Funny Experiment & Question about Aiptasia

[HistoryGirl]

If anyone wants to see something great (yes we are fish geeks :rolleyes: ) put live rock into a small tank without fish and see what appears. I have some rock that originally had bubble algae on it and put it into my hospital tank for a bit as I am moving and have to start setting up a new tank. For the past couple weeks, I have seen my hitchhikers. A little slug, a little snail, and a few aiptasia. Little grasses have sprout up everywhere, and the aiptasia have propogated as only they can do. You can see the tiny little babies on the glass. Seems something new pops up everyday. It really is interesting watching this "live rock only" tank develop.

My question is in regard to the Aiptasia. Is there anyway that I can rid the rock of them when I move them into my new tank but keep the anemonies alive and in my hospital tank? I just feel bad killing anything, even these boogers, and I kinda like 'em! :p Any advice would be appreciated!

[stephenray75]

use a small syringe and inject lemon juice into them. they will shrivle and die in front of your eyes or use pepermint shrimp to eat them.

[jessie]

im not positive, but i dont think there is any way to completely rid LR of aptasia without killing them.

[nitrogenbubbles]

Carefull.....Lemon juice can quikly offset you pH.......not to mention that it will also disturb the ORP in the tank.......These "pest" I just pluck them as close to the base....and some of them I leave.....because...they are life and as long as they are not stinging corals.....just trim( note though....if you don't pluck the stomach...you will just get an offspring......and to say "who got the plucking right:)) is crazy;) I have a LFS that is happy with a display of "Pest" and to be honest...it is pretty neat....Pistols shrimp, aistpia, stars, and three mantis!!!!! it is a small ruble tank...but it is still cool:P

[HistoryGirl]

See- that's my thing. I hate killing anything even if they're "pests". I like my little pest tank and I htink its funny how fast the aiptasias propogate. I think I might just leave these rocks in there and get new ones just so I can watch the progress.