aiptasia advice?

hi everyone. Some opinions would be appreciated.

A couple of weeks ago I bought a beautiful mushroom rock. A few days after that I noticed a small aiptasia on it. I bought a peppermint shrimp (and verified that it was a peppermint shrimp) but he has taken no notice of it. I know that I could go light on or stop feeding to encourage him to go for it, but thats not something I'm comfortable with.

I bought some aiptasia-x. Reviews on it seem mixed but its worth a shot. My question is this- since its possible to completely remove and treat the rock in a separate container is that is what should be done? Some people have said that their aiptasia spread like wild fire after using this product. Luckily the mushroom rock has been separated from all other rock work and is its own little island, so I'm fairly certain it hasn't spread.

Thanks for the help.

 

After learning the hard way more than once, using Aiptasia X with little success long term I make sure no Aiptasia enters the tank. If a frag has one on it, I would rather ditch the frag than risk Aiptasia again.

I have had Peppermint Shrimp and they did eat the Aiptasia but once the shrimp were removed secondary to the shrimp eating LPS the Aiptasia came back.

With that said I have tried every remedy: boiling water, lemon juice, kalk paste..... yes they work short term, but the Aiptasia always came back sooner or later.

If you have just one get rid of it now.

 

I think aptasia x works better than anything to kill aptasia. Removing it to treat would be alot more pro but then the nem will hide for a bit.

 

Beat them back with aiptasia x, but they will come back as more little bitty ones. Get some true peppermint shrimp (not camel) and they should eat the small ones. If a big one pops up, knock it back. After a while, but the peps will keep up. I used to have tons, and now I can't even find one. I have a 39 gallon aio with 2 peps. Don't see them much, but they come out for feeding time.

 

My lfs uses a Laser to kill them. PB030237.mp4 video by RonReefman - Photobucket


Survival Laser International Home

 

I tried aiptasia X and it did not do the job for me. the aip would just grow back. Finally last month I got a copperband butterfly and he cleaned my whole tank of it. He now keeps the aip at bay and I feed him pe mysis daily. Just make sure you get one that is eating. they can be very picky, as mine will not touch anything besides frozen.

 

using lasers in your tanks, especially one that is powerful enough to kill aiptasia, is potentially dangerous. Do a few searches and be careful, perhaps consider safety glasses. stray reflections can blind you, and you are aiming a laser into a water filled glass box!!

 

I must agree with coralline here. The mushroom rock (no matter how nice it is) is far from worth it. If it were me, I would toss it.

 

The one in the video is less than a Watt. You're never supposed to look at the light, it's similar to the type of light dentists use to dry cement and such. From searches it appears the lasers have no effect on glass. People say Acrylic is fine as well but, the company that sells the lasers has never tested it.

 

i would treat the rock in a separate container to keep it from releasing spores when you blast it with aiptasia x or whatever else you use. Then i would watch that rock like a hawk and continue to treat it until you are absolutely sure they are gone. Even then, there is no guarantee because those things spread quickly.