My continuing aiptasia saga ..........

[Big Dog]

I just returned to the hobby by purchasing a established 90 gallon that was infested with aiptasia and majanos. Prior to moving the tank home I read everything I could on how to eliminate these pest so what you're about to read is a culmination of what I've done to eradicate these pest. I have no idea on what I'm doing is right or wrong nor the effect it will have on the rock but it seems to be working.

Before I moved the tank I purchased a 40 breeder to quarantine the original rock and purchased cured rock for the tank setup. I placed some sand from the original tank in the breeder just to minimize cycling. The DT is up and running and so far so good. It's been up one month and with 5 25% water changes, all stock is doing wonderful. It appears I went threw a mini cycle as a few members indicated on one of my previous threads. I'm currently at 0 ammonia, 0 nitrates and 20 on nitrates (the tank has a heavy fish population, I'm going to thin them when the 40 comes available).

On to the pest ........... After putting the 100+ pounds of the original rock in the 40 I realized I was in for a big project. The first week I hit it with Aip-X hard and ordered one of PaulB's zappers. Patience not being one of my virtues, I thought of the suggestion BigAl gave in another thread about cooking the rock by isolation sooooo after my 3rd water change of the DT tank I put the removed water in a heavy duty sterilite type container and put the rock in it with pumps and heater. I then covered the rock with a few ceramic tiles in the water and placed the lid on the sterilite. I left a few of the rock in the breeder that had minimal infestation on them and worked those rock with aip-X and the zapper.

During the first week I rinsed off the tile every day, every day each of the three tile had 20 or more pest on them. By the end of the first week aiptasia was floating in the water. On my next DT water change, I replaced the water and continued the rinsing of the tile, every day I got fewer aiptasia. I also noticed that I could easily flick the majanos off the rock. Messing with the rock also gave me the opportunity to save lives (snails and crabs).

On my most recent DT water change and before I placed the rock in it I brushed it. I couldn't believe how easy the majanos and aip came off the rock with just a flick of the wrist. I feel confident I've removed 90% of the pest. The rock that I left in the breeder has no visible pest, the aip-X and zapper seem to have done the job although I look every day. I'm currently taking a piece at a time from the sterilite and placing it in the 40 to be eliminated with the X and zapper. The rock in the sterilite has minimal weed and I will continue the process until it's gone.

My hope is to use some of the rock in the DT, I could use a little more in it. I really don't have the room in a 40 and a 20 (currently a QT, yeah I know no rock in a QT but I'll remove if needed for quarantine) for all this rock. I'll keep you updated and when I find the pics from when I purchased the tank, I'll post them up with pics of the rock now.

Dawg

P.S. - If there is something I'm not thinking of or detrimental in the process please let me know. In my short stint here I realize there are some exceptional marine hobbyist here ........ Thank You!

 

[ilovereefer]

Is there anyway of killing them without moving your rock set up or hurting your corals? like in tank way?

 

[Big Dog]

Is there anyway of killing them without moving your rock set up or hurting your corals? like in tank way?

Frankly I've read no "complete" success eradicating them in a DT without a rearrangement of the rock.

As most who have reiterated through the threads I've searched, the only way to eradicate it to stay diligent using Aiptasia-X, Joe's Lime Juice, homemade kalk paste, boiling water or any other similar methods I can't think of right now. That said, if you don't "move the rock", you'll never get them all.

You can purchase one of PaulB's zappers which work very well. Using both the Aip-X and the zapper addresses the issue with getting access to the damn things. Some are so buried in a rock crevice that the only way you'll "KILL IT" is to get it to take the Aip-X. The zapper just won't go there, you have to get the thing to ingest one of the items listed above.

While in the process of eradication and you just damage the pest and don't kill you set off reproduction, more reason IMO to quarantine the rock.

AFA corals, I'm no expert but I would do everything to make sure avoiding any chosen treatment administered near a coral. I did treat a coral piece (sorry, no sure what it is but appears to be Parazoanthus) that was affected with majanos entwined in it. I did use Aip-X and I'm not sure of the damage I may have done with excess spray of the med? Time will tell .............

 

[Big Dog]

I setup a 40 to house the rock I have pretty much did in the aip and the coral I won recently at a local club raffle. The 20 is the tank I do the real damage on them and I still have about 40 in dark isolation ...... . I'm hoping it pays to be diligent!

 

[yvr]

Whenever I see any Aiptasias in my tanks, I inject TM Elimi-Aiptas directly into the stalk as opposed to into the mouth. I find that the product has a better kill rate when injected into the stalk rather than the mouth and it has worked well for me. I know that injecting them individually can be a tedious task, but it works for me.

 

[foxsavage]

I have a filefish that eats them like crazy. I had more than 50 of them and he ate them all within a week, I haven't seen any of them since. I have more than 20 types of coral and he hasn't messed with any of them. He will eat Feather Dusters though. He's the only fish I have that would be easy to catch if I needed to remove him because he sleeps floating on the surface.

 

[Big Dog]

I have a filefish that eats them like crazy. I had more than 50 of them and he ate them all within a week, I haven't seen any of them since. I have more than 20 types of coral and he hasn't messed with any of them. He will eat Feather Dusters though. He's the only fish I have that would be easy to catch if I needed to remove him because he sleeps floating on the surface.

You're a lucky guy! I bought peppermints to try natural eradication and I've never seen them on the aip. I tried finding a "proven" eater like a file or butterfly to purchase. People tend to snatch them up when one goes up for sale. I wasn't going to purchase and be disappointed the one I bought from the LFS didn't perform.

Yesterday I took the last rock out of isolation, all rock is in a tank. I added about 25# to the DT, re-arranged the 40 that's holding approximately 60#, and the rest is in the 20 for further maintenance. I'm to the point when one shows up in the 40 I deal with it immediately with the zapper. If it's in a hard to get location I hit it with the X and finish off the syringe in the 20.

 

[DanSReef]

I have a Copper Band Butterfly that has eradicated any and all aiptasia in my display tank. I would recommend looking for one. I have seen a bunch lately in the LFS near me… I have heard that they can have a tendency to nip at other corals…. I have not had such a problem. Mine has terrific personality and frankly is my favorite fish at this point. Good Luck!