Best Method for Aiptasia Removal

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Jesshika

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Nov 10, 2007
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I have a huge infestation of aiptasia that are about 2-4 inches in size each and I have hundreds of them. I know that copperband butterflies eat them, but my tank is a bit too small for one. I've tried peppermint shrimp but they didn't to anything. Anyone know how effective the berghia nudibranch are for them? I was going to try Joe's Juice, but there are so many and I've heard the juice only works about 2 in every 20?! Any advice?

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Jesshika

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I've thought about getting one, but my tank is only a 40 gallon (3 ft long). Could I get a small one and then trade it back into the LFS once it gets too big? They will even eat the really big ones?

BTW very nice pics of the copperband :grinyes:
 

Angel 0249

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Feb 25, 2007
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Joes juice or boiling water usually works for me.
 

clown-lover

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May 26, 2007
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At this point you are so infested that I don't think a 100% natural method is available to you. While a copperband is a good idea as you well know Aiptasia will multiply on you fast.. Each one of these can generate more by simply letting a piece of itself go.. I would personally take an extremely aggressive approach if I were you.

I'd take out all of your rock, place it into tubs with saltwater, heat and circulation and then leave a few pieces in the tank. I'd then use mechanical means to inject all of the larger Aiptasia and then place like 12 juvenile peppermints into the tank to take care of any small ones that they can reach. If you want to use a copperband thats up to you. After those rocks have sat in your tank for like 4 or 5 days and you don't see any more of the little reef wreckers I'd place them into a new container with saltwater, heater and circulation.

I'd keep repeating this process until your rock is clean. You should then be able to safely place all of your rock back into your tank and hopefully it will be pest free.

There are also other methods out there like 1 tsp sodium hydroxide with 2 tsp kalk in 100ml distilled water which some say is a sure fire way to rid yourself of them.. I have not tried this method, but have tried boiling water, lemon juice, kalkwasser and joe's juice. The key to the latter is that you have to dribble it over the tentacles very slowly until they in-jest some of the product. Then follow them back as they start to recede and cover them with joe's juice or kalk paste.

Hope that helps.
 

Grins

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May 1, 2007
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I'm with Clown...I'd remove the rocks at this stage of infestation.

There are several options once you do that. Including baking those puppies. I'd probably shoot for injections of boiling water or joes juice first though...but in a QT not the display. Not that those would hurt the display but because there are so many that I'd want to avoid them propogating further while I was fighting them.
 
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