Does this look like Apitasia??

[Rcpilot]

Bump.

I got aiptasia now. :grumble: I see 2 small ones on those zoa frags I bought a couple weeks ago. I want to try and deal with it by using peppermint shrimp.

Will my 3 red legged hermits eat the shrimp? If not, I'm gonna buy 2 or 3 shrimp ASAP.

 

[Bifferwine]

The hermits shouldn't bother the shrimp. I've always had good luck with peppermints. Like others have said, some will eat them, some won't, but if you buy more than one, I think it's a sure bet that SOMEONE will have a taste for aiptasia. Plus they are cool looking little guys.

 

[Rcpilot]

How big do they get?

 

[Bifferwine]

Teeny tiny. They don't get big at all. Maybe around an inch long.

 

[Doc]

I am still a fan of Joe's juice.

-Dr Marco :sfish:

 

[Bifferwine]

Hahaha. Dirty comment came to mind here. Decided to keep this one to myself though :D.

 

[MikMcgyver]

Well Doc, All I have to say is Joe is a lucky guy.... Someone had to say it...:)

 

[Rcpilot]

I think I got rid of my aiptasia. I took the 2 frags out of the tank and took a heavy exacto knife to the rocks. I cut the rock and cut the aiptasia off the frag rocks. Flushed the little bas@*#ds down the sink in fresh water.

I did kinda mess up one polyp of zoa, but I think it will reattach and grow back. I accidentally cut it off the rock, so it's just flapping now. If it doesn't grow back--oh well. The rest of the colony can just sprout a new one.

Not sure if others have had any success in cutting aiptasia out with a knife. I dug down really deep into the rock and chopped the hell out of the spot where the aiptasia was located. Flushed it in freshwater to rinse away the chunks.

My zoa colonies are not happy today. Between being taken out of the water for 5 minutes and then flushed in fresh tap water--I imagine they will be sucked up and not come out for a week.

 

[reeffreak]

Don't be surprise if they don't come back.Cutting them up usually just creates more of them.Maybe the freshwater killed them,I dunno.

 

[Rcpilot]

I was thinking that same thing. I think I dug down deep into the frag plug and dug them out, but if they come back I'll be ready. I bought some of this from the LFS today:

Reef Aquarium Aiptasia Control: Stop Aiptasia

I also got a purple mushroom frag and a couple nassarius snails for my sand bed. Cracker, my diamond watchman goby, just isn't getting all the sand clean in all the spots. Hopefully, two nassarius snails will help.

 

[MikMcgyver]

Thats what I used RC, works great, they never come back...

 

[Rcpilot]

Cool! Glad to hear it works.

I think the anenomes are in the frag rocks. If it comes down to it, I'll cut the zoas off the rocks and rubberband them down somewhere until they take root. Chuck the rocks in the trash.

 

[Bifferwine]

Why go through all that trouble (and waste)? Get a few peppermint shrimp.

 

[reeffreak]

Peppermint shrimps might eat his yellow polyps,Biff.

 

[Bifferwine]

Yeah but they might not.

 

[reeffreak]

Yeah but they might!

 

[Rcpilot]

I know.

I should have just got the peppermints. I went back to a LFS today that I swore I'd never go back too. The gal that runs the place told me the peppermints wouldn't eat the aiptasia unless they got really hungry. That means I'll have to starve the tank until they run out of food. Then hope they will spot the aiptasia and actually eat it.

I should have just bought them anyway. Can't hurt to have a few small shrimp in the tank.

 

[Bifferwine]

I disagree with what the LFS told you. Peppermints somewhat specialize on aiptasia, meaning they PREFER it over other types of food.

I have polyp like thingies in my tank that I was afraid the peppermints would eat, because they resemble aiptasia, but they haven't touched them.

 

[reeffreak]

The LFS didn't tell me that peppermints eat yellow polyps.Experience has taught me that.

Read the description.........Blue Zoo Aquatics :: Products Detail

 

[Bifferwine]

I know, I was referring to what he said the LFS said about them only eating aiptasia as a last resort.