Advice about aptasia removal/extreme measure

[smallblock]

Ok after being soooooo carefull not to get this crap I got some from a frag and it took off like crazy. It pretty much ruined my morale (SP?) and I let the tank go for a few months. Needless to say it got everywhere.

A few months ago I got the idea that maybe just maybe I could remove like 95 percent of my rock. I bleached it for a couple of days, and let it dry in the summer sun for about 1 month to get it all white. I got a huge tote and filled it with saltwater and put all my rock in it with a powerhead. They have been curing for about 2-3 months now.

So a couple of days ago I moved my tank to its new location in my living room. I'm wondering if I remove the 3 pieces of rock that I have left in the tank and clean and redo all my frags would I be rid of this nasty stuff.

Also with the rock that I have curing in the tote shouldn't they be cycled I never tested the water. I never added any amoninia either.

What do you guys think about this?

 

[frantz]

I use Aiptasia-x on individuals, they never survived a dose of that. I'd also recommend natural predators on the small ones. Shrimp or fish
while Aiptasia-x says its coral safe, direct exposure had negative effects on a encrusting monti, but it was only the area that had the medication sitting on it for a while and it quickly regrew.

 

[wbrown]

peppermint shrimp.
aptasiaX works too, but I'd recommend not going that route if you have anything in the tank. No need to do anything beyond acclimating the peppermints and toss 'em in.
Add light to that tote of rock, you killed off the coralline and any other beneficial critters a long time ago. If you can snag a ball of cheato somewhere and add to your tote, you should have pods and bacteria come with it.
When I had aptasia in my 90, 10 peppermint shrimp cleaned it in about a month and it's never come back.

 

[crewdawg1981]

Reef Napalm FTW!

 

[snowmansnow]

peppermint shrimp will work, but I've had some that wont touch it. For my 120 I ordered 10 of them last year.. Within 2 days there were NO aptasias

B

 

[smallblock]

yeah guys I know all those rememdys and if I have some left when I do the switch I'll do it. But my quesion still stands do you think I can get rid of them the way I am going about it.

The cheato idea is a good one thanks bro

 

[ralph atl]

you should be fine, however, I would rinse you rock in RO water well....add a bath of saltwater & vinegar 50-50 (for a day or 2), rinse & do it again, then rinse in ro water & soak in ro water ( a day or 2), then rinse and soak in rodo again....

get's rid of some of your phates while you are at it!

 

[pufferchris]

I would think not I tried what you are planing when I had a 75 gallon and was about bout to switch it all over to a 125 gallon killed off all rock used. New sand and scrubbed all of my frags and still a month later they popped up all over again so I tried the peppermint shrimp and they did not touch them so I went and bought a filefish and in about a months time they were all gone but you have to watch out if you have any zoes cause they will wipe them out

 

[dakota9]

I wouldn't have gone the route you went, but following through might work, but you;ll need to bleach the existing rock, and scrub all frags extremely well..... Hope that eggs arent in the substrate.

True peppermints eat aiptasia, if they don't. they aren't peppermints.

I had the worst aptasia problem known to the hobby, and I added about 15 peppermints to my 30 cube; Took a while, but it worked. Here's the thread...... I started using Berghia, I finished with peppermints

 

[ralph atl]

Dakota9;715657 wrote:
True peppermints eat aiptasia, if they don't. they aren't peppermints.

:thumbs:

 

[schwaggs]

What about the aptaisia on the tank glass, overflow, sump, etc?

Peps worked wonders for me!

 

[smallblock]

Thanks for all the advice thus far everyone!!!, I've only seen one attached to the glass

 

[dakota9]

Aptasia in the sump is and added bonus for filtration, as long as you have something to kill them in the display...... and full circle, back to peppermints.


Really, throwing a few peppermints in a tank is so simple, I don't know why more people don't do it......

 

[cjsparky]

http://www.aquariumspecialty.com/majano-wand-majano-and-aptasia-zapper">http://www.aquariumspecialty.com/majano-wand-majano-and-aptasia-zapper</a>

and have fun!!!

 

[eclipse]

I have a large aptasia problem in my 55g where did you find peppermint shrimp for $ 4.00 each ? I need to shop there ! My local fish store charges $14.00 each.

Edit:

eclipse;715711 wrote: I have a large aptasia problem in my 55g where did you find peppermint shrimp for $ 4.00 each ? I need to shop there ! My local fish store charges $14.00 each.

Dakota I read your link so this question is for you. Thanks

 

[falos]

Copper band butterfly fish eat them

 

[dakota9]

Keen Reef is where I got mine, but Tim closed shop over a year ago.......


You can find them pretty cheap anywhere.... I think Rit has them on sale currently..... Think his store is called Atlanta Aquarium

Edit: oh, and that thread is two years old, and all prices go up!

 

[winkkle]

Are copperbands reef safe?

 

[winkkle]

Nips zoas, lps or sps? or all