Interesting read:
Just how do they spread then? They seen to magically appear before my eyes!!
They can reproduce both sexually and asexually. The latter is the most common. A tiny fragment of cells detached itself from the pedal disk (read foot) of the anemone and forms a new distinct aiptasia. These cells that detach to form a baby can either float off and start a new colony or simply stay attached to the rock where the anemone was and grow new anemones around the parent. These new aiptasia will be exact clones if the parent. Under some conditions aiptasia will reproduce sexually. This is less common in the aquaria. In sexual reprouction Individual aiptasia of distinct sexes will release male or female gametes into the water column, where fertilisation will occur. Once fertlised the zygote will develop into a free swimming planula lava which will then settle somewhere and grow into a new polyp.
The myth - treating aiptasia can cause them to explode releasing spores everywhere. This started because an aquarist would treat an aiptasia chemically but not kill every least cell of it, which is very hard to do. The remaining cells would be fragmented and each fragment then grew into a separate aiptasia via asexual reproduction.
Think of this like fragging a coral, let's say a discoma (mushroom). We take the mushroom and slice it like a pizza into slices through it's foot. Each one of those slices undergoes cell differentiation now and grows a fresh new mushroom. Similarly if we treat an aiptasia with a corrosive substance we stand the chance of only killing parts of it, leaving viable cell clusters which can become new aiptasia, effectively we have 'fragged the aiptasia!
Okay so I'm going to be good and stay on top of this!!
.....But, how do I control something that if I leave one cell of will just keep coming back?
In short perseverance!
First assess the state if the issue.
Generally if there are just a few aiptasia in easy to access locations you will be best controlling using spot treatments. If the aiptasia are hard to get to or widespread a biological control is probably the best solution. Remember from above if we go to tackle an aiptasia and don't kill it all we stand a very good chance of simply encouraging more aiptasia to spring up.
For the above reason, the number main consideration when tackling aiptasia with spot treatments are
1. Can I get to the anemone to be fully able to treat every bit of it?
2. Will I remember to go back over the area with the treatment in a few days time to finish off any potentially missed cells?
If the answer to any of the above is no, spot treating the anemone is not the method for you!
Okay so what are the best elimination methods, pros and cons?
1. Squirting the anemone with boiled RODI water from a syringe.
This is pretty low impact and although it will kill anemone cells it is very likely you will leave lots of cells behind. An advanced method of this is to, after the syringe of scalding water had been emptied suck up the aiptasia tissue with the syringe. If you go down this route you must repeat the treatment on the area on a daily basis for a few days.
2. Covering the anemone in a corrosive substance.
a) lemon juice - mildly acidic but largely the same as using boiled water. Many cells will live after initial treatment. Effectiveness can be improved by using a needle and physically injecting down through the stalk into the foot of the anemone.
b) Calcium hydroxide - moderately alkali. Fiddly to use as it precipitates on contact with saltwater. More corrosive than lemon juice but still requires multiple regulated applications to be sure you kill all cells.
c)Calcium hydroxide/sodium hydroxide mix as can be found in HERE (
https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?ur...hare_tid=817613&share_fid=990314&share_type=t)
Extremely corrosive and will encase the anemone in a highly corrosive 'tomb' when applied. Extremely effective for single anemones but subsequent applications may still be required. Great care must be taken when preparing and using. Careful application is required as this will kill anything it touches in the reef tank. Any precipitate that falls on corals must be blown off immediately before it burns them.
3. High powered laser wands. Precise and moderately effective however extreme caution is required when using. The risk is not really worth the outcome. A laser of this power bounced off glass into your eye will blind you pretty much instantly, the same applies for fish that swim through the beam. If you go this route do your research and equip correct PPE.
4. Superglue/reef putty over the anemone. Not particularly effective on its own as the remnants of the anemone foot will find a way through the porous rock most likely and cause new aiptasia to spring up around the sealed bit. However this is a useful tool after using another spot treatment on the area the aiptasia was in.
5. A piece of siporax over the anemone or live rock next to it. The theory is the aiptasia moves onto it and you can remove the siporax or live rock then. This rarely works because if an aiptasia feels it needs to move it leaves a trail of tiny bits of its pedal disk behind it as it moves. Effectively leaving an aiptasia trail behind itself.
6. Proprietary spot treatments (aiptasia x, Joe's juice etc.) Mildly corrosive, akin to using a weak solution of calcium hydroxide. Unless you stick to a regimented usage program, likely just to aide the spread of the polyps. Very very expensive for what it is.