Aiptasia, how careful are you?

I have had my boughts with them in the past and from what I learned they clone themselves(if that is the right term to use), so if any piece of them is still there it becomes a new one or into many depending how you tried to kill them.

 

I set up my tank this time round with all base rock (Thanks reef cleaners) my LR seed was pest free, and under a pound so it was pretty tiny and easy to inspect. Of my 40+ different pieces of coral only one colony had aiptasia (and bubble algae) and I got it from a local guy whose tank I had never seen before. I spotted them as soon as it went in the tank and pulled the coral out and glued over every aiptasia with copious amounts of glue. No aiptasia has spread anywhere and I imagine what was there has since died.

 

Just read the thread - I am almost afraid to mention this because I'll jinx myself but I have never had a problem with aiptasia (thank goodness). I did find one the other day and resisted treating it with something and just threw the rock into my sump. I probably need to take the rock out and dry it out. I do have one in my sump but for some odd reason, I think I shouldn't disturb them because they are zombies. These are the first aiptasia I've seen in at least 10+ years and my LFS does have them. Go figure - I am just that good LOL

Corailline, I think once we battle something - that particular pest sparks us to be hyper-vigilant when we see any signs of its return. I don't think it's over the top.

Oh, and on the first page, reefbuilder's avatar is the bomb. I thought that exact same thing! Corailline, I think we are kindred spirits.

 

ha! so, if you saw my other thread, I think I jinxed myself

 

I've got aiptasia in my system. It isn't chronic yet, but I don't touch it. When it gets bad enough I'll add peppermint shrimp or something. When I've "treated" it in the past, it overtook my tank. When I sort of let it be, it just slowly moves along. The one time it got bad for me I introduced a Copperband and it was all gone within about a month.

 

I've always had some in both of my tanks. I fight it with Aptasia-X. It goes through cycles of having almost none, to them coming back in numbers. I guess I just think of it as any other maintenance task. Simply something you deal with. I don't let it get under my skin. Having some peppermint shrimp does help. But they will only eat the little ones. If u do aptasia-x treatment to eradicate most, then peppermint shrimp can help keep new clones under control. I have never been able to keep peppermint shrimp alive for more than a few month though, not sure why. Other shrimp in my tanks do well.

 

I know this is an old thread but I've had a crazy Aiptasia outbreak for as long as I can remember. I just kind of accepted it. I had tried Aiptasia-X, lime juice, shooting hot water etc. only to have more appear in other areas. I always wanted to try Berghias but I could never pull the trigger due to the high cost of price+shipping. I eventually lucked out and found a local who was selling them at a decent price and would drop them off at no charge. I put 5 small ones into my 18gal cube and after about a month or two the Aiptasia were completely gone from the DT and the rear sump compartment. I was amazed(and skeptical at first) and never thought I would ever see the tank Aiptasia-less.

With that said, I had a heater malfunction several months ago which melted everything except for the livestock. I just ordered some new lighting equipment and would like to start bringing my tank back to life with new corals.

My question is, how can I introduce new corals without bringing any new Aiptasia in? I'll be keeping mostly soft corals; assorted zoas, and green star polyps.

Thanks!

 

I think my CBB keeps my tank clear of them.....

 

I have very few- like less than 5 at any one time.

Every few weeks to months I see them-
I still use a small amount of REALLY THICK Kalwasser paste, and use it in those little plastic dropper things like come with the refractometers. I use the dropper with the white paste it and cover the ap.
I look days later- and it's gone.
Yes, sometimes there will be another- but I don't have 'outbreaks', and have seen 1 in my DT in the last 5 yrs.
MY FT has 1 to 3 at times. My sump had 2 recently I zapped.

I think there are many ways that work. But if there are any viable cells- they grow easy and more pop up it seems.

And yep, this is an old thread- and oldie, but goody

 

I have a few peppermints in each tank, when I had a bad (in my opinion) outbreak I had picked up a baby file fish and it seemed to do its job perfectly. As of right now I am free....