copperband but unfortunately it died after four days. Now I have one more butterfly, see how he will do.

[stevil]

I don't know if cutting them will have a positive or negative effect.

 

I have good luck just injecting them with white vinegar or cider vinegar. Get some needles & syringes from your drugstore and go to town. Tell them it is for veterinary purposes if the pharmacist asks.

 

I think you'll have trouble cutting the heads off since they retract very quickly when approached. That's why I think the needle works so well. There are times when I don't even inject them, just squirt vinegar around them and they seem to shrivel and die.

 

I have never been able to 100% eradiacate my aptaisa, but have kept in check for over a year and have never had more than 2 or 3 dime sized stalks at the most.

[davelin315]

They will multiply from the damage. They are remarkably resilient and when you cut them, the piece you leave behind and also the piece you cut off will grow into new anemones. Also, this stress will probably cause them to shoot off little "buds". Inject them and kill them off. One thing that I have noticed is that the larger nassarius snails will eat them when you have effectively injected them, otherwise they steer clear of them. Go with the injections, that's what will kill them off. The way I understand it, and I'm not certain of this, is that you can disrupt their internal pH by injecting them either with vinegar (which will add phosphate to your system) or with a boiled RO/DI and Kalk mix. The former will drastically lower their pH and the latter will drastically raise their pH. Either way should kill them off (I've heard a lot about kalk and vinegar solution, but to me this is simply injecting them with a neutral solution so I'm not sure how it works other than giving them a nice free calcium ion boost). Make sure when you inject them that it's actually filling them up (you'll see if it's leaking out of them as you'll be able to see whatever is dribbling out of them sinking towards the bottom of the tank).

[Almon]

Don't do it! If you cut them they will multiply by the hundreds. Inject them and syphon them out.

[extreme_tooth_decay]

Injecting them is a pain, and you need a syringe.

 

Just get some Joe's juice. It worked very well for me. Each aiptasia

died in 1 or 2 shots. The entire problems (50+) was over in 2 sessions.

You can buy Joe's juice online for a few bucks.

 

tim

Edited February 18, 2007 by extreme_tooth_decay

[dano]

thanks for the help... I assume the Joe's juice, saturated kalk and/or the vinegar is administered in the tank and is not harmful to the other inhabitants....is that right? thanks agian. Dano

[Grav]

not true

 

All of those things are toxic and will cause harm if used in large amts or if it comes in contact with any corals. Turn off all the pumps and use a small amt per session. With Joe's juice, my rule is 1ml (enough to kill one good size aptasia) per 10 gallons of tank water per day.