Aiptasia? Old brain coral rock? Green Algae?

Is that an aiptasia? What is up with that purple rock, the print on it looks like some sort of coral - it's got a few orange bristle worms in it. Also is that algae? I only have it on the rocks only.

There are a couple peppermint shrimps in there, but they haven't touched the aiptasia.

Thanks!

Edit: All my water parameter are fine, tank is cycled, pH was a little low (7.9) today, added some pH buffer to my top off water should be back to 8.1 in a couple of days.

 

Hi Frank,,

Godzilla of Aiptasia you have there, a Peppermint may not eat it as it so big. Do not feed the Peppermints for a couple days and see if that entices them to eat the Aiptasia.

I see Coralline on the Favia skeleton and maybe some type of macro algae not sure.

A pH of 7.9 is fine I would not worry about buffer. pH will raise during the later part of the photoperiod and be the lowest value in the am right before the lights come on.

You're going to need power head eventually for the tank, but I think you already mentioned that in a previous post.

 

Great Zeus and Apollo, Frank! 39 years in the hobby, and I've never seen an aiptasia that big. I'd be afraid that it might kill the shrimp if they try to attack it. FTR, I've lost large skunk cleaner and coral banded shrimp to BTA and Condy nems when they tried to steal their food. I would suggest trying manual removal. (AiptasiaX, Kalk paste, Super Glue Gel, or fire all seem to work well).

 

Yea I think I had a couple more tiny ones about the size of those feather dusters/tube worms (not sure yet what they are, you see one under the Aiptasia) they seem to be gone. The peppermints are all over the rocks *except* on that side of the rock with that monster. I think they know it's a tad too big for them to conquer. Would more/bigger shrimps help? I don't want to spread it by stabbing it or yanking it. Since the Royal Gramma is still skittish I don't want to take apart the rocks to pull that one out and drown it in vinegar. Thanks for the pH info. The LFS told me that my pH was probably low because of light since everything else is "perfect" (his words). Good to know were on the right path and I'm not getting fed BS by my local shop. I asked for a chemical solution and he suggested what I got.

It was all solid deep purple when I first got it, it went a little gray and then the green started to show. Remember you helped me out with that diagnosis a week ago. 425gph Hydor Koralia Nano is in the mail, should be here Tuesday.

Ohh man did I laugh hard! Thanks for the pro tips. I'm kinda sad to see it go after all it's doing so well in my tank. Lol..

 

This is what happens with large Aiptasia like that, you kalk them or use anything else and the Aiptasia release a lot of planula larvae, those then settle and colonize rock and substrate and everything in between. This is why they are so efficient at spreading and the bane of hobbyist everywhere.

Remove the rock and Kalk or treat spot with boiling water rinse really well and put the rock back.

Aquarium Invertebrates: Aiptasia, dinoflagellate algae and cyanobacteria - a three-way symbiosis? — Advanced Aquarist | Aquarist Magazine and Blog

 

Corailline, do I use something to squirt boiling water into the hole or do I carefully/controlled pour it on to that side? Would just using a propane blow torch work as well?

I'm worried about killing too much good bacteria and then causing a cycle again. It's about a 3lb piece of rock.

Edit: thank you! The author ends the article by saying they are fascinating lol.

 

And they are, some people actually grow them go figure, to each their own. It's fascinating to think that Aiptasia use Cyanbacteria but I am a nerd that way.

Yup you can torch the Aiptasia and just rinse that one spot even with SW if that make you feel better. The biological filter properties of the piece should not be so compromised that will affect the tank if you do not let it dry or sit in FW.

 

I'll do this soon and report back.. Thanks so much again!

 

I agree with others in that I would remove that rock, probably cut the aiptasia off then torch the base that is left....