Big Aiptasia

Iron Crab · 02-19-2002, 09:43 AM

I just noticed a large one that is in the back of my rock pile. I can see it by looking thru a small tunnel in my rock pile. It is at the bottom of the pile next to the sandbed.
There is no way of reaching it unless I tear the whole pile out.
What should I do here? I have a couple of peppermints in this pile. Will they eventual get it or is it too big.
Bill

eses · 02-19-2002, 10:38 AM

Hope the peppermints get it, if they don't, you will be saving yourself more future work by just pulling the rock and removing it. It will be much harder when that single anemone becomes three or eight.

Would it be possible to remove some of the rocks so you can get access to the aiptasia? You could try giving it more access, which should also give the shrimp easier access to it. You also might then be able to inject it.

Iron Crab · 02-19-2002, 12:22 PM

If it is still there by the weekend- I'll tear it out. It's right on a piece of baserock that a 23 lb rock sits on and then the pile goes up from there. I'll try moving some of the upper rocks off it see if I can see it.

Chrome Weasel · 02-19-2002, 06:28 PM

I'd wait longer than that if I were you. I had a lot of large (attractive actually) aptasia in my tank and I added 6 peppermints to clean it out. They didnt touch a thing for weeks, probably at least a month, and I didn't even see the shrimp much. Then they suddenly cleaned the whole tank within one week.

If your shrimp have been there a while already and havent touched it I'd make sure you really have peppermint shrimp and not camelbacked. If you really have peppermints the aptasia shouldnt get out of control no matter what.

Besides, you cant just rip up aptasia. It just grows back.

FishDaddy · 02-19-2002, 11:54 PM

Peppermints tend to prefer the tender, young Aiptasia morsels. They don't seem to bother them when they get large.

Since you can see it, you might try to rig a syringe with a length of airline tubing with the needle on the end and snake the tubing back through the opening in the rocks and inject it with kalk paste. Can you see it from the top with the hood off the tank?
If not, moving rocks isn't fun.

Dick

Iron Crab · 02-20-2002, 02:00 PM

I think I'll go ahead and move my rock. I 've been looking it over and I think I can get to it by moving three rocks. There is no way of getting to it no matter what I do besides digging in. I have just started adding corals and if I wait it might be harder.
I had camels in my old tank but didn't keep them for my upgrade. The peppermints have been in my tank for only about a week. I got them cause I have spotted a few smaller aiptasias.
Thanks, Bill

chromis · 02-20-2002, 03:39 PM

Smoke that mother f*cker like it aint no thang!!! My aptaisias are just starting to get under control due to kalk injections and I got a butterfy comin in next week to pick off the survivors.

Good Huntin!
Andrew

Chrome Weasel · 02-20-2002, 11:20 PM

I really think people make too big a deal out of aptasia. I had lots of big 3 inchers for months with no shrimp without the aptasia bothering anything. When I added the peppermints, the shrimp took care of them all in under two months and they never grew back. I never worried much about it before or after.

I run a relatively low-light tank so maybe that makes a difference. Nevertheless you've only waited a week and your shrimp will probably take a lot longer than that to weed out your aptasia.

Personally I think you are obsessing over a rather minor issue. Hopefully whatever you decide will work for you though. Good luck.

chromis · 02-21-2002, 06:35 AM

How long have kept reefs?!?!?!?!? Aptaisia is not a minor problem at all!! They WILL TAKE OVER if you dont get rid of them early, I had one large one on a live rock order and I thought it looked cool, now imagine how cool my tank must look covered in hundreds of aptaisia in every crevice and crack as well as on the sand, glass, skimmer, everywhere! Dont tell me aptaisia is a minor problem because it isnt and once you have the numbers like I have you cant completely eradicate them, you can only control them, and I have a butterfly coming in for that. Aptaisia is a MAJOR problem in reef tanks and no one should be lulled into afalse state of security about them, get them early and you wont go crazy like I have

IME
Andrew

Northman_with_reef · 02-21-2002, 10:00 AM

Iron crab, get a large syringe and a nedle.

