getting rid of pests

[aronmoir]

I'm in the process of setting up a 40 gallon mini reef, and some of the live rock I've purchased has bristle worms and an aptasia anemone, which I know spread quickly. Is there any way to get rid of them? My LFS told me to get a peppermint shrimp for the aptasia anemone and an arrow crab for the bristle worms, but they're not helping. Any tips would be appreciated.

[Triggerman]

I removed three of my aipstasia by getting them at lights out.They wander from their burrow and I just netted them .I think I got really lucky.

[mogurnda]

Not sure what Triggerman means by that. Peps seem to work for small Aiptasia, so I think it's good advice from your LFS. If they are larger, injecting with kalkwasser seems to work. The shrimp have a bad habit of eating other, beneficial organisms (mine ate a whole shipment of nassarius, e.g.), but a few in a 40 will probably be fine. If you get 2 or more, they'll also produce larvae for zooplankton.

Leave the bristleworms. Most species are scavengers and will just keep the place tidy. It can be a gamble, depending on the species, but usually they won't cause trouble. An arrow crab will do a lot more damage than any bristleworm, and I would recommend getting rid of it.

[aronmoir]

Mogurnda, how is an arrow crab bad to have? Will it pick at my corals when I get them? It won't attack any of my fish, will it? It seems pretty harmless so far.

[Triggerman]

The aipstasia leave their burrow and go for the clam mantles.I netted them right off the top of the clams.

[mogurnda]

how is an arrow crab bad to have? They will eat bristleworms, but also fanworms, terebellids and other guys you want to keep. They have a nasty reputation as being untrustworthy in general.
Triggerman, I have never heard of this technique. Are you sure we're talking about the same little evil anemones?

[Triggerman]

Yes sir
Glass anenomes.Aipstasia.
I stay up late ususally.I flipped the lights on and they were right on top of my clams.
I think the key is making them go hungry for a while.I feed raw shrimp and flakes .No brine or any formulas,frozen.They had no food source.

[latazyo]

I've never heard of anemones having burrowws or swimming or being netted...pep's worked great for me to removie aiptasia and from what I've seen it really doesn't spread THAT quickly

and don't arrow crabs get HUGE?

[VoodooChild]

Has anyone had any luck using baking soda as opposed to kalk? I'd rather not spring the $8 for the stuff if I only need a syringe's amount.

[BrianH]

Try going to your local supermarket and look for Mrs. Wages Pickling Lime. IT is the same stuff as the kalk you buy at the lfs, and it is probably even cheaper than baking soda.

Brian

[VoodooChild]

Thank you very much.

[scubaBB1]

Has anyone had any luck using baking soda as opposed to kalk? I'd rather not spring the $8 for the stuff if I only need a syringe's amount.

Cheap and easy :thumbsup:

[Reefkid 07]

If you have relatively large aptasia, boil some hot water with lemon juice and salt. Put the water in a syringe and inject them at the base and watch them melt... As for Bristle worms, I think that long nosed angels can eat those. Ask your LFS if you can buy it until and keep it until it takes care of business and then return or trade it.

[exquisite1]

Is there any way someone could post a pic of these aptasias? I may have some of these guys swimming around in my tank.

[MrGoodbytes]

I tried baking soda on Aiptasia but only had maybe a 20% success rate. Lemon juice worked better but dropped my alk a bit (not by much). The tricky part is killing the little ones that have burrows, which is why I was thinking of getting a peppermint shrimp too. With my luck he'll like the taste of zoas too :P. I can't say I've ever heard of Aipatsia swimming around at night. Maybe crawling...

As for the bristleworms, just let them be. They're fantastic scavengers. Just like spiny earthworms lol.

[DoctaQ]

aptasia dont move..? unless its like..a jellyfish or something..then its not an aptasia