[Sueet]

Hiya..
I just recently purchased a used refugium, with a DSB already in it. It has been sitting in my basement with the light on it, til I got a chance to fool with it. Well, I spent a bit of time checking it out closely, and found that it is filled with much.. MUCH varied life..... I saw at least 3 kinds of worms, numerous shrimps of at least 3 varieties (hard to tell for sure, they're so little) baby snails, tiny white starfish, and some teensy little swimming dots which I will assume are "copepods" ....
Now comes the odd question. I ALSO noticed several Aiptasia anemones... Now, I know that I do not want them to get into the display, since this particular refugium is going to be attached to my anemone/clown tank... However, I do not wish to kill them. Would it be feasible to buy a small tank and put them in it? How long should I keep the refugium separate to be sure there are no baby aiptasia present? I actually do not think they are ugly, despite what many people say, honestly I think the only reason they are considered ugly is because we humans cannot control it (Kind of like Dandelions, which I also think are pretty, tho I agree they are a nuisance)
Anyway, If I do get a small tank for them, would I need all the equipment for it too, or could I get away with just a small heater and maybe an old whisper power filter I have from back in my freshwater days? Also, would I need to hand feed them, and if so, what? I have several anemones now that I hand feed, but they're much larger than these, in my 50 gal. They are getting used to the tank and getting situated (happily I might add) and the clowns wont be moving to that tank for a couple weeks or so, I want to be sure the anemones are happy first... (and that the shrimps/snails/copes have time to get established) Is 2 weeks long enough to be sure there are no more aiptasia in the 'fuge? I do have 3 peppermint shrimps, but they are happy in the 50, and I would feel bad moving them to that little teeny 'fuge just to "maybe" catch some aiptasia. ('Specially since they eat right out of my hand... I am sure I would never convince them to come to me again if I did that to them!) Or, since I have the peppermints, should I just remove those I can see, and not worry about maybe having more?
Ok, I'm starting to confuse myself on what I'm even asking, so I'll stop now... if anyone made it this far, your input is most welcome

[MyLittleOcean]

I ffed mine a kalk mix. Its seems to make them miutiply like mad.

You really want to keep them? What are they attached too? Can you remove the objects they are on?

[Sueet]

Originally Posted by MyLittleOcean

I ffed mine a kalk mix. Its seems to make them miutiply like mad.

You really want to keep them? What are they attached too? Can you remove the objects they are on?

Yes I really want to keep them.. or, more correctly, I have no personal beef with them, and I do not wish to kill them. I know I don't want them to get into my main tank, as there are far too many places for them to hide, and I will have too many things that cost me alot of $ to take a chance But, I don't have a problem with getting a small tank just for them, as long as I don't have to shell out alot of cash to get it up n running.

Yes, I can easily remove what they are attached to, they are on tiny rock rubble pieces, and also on the grape caulerpa, plus this is a fuge, there is nothing in there that can't be moved or removed.

[MyLittleOcean]

I would remove everything but the sand just to be sure. Just use base rock in the sump if you already have an established tank and refug sandbed. I will not take long for the new rock to be 'live'. I would also suggest Chaetomorpha (dont think I spelled that right) as an algae to use. I doesnt go sexual and desolve like calupra's. I have been battleing aptasia for awhile and I have been loosing. I had a Berghi Nudi that was eating them like mad. A month later I found parts chewed up in my surge.
He was really working. I traded 25 thumb size aptasia for him ( a guy I know is breeding them).

They would be cool in a species tank. It would need much light at all. Very easy to propogate. Just kill one and 50 more will pop up.

[SueT]

I recently donated my aiptasia rocks that were in a part of my 180g that I couldn't get to, to a guy that is raising berghia nudi's. He doesn't live in Houston but was driving through and stopped to pick them up. My copperband doesn't have a taste for them and Joe's Juice didn't burn anything but the top.

Something you might think about is trying to get into the berghia nudi. raising bis. They are quite the aiptaisa eaters and trading them into LFS's or selling them would offset the reefing expense.