Fill the syringe with boiling water and insert the needle into the aiptasia and Squese the water in and let all your aression out.....

I the Aiptasia is close too a coral, don't even think about it.

This method Kicks as when it comes to killing Aiptasia wich is sitting inside a crack or similar.

Thomas

PS: Might be a good idea getting a LONG needle....

Iron Crab · 02-21-2002, 12:19 PM

If I can get a syringe, I'll do the boiling water thing. Thanks.
I can understand where Chrome Weasel is coming from. I had them in my 55 FO tank and they never multiplied but they got big and were sort of cool.

In my new set up they are popping up from no where. In my skimmer, overflows, here and there on the rock but not in big numbers. So far I have been able to control them. My next trip to the LFS I'll pick up some more peppermints to be safe.

Thanks everyone, Bill

JEMichael IV · 03-01-2002, 07:34 PM

And I have Peppermint Shrimp:

Iron Crab · 03-01-2002, 08:26 PM

WOW

. What are your plans for that? Since you got the thread started again. I got my big one last week. Had to move four rocks and pulled the one that it was on and touched it with a hot huntin knife. Cooked it good. So far I haven't found any new ones.
Also, are peppermint shrimp night creatures? I have two now and never see them.

02-19-2002, 09:43 AM	#1
Iron Crab Council Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: N.W. Pennsylvania, USA Posts: 434	Big Aiptasia I just noticed a large one that is in the back of my rock pile. I can see it by looking thru a small tunnel in my rock pile. It is at the bottom of the pile next to the sandbed. There is no way of reaching it unless I tear the whole pile out. What should I do here? I have a couple of peppermints in this pile. Will they eventual get it or is it too big. Bill

02-19-2002, 11:54 PM	#5
FishDaddy Just Moved In Join Date: May 2000 Location: Tennessee, USA Posts: 31	Peppermints tend to prefer the tender, young Aiptasia morsels. They don't seem to bother them when they get large. Since you can see it, you might try to rig a syringe with a length of airline tubing with the needle on the end and snake the tubing back through the opening in the rocks and inject it with kalk paste. Can you see it from the top with the hood off the tank? If not, moving rocks isn't fun. Dick __________________ http://www.thereeftank.com/ The Reef Tank

02-21-2002, 10:00 AM	#10
Northman_with_reef Stonehammer Productions ™ Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Norway(Scandinavia) Posts: 461	Iron crab, get a large syringe and a nedle. Fill the syringe with boiling water and insert the needle into the aiptasia and Squese the water in and let all your aression out..... I the Aiptasia is close too a coral, don't even think about it. This method Kicks as when it comes to killing Aiptasia wich is sitting inside a crack or similar. Thomas PS: Might be a good idea getting a LONG needle.... __________________ They said aquariums would be relaxing......(yeah right) Saltvannsforum My LFS

03-01-2002, 07:34 PM	#12
JEMichael IV Just Moved In Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Longmont, CO Posts: 34	And I have Peppermint Shrimp: __________________ John Michael Proud Member of the Rocky Mountain Reef Club --Current Setup-- 172g Oceanic Bowfront plumbed into a 300g and 100g in basement, 3x250w 10k AquaSpacelight on Main Display, 2x250w AquaStarlight on 300g stocktank, 2 Iwaki 100 RLT's for returns plumed into a 100g stocktank sump, Aqua Medic T5000 Dual Skimmer, Aqua Medic T5000 Calcium Reactor, Aqua Controller II Pro, and running Red Sea 250ml Ozone generator.

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02-19-2002, 10:38 AM	#2
eses Council Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Seattle Posts: 270	Hope the peppermints get it, if they don't, you will be saving yourself more future work by just pulling the rock and removing it. It will be much harder when that single anemone becomes three or eight. Would it be possible to remove some of the rocks so you can get access to the aiptasia? You could try giving it more access, which should also give the shrimp easier access to it. You also might then be able to inject it.

