MY STAR POLYPS HAD BEEN ACTING STRANGE, NOT STAYING OPEN FOR EXTENDED PERIODS. THEN I NOTICED ABOUT TEN BABY AIPTASIAS IN THE COLONY AND REMOVED THEM WITH SOME FINE TIP TWEEZERS. HOPEFULLY I GOT THEM ALL, BUT I DOUGHT IT! I ALSO HAVE ALOT OF LITTLE DUSTERS ON THAT SAME PIECE OF LR WHICH I KNOW ARE HARMLESS, BUT I HAVE NOTICED A FEW DUSTER WITH WHITE TUBES AND RED CROWNS THAT I AM NOT FAMILIAR WITH. THEY ARE HARMLESS ALSO RIGHT? THE POLYPS STILL HAVENT OPENED AND ITS BEEN ABOUT 6 HOURS. HOPEFULLY THEY WILL OPEN IN THE NEXT DAY OR TWO. ANY ADVICE?
AIPTASIA ANEMONES IN STAR POLYPS
- Thread starter joshuacpr99
- Start date
how did you remove the apitasia, if you did so, by pulling it out, you may have not gotten it all, and its only been six hours, it could be traumatized yet, ..
Its very possible that removing the aiptasia by using tweesers will not remove them completly, all it takes is a tiny part of the foot to be left behond and they will soon be back...the only pest nem i know where the tweesers method has been majano nems, they can come clean off with a little pressure on them.
The dusters with white tubes are harmless. They come is all colours and will come and go depending on nutrient levels in the tank..
Niko
THEY WER ACTUALLY GROWING ON THE COLONY ITSELF AND NOT IN CREVICES WITHIN THE LR SO I REMOVED THEM VERY CAREFULLY WITH SOME FINE TIPPED TWEEZERS. UNDERSTOOD.......I'M SURE THEY ARE STILL IN SHOCK.
Hope they all clear up well mate..and yes, give the coral sometime to come back out, all should be good..
Niko
Niko
THANKS ATNIXON! IF THEY DONT CLEAR UP WHAT OTHER METHODS COULD BE USED THAT WON'T HARM THE POLPS? I KNOW OF THE BOILING WATER METHOD BUT I'M AFRAID THAT WOULD KILL THE POLYPS AS WELL.
I have had aip's in my zoas and have used kalk paste to kill them. Normally my zoa closes up for several days but eventually comes back ok.
From everything I have read using tweezers is a bad idea as they can easily grow back/spread by even a small piece of them being left behind.
Here are some of the methods I have tried:
Injecting boiling water with a syringe (no needle) - This works but not completely successful and takes many repeat treatements.
Berghia Nudibranch (these guys eat only aiptasia) - I tried just one of these little boogers - These work in a very slow process. When first put in he went and ate one smaller one then moved on to an even smaller one. I guess he annoyed or was to close to a bigger one as he happily reolcated to another part of the tank. (the aiptasia did =/) This process would probably be most successful in a QT tank puting piece by piece of Live Rock in with the critter.
Injecting with Joe's Juice - This works amazingly well because the aiptasia don't retract (well most of the time they don't) so that you can sprinkle small ammounts onto there mouth. Some instantly injest and start dieing, others injest slower and die shortly there after. It comes in a very small bottle so I was kind of skeptical at first. So far So good. I just started using this today so I will provide more results later if needed.
Here are some of the methods I have tried:
Injecting boiling water with a syringe (no needle) - This works but not completely successful and takes many repeat treatements.
Berghia Nudibranch (these guys eat only aiptasia) - I tried just one of these little boogers - These work in a very slow process. When first put in he went and ate one smaller one then moved on to an even smaller one. I guess he annoyed or was to close to a bigger one as he happily reolcated to another part of the tank. (the aiptasia did =/) This process would probably be most successful in a QT tank puting piece by piece of Live Rock in with the critter.
Injecting with Joe's Juice - This works amazingly well because the aiptasia don't retract (well most of the time they don't) so that you can sprinkle small ammounts onto there mouth. Some instantly injest and start dieing, others injest slower and die shortly there after. It comes in a very small bottle so I was kind of skeptical at first. So far So good. I just started using this today so I will provide more results later if needed.