aptasia problen not bad but i want to nip it

[High Plains Reefer]

so i got a tank from a guy off clist it has aptasia its on rocks that are mostly white so im assuming they are mostly dead is there a way to treat the whole rock without killing off what life is left

 

[303travism]

Peppermint shrimp is hit or miss or aptasia x

 

[freedominco]

Put the rock in a bucket and go thru the rock and burn off the aptasia with a torch, by having the rock in a bucket you can lift it out of the water and burn them off one at a time. Then rinse the rock really well in the bucket and discard the water.

sent from my HTC evo 4G

 

[that0neguy1126]

I would suggest using a torch if you can get the rock out without destroying stuff. It is 100% successful.

If that is not an option, I have found the best results using Ms. Wages pickling lime. Coating the aptasia with it, and then siphoning it out after 15 minutes.

 

[reefmaster719]

Aiptasia x works great. When you torch them you take the chance of spreading tons of spores around the tank. Been there and it sucks.. even rinsing the rock for half an hour and scrubbing with a toothbrush you will still be taking a risk.

 

[High Plains Reefer]

Does lemon juice spread spores also?

 

[fiji4118]

Berghia nudibranches work well.

 

[SteveT]

Just want to jump in here and clarify a misconception about aptiasia. they don't reproduce by spores, they reproduce by pedal laceration much like mushroom corals. The problem is they are extremely efficient at it, to the point where a whole new aptaisia can form from a single cell. So when you kill an aptasia by injection or other means any shred of living tissue left in the tank, down to the uni-cellular level, can and will become a new aptasia. So the real trick for manual aptasia removal is to remove 100% of the tissue from your tank, which is very difficult to do, that is why I rely on a copper banded butterfly in my reef.

 

[Cake_Boss]

They also reproduce by spores.

When I just have a few (and not feeling lazy), I take some wire cutters (or bone cutters) and chip off some of the rock from under them. OR get you a sweet laser...whatever works

 

[that0neguy1126]

Hence why the blowtorch works great. I cook the spot for a good 10+ minutes to make sure nothing is alive in that area.

 

[High Plains Reefer]

going to use the torch method only what if i rinced the rock in ro water in the bathtub afterward

 

[ReefCheif]

Aptasia Eating File fish. Ive used aptasia X, works, but wont fully get rid of it and it will come back. Copperbands are good, but finding one that will eat aptasia and frozen foods can be troublesome.

Ive had the best luck with the aptasia eating file fish, but then again this can be hit or miss. You can get one that will nip at coral, or one that is reef safe, but does not eat aptasia, I think I got lucky with mine, he eats aptaisa as well as frozens and has never bother a coral yet, but i keep watching. LOL

 

[cremer9]

wow thats too// crazy but I have a torche

 

[freedominco]

going to use the torch method only what if i rinced the rock in ro water in the bathtub afterward

I use the sprayer on the kitchen sink to spray away the burnt flesh, if your torch is hot enough it only takes a second to burn them off, be carfull with the ro water it will kill off coraline on the rock.

sent from my HTC evo 4G

 

[reefmaster719]

Will a torch kill coraline?..

 

[freedominco]

Will a torch kill coraline?..

it will but the flame on a torch is easier to control then a bathtub full of water.

sent from my HTC evo 4G

 

[High Plains Reefer]

then maybe mix some salt soultion and rince with that?

 

[MikeM]

As mentioned...I have the so-called miracle peppermints of the Atlantic and they are worthless. I have tried Aptaisia X and have gotten good results. You just need to be patient with it. Copperbands will get it done but they can be finicky fish. So pick your poison

 

[High Plains Reefer]

I have a bunch of other really nice rock so i can get agressive with cleaning it. But first im going to put it into my old 55 with my angler and filefish and some peps i guess hopefully the angler dont eat all the peps before they do their thing.