02-19-2002, 12:22 PM	#3
Iron Crab Council Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: N.W. Pennsylvania, USA Posts: 434	If it is still there by the weekend- I'll tear it out. It's right on a piece of baserock that a 23 lb rock sits on and then the pile goes up from there. I'll try moving some of the upper rocks off it see if I can see it.

02-19-2002, 06:28 PM	#4
Chrome Weasel Just Moved In Join Date: Aug 2000 Posts: 13	I'd wait longer than that if I were you. I had a lot of large (attractive actually) aptasia in my tank and I added 6 peppermints to clean it out. They didnt touch a thing for weeks, probably at least a month, and I didn't even see the shrimp much. Then they suddenly cleaned the whole tank within one week. If your shrimp have been there a while already and havent touched it I'd make sure you really have peppermint shrimp and not camelbacked. If you really have peppermints the aptasia shouldnt get out of control no matter what. Besides, you cant just rip up aptasia. It just grows back.

02-20-2002, 02:00 PM	#6
Iron Crab Council Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: N.W. Pennsylvania, USA Posts: 434	I think I'll go ahead and move my rock. I 've been looking it over and I think I can get to it by moving three rocks. There is no way of getting to it no matter what I do besides digging in. I have just started adding corals and if I wait it might be harder. I had camels in my old tank but didn't keep them for my upgrade. The peppermints have been in my tank for only about a week. I got them cause I have spotted a few smaller aiptasias. Thanks, Bill

02-20-2002, 03:39 PM	#7
chromis Mayor Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Lynchburg, Virginia Posts: 518	Smoke that mother f*cker like it aint no thang!!! My aptaisias are just starting to get under control due to kalk injections and I got a butterfy comin in next week to pick off the survivors. Good Huntin! Andrew

02-20-2002, 11:20 PM	#8
Chrome Weasel Just Moved In Join Date: Aug 2000 Posts: 13	I really think people make too big a deal out of aptasia. I had lots of big 3 inchers for months with no shrimp without the aptasia bothering anything. When I added the peppermints, the shrimp took care of them all in under two months and they never grew back. I never worried much about it before or after. I run a relatively low-light tank so maybe that makes a difference. Nevertheless you've only waited a week and your shrimp will probably take a lot longer than that to weed out your aptasia. Personally I think you are obsessing over a rather minor issue. Hopefully whatever you decide will work for you though. Good luck.

02-21-2002, 06:35 AM	#9
chromis Mayor Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Lynchburg, Virginia Posts: 518	How long have kept reefs?!?!?!?!? Aptaisia is not a minor problem at all!! They WILL TAKE OVER if you dont get rid of them early, I had one large one on a live rock order and I thought it looked cool, now imagine how cool my tank must look covered in hundreds of aptaisia in every crevice and crack as well as on the sand, glass, skimmer, everywhere! Dont tell me aptaisia is a minor problem because it isnt and once you have the numbers like I have you cant completely eradicate them, you can only control them, and I have a butterfly coming in for that. Aptaisia is a MAJOR problem in reef tanks and no one should be lulled into afalse state of security about them, get them early and you wont go crazy like I have IME Andrew

02-21-2002, 12:19 PM	#11
Iron Crab Council Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: N.W. Pennsylvania, USA Posts: 434	If I can get a syringe, I'll do the boiling water thing. Thanks. I can understand where Chrome Weasel is coming from. I had them in my 55 FO tank and they never multiplied but they got big and were sort of cool. In my new set up they are popping up from no where. In my skimmer, overflows, here and there on the rock but not in big numbers. So far I have been able to control them. My next trip to the LFS I'll pick up some more peppermints to be safe. Thanks everyone, Bill

03-01-2002, 08:26 PM	#13
Iron Crab Council Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: N.W. Pennsylvania, USA Posts: 434	WOW . What are your plans for that? Since you got the thread started again. I got my big one last week. Had to move four rocks and pulled the one that it was on and touched it with a hot huntin knife. Cooked it good. So far I haven't found any new ones. Also, are peppermint shrimp night creatures? I have two now and never see them.

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