Aptasia and other coral ?'s

Reefkid 07

Reefkid 07

AC Members
Jun 4, 2007
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North Carolina
I have what looks like some small Aptasiasss growing again,gah. I had them right when I was starting this tank, 1 1/2 years later, they're back. How in the WORLD?? I haven't seen ANY until now! I bought a peppermint shrimp and he ate them over night but he died in about a year. I haven't added any livestock lately. The last one arrived about 1" diameter and got a little larger. After a couple of weeks, tiny ones sprouted up fast, I mean like over night they turned a clean rock with a large aptasia into a rock infested with tiny aptasias and a big mommy. The mommy had a really long stem(maybe a male) nearly 2" which I guess is typical for them. I have some ?'s to thow at you.

1: How dangerous are aptasias'? My past ones didn't bother any one.

2: Will they kill my coraline(I think it's coraline, descript.: purple hard pretty stuff that grows fast.

3: Will they kill my fish?

I am about to get a peppermint shrimp. After I get my larger tank, I will move ecerything to it and this will be a QT.
Also, I would like to know what kind of algae I have beginning to grow on a rock. It is dark red and it looks awesome with the purple. It is growing pretty quick. I hope it's good! The growthin my tank is pretty good considering I only have 24 wimpy watts.

Thx lots, Jake
 
I don't know much about apistas either. I'd like to hear the answer to some of these questions...

C'mon AC guys!!!!! :dance:
 
Aiptasia are pest anemones (also called glass anemones). I don't know tons about them, but I know that they quickly spread all over your tank, and I believe that they can sting your corals. I've heard that you can inject them with lemon juice, boiling water, or kalkwasser mix... but I don't have any experience with these methods. I think the easiest thing to do is to go buy some Joe's Juice at your LFS, and zap them with that. I've used that while working at the LFS, and I know for sure that it works. It will kill majano anemones too.

Aiptasias are a real pain in the butt, and will quickly take over if you don't Juice them soon.
 
they are a certain pest nuccience..Either Joe's Juice into them, or boiling water squirted on them with a syringe...both are very effective methods...one is free, one is not..

Niko
 
I've heard wonderful things about lemon juice, and its ability to take out aiptasias.... just do what Niko said, take a syringe or even something like an eye dropper... and squirt directly on, with one of the mentioned solutions. 8)

-Jay
 
I actually don't have any corals right now, my tank is currently a fish only-with LR. I did buy some juice the first time I got them but I decided to return it and go with the hot water method. It was only good for the large one asnd it actually didn't completely get rid of it. So I bought a peppermint shrimp that evening and he finished off the large one and completely wiped out the small ones.
I think i am going to go with the Peppermint Shrimp Method but I will try the lemon juice first. Are there any harmful things in lemon juice for my tank?
 
You only had to leave a tiny bit behind from last time, as they grow they spurt minute spores over the tank and then in time these grow. A copperbanded butterfly fish will munch away the Aptasiasss so get one if this is an option, peppermint shrimps will also eat the Aptasiasss. Lemon juice can harm coral so be careful and good luck!
 
i dont think he can fit a copperbanded butterfly fish in his 12 gal 8)
 
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