Aptasia Question (1 Viewer)

[hankintexas]

Discovered Aptasia in one of my tanks yesterday evening. This morning it is everywhere in the tank. Funny thing, it seemed to appear overnight. I am going to begin to dip everything from this point forward (lesson learned).

It just seems weird to see this happen so fast. I am visiting Dennis later today. Hopefully I have caught it and will be able to eradicate it before much damage is done.

Has anyone else had this happen? I am wondering if I should get rid of the live rock in the tank and start again with new? This rock was purchased with an aquarium in sorry shape. I left the rock in a tub in the dark for 3 weeks before adding it to the new tank. It was rinsed and scrubbed before putting it in the tank. Wish I had dipped it..........

Your opinions please.

Hank

 

[Nick]

I found one or 2 growing in my tank. I was told to get some peppermint shrimp to solve that problem, but unfortunately the trips to Galveston have proven unsuccessful so far.

 

[d00dy]

I acquired a full running tank about a year ago and it had aptasia in it. I first tried the peppermint shrimp, and they didn't even look at it. I then decided to purchase aptasia x and it worked like wonders. I searched the tank every day for about 2 weeks for removal, and I have never seen aptasia in my tank since.

 

[madehtsobi]

yeh i tried pep shrimps but no bueno...

i used aiptasia X and it worked good and i also taken the rock out and used a lighter and burned them! =)

 

[Motoristx]

I noticed some people have great success with peppermint shrimp, others don't. I know there are many sub speices, some might/might not eat the aptasia.

As far as buring them... soldering iron? Radio Shack sells a cheap one for under (I think) $6. Would this be better than a lighter for hard to reach places? Also, l think I remember seeing a torch lighter for brazing at Harbor Freight YAY cheap tools!

http://www.harborfreight.com/pencil-torch-94185.html Oooh... I think I talked myself into buying one!

http://www.harborfreight.com/pen-torch-with-soldering-kit-and-knife-66050.html Torch soldering iron!

 

[Diesel]

Copperband no doubt, I have seen a 90 gallon tank full of it and 5 days later............gone!
Of course you need to keep him in there for a while cause aptasia will come back.
Better is to strip the tank and bleach the rock for a week than rinse it and keep it in RO/DI water with a pump for about a week or two.
After that let it dry in the sun for a week or longer before you cure it in saltwater.
At least that what I did for part of my rock.

 

[hankintexas]

Thanks for the tips! I am gonna use a combination of solutions. ME LIKE FIRE! I'm gonna flame it.....bleach it......soak it.......then dose it.... If that don't work, I will treat it with lead injections (45 caliber).

 

[emixa]

lead injections.....that hilarious!!!

good luk man.

 

[CBBSteve]

Hi, Hank.
Why don't you at least try a couple of peps before you go to all that work to flame, bleach, soak, shoot, etc., etc., etc.?
I had some start to show up in my 140 so I bought 4 peps from Dennis at FJW. After about a week, no more aptasia.

If you do decide to go the torch route, please, please, please do not breath any of the fumes. They can be very toxic. There have been horror stories about folks getting very sick from breathing that stuff.

BTW, Moody Gardens freezes their rock to get rid of pests.

good luck,
Steve