Aiptasia Problem

[stef_uk]

Hi.
I'm having major problems with Aiptasia in my tank.
I have a large piece of LR which is covered in Aip's,the problem is that i've tried Aiptasia X and joes juice to get rid but with no luck.The rock is a main point in my tank that most of the other LR is either resting on or is likely to tumble if i try and remove it so i cant get to all of the rock to treat the Aip with chemicals.
I bought a couple of Peppermints to try and get rid naturally,but they haven't been near and prefer to live in the water return unit from my skimmer!

I was thinknig of getting a Copperband to try and clear them up,but have read that its not guaranteed that they will eat them and all the fish i have seen in my LFS's look very thin and 'sickly'.
I'm wary of putting any more shrimp in due to a mysterious tapping noise that i thought at first was a Mantis,but after a good search thru the tank with a red light and no visible loss of snails or CUC i think its more likely to be a Pistol.

Does anyone have any other suggestions for a natural predator that will at least control the numbers of Aip's in my tank?

thanks in advance.

 

[GShorty1981]

I have the same problem(i have 4-5 large ones),tried many diffrent things including concentrated lemon juice,boiling water,fresh water,ultra salinity,tweaazers! im getting some Peppermint shrimps soon,but other than that i have had no problem..infact my yellow tang seems to munch on them any chance he gets,so aslong as i get no visable problems or my tanks dont get over run i'm just going to leave them.

 

[jennybugs]

Aiptasia X takes a bit of practice to get right - or so I found - The first time I used it I ended up with babies sprouting up all over so assume I got it wrong. I got one large peppermint shrimp and it ate all my aips in a matter of days

 

[BigC]

Sef....AiptasiaX does take a bit of getting used to as said above. Fit what ever nozzel fits the bill for what you are trying to get at. The problem with Aiptasia is that if it feels threatened it will spew out zillions of spores which may become adults of the pest somewhere down the line. Suck up enough of the liquid (I use 1/4 of the syringe for each) Keep some of the liquid near the tip. Now dont go in all guns blazing squirt some (just a tiny amount) well before the anemone it will think its food now carefuly approach the anemone giving little bursts of the compound then when you feel confidant enough squirt the remainder of the chemical into the central oral disc region of the pest. this will seal the mouth and it wont get a chance to spew and then the chemical will work and the anemone will implode.
Regards
BigC

 

[connorsbala]

My Seahorse Tank has absolutely been taken over by Aiptasia. I have tried Aiptasia-X and they went away for 2 days, but then came up again over night. I personally find Joe's Juice much better...bought a bottle last weekend. All the aiptasia that i directed it at went away...but there are far too many in my tank!
My Seahorse's are moving tanks hopefully this weekend...the main reason being due to all the Aiptasia! Theirs new Aiptasia free rock in their new tank

 

[chris348]

I used Joes Juice on mine and have not had any since.

You tried that ?

 

[SkiFletch]

I'm a fan of redsea aiptasiaX, peppermint shrimp (if you can find them), longnose butterflyfish, and burning them with a torch. Any of those

 

[chris348]

Love the burning them with a torch approach hehehe...

 

[stef_uk]

Thanks for the replies. I had another go with Aiptasia X the night before last and it looks like ive cleared almost all of the ones i can see.I'm sure there are more on the underside of the rock so i'll see if they appear.
I have 2 peppermints in the tank and they seem happier living in the return box from the skimmer rather than near the aiptasia and at £15 each i'm wary of spending more money on them.
I've been reading up on what will eat them and have been looking at a Seagrass Filefish.I've found a place that has some in stock so i might head over there today and have a look.
I just wish i could get the damn rock out without collapsing all the rest of the display!