aptasia and a big puffer

[megamommatron]

in the last 20 lbs of live rock i added i got some aptasia. they're really tiny, but spreading for sure. on eplanted itself next to a fuzzy mushroom, and for like 4 days, the mushroom retracted from it until it was a pac-man shape, then suddenly, it was back to round and the little aptasia was gone. i don't know how to get rid of the rest of them though, a ibelieve (know) that my big fat puffer will eat anything i put un there to get the aptasia. and there's no way i'm gonna be able to pull the rock, or get to all the little f-ers with a syringe. can i just leave them be? what will they do? they sure as hell won't be able to hurt MY fish. what do you think?

 

[pwj1286]

get Joe's juice. I like it, it works and no drastic affects to the tank. Just turn the power heads off and do not use it in excess.
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British Forum

 

[Anonymous]

Only two things I've found to rid aiptasia; Peppermint shrimp and Joes Juice like pwj mentioned..

Unless you plan on feeding the heck out of the puffer and maybe/maybe not getting much further accomplished than that, pretty much gotta go with Joes.

Be patient, do a few a night and within a week or two you should be good.

You may even want to go ahead and drop a few small peppermints in too (shortly after the lights go out) so they can clean up the last few you'll probably not see. But yeah, if they get seen by the puffer they're probably gonna wind up as lunch. -- If you can acclimate them in the sump or somewhere that the puffer doesn't see them to begin with and then drop them in right after the lights go out, they might have a fighting chance for a little while.

Good luck with it!


Norm

 

[Anonymous]

I am surprised the puffer does not eat the aptasia or at least pick at them.

 

[Anonymous]

I used Joes juice for years...thats the problem ;-)

I got tired of doing it every few weeks. I can imagine it works if you catch it immediately, but the problem is, if just one is left, it will surely spread again.

I got a few peppermint shrimp, and added a copperband butterfly about a 2 months ago (there is a thread here about it that I started) and not one visible aptasia anywhere in the tank except for some in my fuge, and on the backside of a rock that the copperband (and I guess the shrimp) wont go to because it is heavily gauraded by damsels and a CBS.

I dont mind that little left behind, as it still give the aptasia a chance to spread, allowing the CBB and pps's to have snacks.

 

[megamommatron]

thanks, guys. i think i'll try the sneak-the-shrimps-in attack. that sounds cool. and i'd be stoked if they could hang out. the puffer doesn't mess with the big hermit crb i have... so maybe there's a chance.

 

[SnowManSnow]

will the pepermints bother zoas and or clams???

B

 

[Meloco14]

megamommatron - Good luck with the shrimp. Just a heads up, peppermints aren't guaranteed to eat aiptasia. Some will, some won't. So don't be too disappointed if they don't. They are definitely worth a shot.

SnowMan- I have had peppermints with zoas and clams, mine have never bothered any of them. Occasionally peppermints get mixed up with camel shrimp though, and I have heard camels will sometimes snack on corals.