# Possible Aiptasia outbreak



## Tazman (Jan 15, 2012)

So, it seems what I though may have been feather dusters might be Aiptasia anemones.

I will post pictures later as its lights out now at the time of writing this post.

Question is, is there harmful or just a pest?, I seem to have an awful lot spread across the tank.

One treatment I know of is inject them with Lemon juice to get rid of them. there is one piece of live rock which has a lot of them, might be able to sacrifice it and let it dry out but will this actually kill them?


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## badxgillen (Aug 20, 2010)

If you are wanting a reef tank full of corals then aptasia are the devil. I personaly like kalkwasser or aptasia-X,maybe Joes juice. I prefer biological control so you may need a few peppermint shrimps of a copperband butterfly fish, I have had much luck with the aptasia eating file fish as well...and then there are the bhergia nudibranchs that eat aptasia up and only aptasia.


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## Tazman (Jan 15, 2012)

Tank is way too small for a butterfly as its only 55g, I would not be able to keep this long term.

I think if it does turn out to be Aiptasia, then Aiptasia-x will be the way to go.


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## badxgillen (Aug 20, 2010)

Sorry ,should have asked about the tank size. Like I said if you have kalkwasser and make a paste out of it you can syringe it over the aptasia.That is the cheapest way to go but don't over do it as it can raise your PH and calcium when used excessively.


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## Tazman (Jan 15, 2012)

Here are some pictures of what I am now 99% sure are Aiptasia.


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## badxgillen (Aug 20, 2010)

Kiiiiill it!


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## Tazman (Jan 15, 2012)

I am NOT going to do the Kalk paste as its too big of a risk in a small tank.

I ordered some Aiptasia-x online which should be here Wednesday. Then can start nuking them.


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## Tazman (Jan 15, 2012)

Let the nuking commence!


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## badxgillen (Aug 20, 2010)

Blast em all! 
Hopefully they have not spread too far or you may still need a biological control as they can get in the tightest places in and behind the rock work were it can be difficult to even see they exist.I still have a couple tanks, that the little buggers snuck into, that I am unable to entirely eradicate due to the type of fishes in the system.


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## Tazman (Jan 15, 2012)

Wow does that stuff work!
Spent 45 minutes trying to get as many as I can, there are some very very small ones still left but the bigger ones imploded on themselves, kind of cool to watch.

The Aiptasia - x is fish and reef safe, it says the skimmer might go into overdrive for a bit but the solution will naturally breakdown after about a week.

Highly recommended if anyone has Aiptasia in their tank.


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## RSully (Nov 22, 2012)

Aip X is great. Just be warned, you have to go back in every few days and check and eradicate, cause there will be more. I've been fighting an outbreak for quite awhile from an introduction from some corals awhile back. If you keep up with it, you may get them all in the long run.


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## Michael W (Mar 29, 2014)

Buy a Racoon Butterfly. I have a 150 that became overun and AipX only held it in check if I used religiously. The Racoon has literally WIPED IT OUT, GONE, NONE. He is a beast with Aipstasia -- if I add live rock with some it soon disappears.

Only problem is he loves corals -- it's a love/hate relationship. Some he eats (Star Polyps) and some not (Kenyon Trees).


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## Tazman (Jan 15, 2012)

I have a Klein Butterfly and he has eaten it all, there is one rather large one under a rock which he cant get to.

It is the last one, I will get it tomorrow.


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