Aptasia!!!

[calli]

Hey all,

I have been battling aptasia for a couple of months now and have had no luck.

I have used Aptasia X, that works however, they keep coming back, and two peppermints that don't really do anything.

What should I try next, Copperband or Filefish? Does anyone have better luck with one or the other?

 

[Salty Cracker]

I burn them out with pickling lime paste whenever I see them. Not really a permanent solution though, nudi's are the best option if you can find a supply of the ones that eat aiptasia (but if they miss just one, they'll all come back!)

 

[harleymike]

I have a file fish.He has eaten all of them, plus he has eaten this long white stringy things that come out at night.
But he has also eaten a couple of my zoa's. But its a fare trade for me. I am more an sps guy.

 

[Copperkills]

I just put two peppermint shrimp in my display and my aiptasia is gone, literally overnight

 

[calli]

I just put two peppermint shrimp in my display and my aiptasia is gone, literally overnight

I probably got the same ones you do from Ian and mine are just chillin, they don't eat it at all. I was thinking maybe toss two more in? who knows but this stuff is driving me nuts and I only have about 5 of them.

 

[Kman]

I have been fighting these devils for decades. Shrimp never work for me. I manually kill them but that is a temp solution with aptasia x or kalk paste. I had a matted file fish that kept them almost gone. Till it passed away and they came back. They always come back...

 

[Koi Valley]

I used to have Aptasia really bad. Used Aptasia x but they would come right back.

I then tried peppermint shrimp.
Had to purchase three times before I finally found the “real” peppermint shrimp.
Once they got started they ate them up in no time.

It’s been four years now and no sign of those pesky Aptasia.

Apparently there are a few varieties of shrimp that look like peppermint shrimp.

I would think your shrimp are not peppermint shrimp.

 

[Josh]

The other type is called camelback, Ive yet to see one for sale in my travels. I think actual peppermint shrimp are hit miss so people often think they got the fake ones. They hunt in packs so its recommended to try 3+.

 

[Shooter000]

I have berghias if you need any

 

[Kjmsmith]

Kleins Butterfly did a great job on mine when I had literally hundreds of aptasia when I was new to the hobby and thought the ‘glass anemone’ was good to have in your tank, haha, but after the aptasia was gone then the Kleins started pecking at my BTA and I had to get rid of it. Now a mix of pep’s and X when needed keeps them controlled.

 

[EricTMah]

I have a matted filefish in my frag tank the ate all the aiptasia in there and my dt in a few months. He does go after lps after all aiptasia are gone, but he's slow moving and very easy to catch with a net.

He's up for grabs, but I think @Kman has dibs

S8

 

[thehvacman]

A copperband butterflyfish is the only thing that’s worked me, and I battled them relentlessly for 15 years. Nudibranches worked in all my tanks but the display, because I have wrasses. So if you don’t have wrasses in your system berghia is a great option.

 

[Winks]

A little tip that I learned from a person that is raising peppermint shrimp. If you put the peppermints in the tank then make the aiptasia mad by poking it a few times, the peppermints will be attracted the scent that the aiptasia give off and will start eating the aiptasia. Worked for me.

 

[Steve Peters]

I tried it all for 10 years. Fish predators (CBB, pyramid, filefish, vagabond etc) work but also work on eating $$$$$$$$ worth of coral. Berghia couldn't take the flow in my system, aiptasia X, Joe's Juice, hot water, vinegar, lemon juice, calc paste.... etc... were temporary. In all I probably spent upwards of a couple thousand trying different things and lost thousands of dollars in coral. This spring I tore my tank down, sterilized every surface with vinegar, bought new rock and sand and started over. I have been running some of the rock I had for over 25 years. I have switched tanks over the years but always re-purposed my rock. Brand new start with all new CaribSea Life Rock and excited about every quarantined piece that will come in the years ahead.

 

[Kman]

The camelback shrimp are easy to ID. They are more red with white strips and a hump for a back. These are not

I have a matted filefish in my frag tank the ate all the aiptasia in there and my dt in a few months. He does go after lps after all aiptasia are gone, but he's slow moving and very easy to catch with a net.

He's up for grabs, but I think @Kman has dibs

S8

Ya so hand off! lol