# Aiptasia out of control..now what?



## dfbiggs (May 19, 2010)

I tried scraping them off the rocks..impossible and pointless. Is Aiptasia X worth using? I know there are other options like hot sauce and other weird concoctions but I'm not putting anything like that in my tank. Also I'd rather not have to remove my puffers.

Thanks.


----------



## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

Yes, it works. I use a syringe filled with lemon juice. You can also boil that rock in water, do it one piece at a time. Just alittle tip, when you scrape them off, the pieces parts go to other parts of the tank, and grow.
Copperbanded Butterfly would be your best bet in that tank, if yiur tank is big enough.


----------



## dfbiggs (May 19, 2010)

You can use lemon juice with fish in the tank? How long does it take for them to go away after you feed them lemon juice?

I read that if you don't remove all the cells they will spread...I read this after the fact..lol. I'm not interested in adding any fish to solve the problem. Also all my rock is covered in macro algae plants I would like to keep...so can't boil my plants.


----------



## Reefing Madness (Jun 26, 2011)

You can see it die on the spot if you get it right. Lemon juice won't hurt anything as long as you don't go dropping in a bottle of it. If yiu do get a bunch in there it raises the PH some.


----------



## RSully (Nov 22, 2012)

I'm using aiptasia x right now in my qt tank. It works really well. ONly issues is getting at the really small ones but slowly I'm getting rid of them.


----------



## dfbiggs (May 19, 2010)

Thanks all.


----------



## dfbiggs (May 19, 2010)

Okay I used lemon juice it killed the ones that swallowed it just right but honestly I think it made the problem worse. When they die they are a messy blob of spores then it seems those spores grew into 10,000 new babies.

Will fresh water kill them...*for good* so no trace is left behind? Gosh and people complain about snails..these are way worse.


----------



## GwenInNM (Feb 2, 2011)

RSully said:


> I'm using aiptasia x right now in my qt tank. It works really well. ONly issues is getting at the really small ones but slowly I'm getting rid of them.


Totally agree! Aiptaia X is great!


----------



## wake49 (Jul 2, 2008)

I have tried everything. The only thing that I swear by for aptasia is peppermint shrimp. I do not know how they will fare with the puffers, but they are the only thing I have had luck with. My buddy swears by the Copperband, but once the aptasia is gone, they tend to be fussy eaters.


----------



## RSully (Nov 22, 2012)

Aiptasia X works. I had my QT down to about two and got lazy and ignored it. It's back up to about 6 which I will take care of this weekend. I had a least 50-60 plus when I started and took out 8-10 or so once a week. IT DOES WORK!


----------



## wake49 (Jul 2, 2008)

RSully said:


> Aiptasia X works. I had my QT down to about two and got lazy and ignored it. It's back up to about 6 which I will take care of this weekend. I had a least 50-60 plus when I started and took out 8-10 or so once a week. IT DOES WORK!


 
I have heard of people using it with great success stories. It unfortunately didn't work when I tried it. I don't know if I just couldn't find every single aiptasia, or if I just wasn't doing it right. More stories than not say this stuff works. I am just saying personally, I didn't have luck.


----------



## GwenInNM (Feb 2, 2011)

wake49 said:


> I have tried everything. The only thing that I swear by for aptasia is peppermint shrimp. I do not know how they will fare with the puffers, but they are the only thing I have had luck with. My buddy swears by the Copperband, but once the aptasia is gone, they tend to be fussy eaters.


I have one peppermint shrimp and I'm not sure if he does any good for the aptasia. He pops out immediately when I feed, but stays very close to rocks to get away. I'm not sure if any of my inhabitants would bother him or not, so I don't know why he's so shy. Perhaps the six line wrasse?? 

Gwen


----------



## wake49 (Jul 2, 2008)

GwenInNM said:


> . Perhaps the six line wrasse??


 
Interesting. I have heard about these guys when it comes to Bristleworms, but never aiptasia. These are very aggressive fish for their size. I had one in a 46 bow that chased a Red-Headed Fairy Wrasse, three firefish and a lawnmover blenny out of the tank. In my opinion, this fish is best in a 90 gallon or better. What size is this tank again?


----------



## GwenInNM (Feb 2, 2011)

wake49 said:


> Interesting. I have heard about these guys when it comes to Bristleworms, but never aiptasia. These are very aggressive fish for their size. I had one in a 46 bow that chased a Red-Headed Fairy Wrasse, three firefish and a lawnmover blenny out of the tank. In my opinion, this fish is best in a 90 gallon or better. What size is this tank again?


You miss understood me. I'm not talking about the wrasse eating aptasia, I'm talking about it bullying the peppermint shrimp, just because the shrimp stays close to rock. My tank is 75 gallons, and I've never seen my wrasse harrass anyone in the tank. I hope he chops on bristleworms once in awhile, cause I have lots of them


----------



## wake49 (Jul 2, 2008)

Yeah, a 75 might be enough room. I just didn't have any luck in my 46. That must have been too small.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------

