Aiptasia and problem solving

[Sharkey18]

Oh, of course. Isaac aka the WAMAS gangsta       

[YHSublime]

My copperband tears them up!!  I have aiptasia in my frag tank (plumbed to the main system) and all I have to do is put the frag in the main tank for a few minutes and any aiptasia on the plugs are gone.  The copperband actually lurks waiting for my hand to move and immediately comes over to inspect the frags.  Mine also ate all of the feather dusters in the tank.  Hold out for a little while and it should come around.  Destroy all of the large ones and the copperband should eat the smaller ones in time.

 

Well, you were right. Mine has turned into an aiptasia eating beast. I can not find it left in my tank anymore. It's also quickly picked up on frozen as well, so that's a plus. It still scavenges, but I try to feed 3 times a day. Huge plus, it leaves my zoas and palys alone.

 

Stay tuned for my next thread: "Is there a fish that actually eats bubble algae, and how quickly can it get into my tank?"

[AlanM]

I had a little bit of bubble algae but forgot I did because it disappeared.  I think the foxface ate it.  I should trade you a fox for a butterfly.  Nothing is eating my two remaining aiptasia, though, including the peppermints.  Their feet are down in a rock crevice that I couldn't seem to get to with the wand I rented, either, as they'd retract when they saw the wand coming and come back out to mock me 10 minutes later.  Maybe they're majano and not aiptasia.  Dunno.

[YHSublime]

I had a little bit of bubble algae but forgot I did because it disappeared.  I think the foxface ate it.  I should trade you a fox for a butterfly.  Nothing is eating my two remaining aiptasia, though, including the peppermints.  Their feet are down in a rock crevice that I couldn't seem to get to with the wand I rented, either, as they'd retract when they saw the wand coming and come back out to mock me 10 minutes later.  Maybe they're majano and not aiptasia.  Dunno.

 

I have yet to read a review from somebody who in fact has seen a foxface eating bubble algae. I threw some in QT for the one I have, and it disappeared as well, but it was free floating. I have yet to see it eat from the algae clip, and it's only picked at frozen. Maybe with time it will come around like my copperband.

[AlanM]

My foxface goes after the algae clip like it cheated on his mother.  It also pushes the other fish out of the way to get to Roggers, Rods, Nutramar Ova, sustainable aquatics mini-pellets it eats from the feeding ring on the surface, hair algae that gets into the tank when some escapes while I clean the sump, etc.  He's high strung and always hungry, but I didn't see him eat the bubble algae.

[wangspeed]

I've had the occasional aiptasia. I microwave plain vinegar til it's super hot, suck it up in a plastic syringe and then blast the aiptasia at point blank. I think the key is not to go too fast. In a 90, the vinegar is happily consumed as carbon dosing. Added plus

 

 

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Warren

[AlanM]

Interesting. Wonder if microwaved kalk water would work too.

[angel not fish]

I've had the occasional aiptasia. I microwave plain vinegar til it's super hot, suck it up in a plastic syringe and then blast the aiptasia at point blank. I think the key is not to go too fast. In a 90, the vinegar is happily consumed as carbon dosing. Added plus

 

 

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Warren

Do you know if works with majano ?

[Origami]

I've injected room temperature vinegar (and also lemon juice) right into Aiptasia in the past, but never really hot vinegar. Interesting idea - a double whammy.

[wangspeed]

Do you know if works with majano ?

Never had a majano to try it on.

 

 

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Warren

[jimlin]

I've had the occasional aiptasia. I microwave plain vinegar til it's super hot, suck it up in a plastic syringe and then blast the aiptasia at point blank. I think the key is not to go too fast. In a 90, the vinegar is happily consumed as carbon dosing. Added plus

 

 

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Warren

 

what do you mean "go too fast" ? A slow injection? Don't kill them all at one time? 

Blast the aiptasia at point blank, does that mean you don't use a needle to inject it directly into the aiptasia, but rather just shoot the solution at it?

[mling]

Let me first say that this will not work for me as I am too lazy.  I read somewhere that Aiptasia will not survive if you have totally pristine water conditions.

Does anyone here have such water and still have Aiptasia ?

 

Oh,  Salty underground has a pretty good summary on Aiptasia -> http://www.saltyunderground.com/pages.php?pID=11

[Crob5965]

I had a similar issue, about 4 months back< waited until R2G had a special on peps and bought like 30 ( my problem was a lot worse than yours), now I think there might be 1 or 2 in my sump that I haven't bothered to deal with but my tank is good to go, however I do have 30+ peps in a 90 gal now which is quite annoying. problem solved for about $60 on R2G which was how much my I paid for my Copperband that ate all my pods and feather dusters before starving to death and dying in a garden of Aiptasia.

 

I dont think you would need more than 10 per 100Gal but I let mine get out of hand so I had to suck it up 

[wangspeed]

what do you mean "go too fast" ? A slow injection? Don't kill them all at one time?

Blast the aiptasia at point blank, does that mean you don't use a needle to inject it directly into the aiptasia, but rather just shoot the solution at it?

I don't use a needle. I basically try to cook it and anything it might release. The use of vinegar is just an extra punch, just in case. I've never had an outbreak from doing this. Nothing seems to mind this except for aiptasia and algae. There's a quick burst at first, and then just a steady amount til you run out. Make sure it's appropriate for your tank size.

 

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Warren