Aiptasia removal from coral.. Need help ASAP!

[Ana Gropper]

We found this nasty hitchhiker and need to remove it ASAP! I watched the thing actually sting and coral so I don't want to wait. I've been reading forums and other links ALL day and we haven't decided what's best because its actually in the crevis on the coral. I've read about a quick burning or lemon injection.. But no one is talking about it being on.. or let me clarify... it being on the side of the coral in a crevis. Any advise on what has worked for you. We see little babies next to it so we are sad. But we are not giving up without a fight!

This is the best pic I could get all day...

Thanks!!

 

[cmantis]

Get some aiptasia-X or something similar.

 

[dba]

Get some aiptasia-X or something similar.

+1

worked well for majano anemone and aiptasia i had in tank. all gone

 

[jr973]

That didn't work for me if you can just take some glue and glue the sucker make sure you can glue it tight so that it can't sneak out gl

 

[Reef Reaper]

My solution is a matted filefish.

 

[Ana Gropper]

Thanks everyone! I wish I had more time to hear more ideas. I enjoy hearing the unique ways everyone handles these sticky situations.

 

[Ana Gropper]

I'm trying this now!

That didn't work for me if you can just take some glue and glue the sucker make sure you can glue it tight so that it can't sneak out gl

I'm super excited to try this my husband and I have been researching different fragging styles.. Suddenly we looked at each like... Why have we not discussed this. Thank you so much!

 

[fireshark02]

Ive used glue and/ or epoxy to remove them. Just cover them with either one.

 

[Ana Gropper]

It worked wonders!!! Im so excited because I was afraid a removal would cause so much stress on that beautiful piece. This was super quick! Thanks again everyone! Im still looking closely to make sure I covered the babies too

 

[peteyboyny]

Thanks everyone! I wish I had more time to hear more ideas. I enjoy hearing the unique ways everyone handles these sticky situations.

Patience. This hobby requires lots of it. I would DEFINITELY take the time to hear more responses and the consequences that come with some of the ideas. Different people, different tanks, different ideas on getting rid of the same pest. Listen to everyone's ideas and decide which is most practical for you.
Personally, I've tried Aptasia-X (didn't work for me), a Copperband Butterfly (died in 3 days), and Caribbean Peppermint shrimp (worked awesome for me!). From what I've heard, the Indonesian Peppermints are less likely to eat aptasia, but are more apt to pick at corals.
2 Caribbean Peepermints in my 140g took 2 weeks to eat ALL the aptasia in my tank. Its been over a year since I've seen aptasia.
I got mine at Country Critters out in Patchogue, LI. It cost me $16 for 2 @ 3/4". Good luck.

 

[peteyboyny]

It worked wonders!!! Im so excited because I was afraid a removal would cause so much stress on that beautiful piece. This was super quick! Thanks again everyone! Im still looking closely to make sure I covered the babies too

Keep looking, you probably have more if there were babies. Hopefully you dont.

 

[d5332]

I have bad bad news for you.

Once you introduce an aptasia anemone into your tank, despite the actions you have taken, you are very likely to now be the proud owner of a bunch of aptasia that will make its presence known in 4 to 8 weeks.

Don't panic, there are ways to deal with it but most likely, they will be your new pets for a while, population control is all I recommend.

 

[Ana Gropper]

Great info!

Patience. This hobby requires lots of it. I would DEFINITELY take the time to hear more responses and the consequences that come with some of the ideas. Different people, different tanks, different ideas on getting rid of the same pest. Listen to everyone's ideas and decide which is most practical for you.
Personally, I've tried Aptasia-X (didn't work for me), a Copperband Butterfly (died in 3 days), and Caribbean Peppermint shrimp (worked awesome for me!). From what I've heard, the Indonesian Peppermints are less likely to eat aptasia, but are more apt to pick at corals.
2 Caribbean Peepermints in my 140g took 2 weeks to eat ALL the aptasia in my tank. Its been over a year since I've seen aptasia.
I got mine at Country Critters out in Patchogue, LI. It cost me $16 for 2 @ 3/4". Good luck.

Thanks so much for the detail info. We have been researching peppermint shrimps with aiptasia and were discussing this as a option. There were babies next to it so Im sure we will see these pests coming back. I will be ordering some today!

 

[peteyboyny]

Thanks so much for the detail info. We have been researching peppermint shrimps with aiptasia and were discussing this as a option. There were babies next to it so Im sure we will see these pests coming back. I will be ordering some today!

Make sure they are Caribbean Peppermints not Indonesian. And make sure youre not being given Camelbacks. Some places have been known to mix the two up.
I have kept one of the 2 I started with. I leave him in the DT to keep patrol. He has eaten all my cerith snails, but none of my corals. I habent seen an aptasia in a very long time. (hope i didn't jinx myself).
I stopped feeding the tank for a few days to encourage them to start feeding. Once they started it was all over for the aptasia.
Keep an eye on them. If they start picking at anything else, you can trap them out fairly easy. They're suckers for a silverside in a bottle trap!

 

[Ligershark]

caribbean peppermint shrimp worked well for me. if you do have an outbreak in a few weeks look into berghia nudibranches as well.

 

[Ana Gropper]

We looked into nudibranches but don't see enough yet to make that investment. I have ordered Caribbean peppermint shrimp this evening so hopefully they come hungry... Im sure they are lurking around! Such great info from everyone!

 

[Ligershark]

dont be discouraged if the peppermints do not go to the aipstasia right away. i dropped mine in and stared and stared. feed your tank well for a few days before you get the shrimp. when the shrimp get in there dont feed the tank for a few days.

 

[cmantis]

Do the peppermints really eat cerith? I bought a ton of cerith's at the swap and 6 peppermint