Aptasia Success Story

[TMORGAN1980]

Ill try to keep it brief. I bought a 112 Red Sea setup that the previous owner had let get out of control with Aptasia. Maybe 100-150 that I could actually see. Did my best to physically remove the ones I could but there were so many ingrained in the corals it was impossible. I researched all the chemical remedies and settled on Aptasia X. The day before it showed up I was at my LFS and they had a bunch of Peppermint Shrimp and File Fish that had just come in. I bought 4 Peppermints and a File. Put them in the tank with the plan to nuke the biggest/most exposed Aptasia with the X when it showed up the next day. I woke up the next morning and I could only see about 20 Aptasia and the biggest ones were gone. The X showed up that afternoon and I didn't even open it. By the next day I could only find 2 Aptasia. Now a week later and there are none to be found, and I've been looking hard. Whatever happens it is after the lights are off. The file fish hangs in a corner all day and I rarely even see the Peppermints. Not sure if my experience is a one off, but I much prefer this method than the chemical way. Hope this helps someone else fighting these things.

 

[LA4lyfe]

This is an amazing result and nature based seems the best way. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Username:Required]

i put 30 peppermints in my 50 gallon with a copperband butterfly they destroyed my Aptasia but I had 30 in a 50 gallon was probably over kill but no more Aptasia. So if u want faster results could get more peppermints. The copper band I really qtd it and he only eats muscle from the grocery store and Aptasia but they are tough to keep. Also I did berghia but I’ve been hit and miss with them. But getting a natural predator to take care of them is so much easy then u doing.

 

[CasperOe]

Impressive

 

[Dburr1014]

Ill try to keep it brief. I bought a 112 Red Sea setup that the previous owner had let get out of control with Aptasia. Maybe 100-150 that I could actually see. Did my best to physically remove the ones I could but there were so many ingrained in the corals it was impossible. I researched all the chemical remedies and settled on Aptasia X. The day before it showed up I was at my LFS and they had a bunch of Peppermint Shrimp and File Fish that had just come in. I bought 4 Peppermints and a File. Put them in the tank with the plan to nuke the biggest/most exposed Aptasia with the X when it showed up the next day. I woke up the next morning and I could only see about 20 Aptasia and the biggest ones were gone. The X showed up that afternoon and I didn't even open it. By the next day I could only find 2 Aptasia. Now a week later and there are none to be found, and I've been looking hard. Whatever happens it is after the lights are off. The file fish hangs in a corner all day and I rarely even see the Peppermints. Not sure if my experience is a one off, but I much prefer this method than the chemical way. Hope this helps someone else fighting these things.

Nice.
But realize that they keep them in check.
A success to me is completly eradicated. Unfortunately, I have not been able to do yet. I have gone 6 months without seeing one, but then 1 pops up.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Nice results!

 

[TMORGAN1980]

Nice.
But realize that they keep them in check.
A success to me is completly eradicated. Unfortunately, I have not been able to do yet. I have gone 6 months without seeing one, but then 1 pops up.

I get it, but I’ll take the victory lap for now, even if 1 or 2 pop back up I’ll be happy. Went from pulling out good live rock last week to kill as many as I could to having no visible trace and coral thriving.

 

[Roatan Reef]

Yep...Yep.. F-Aiptasia and Peppermint Shrimp FTW! I Completely eradicated it from my tank...then bubble algae appeared, but no worries,,emerald Crabs got them all!!

 

[maroun.c]

great to hear,
I would either through a few shrimps in the sump to deal with any aptasia there that could spread back tothe tank or jsut restart the sump which shoudln't be difficult... my concern is an aptasia in the pipes or overflow or anywhere could restart the infestation once shrimps die.
my other concern is perpermints with LPS or softies in the end you can't expect them to eat one type of anemones and not be a risk to all the corals we have in the tank thats why BErghias for example are a safer but much slower and more expensive bet.

 

[Not_Erick]

Good job! I’ve had back luck with aptasia x but then got a file fish who cleaned it all out in a few weeks

 

[ronsonb]

I wanted to scoop a file fish but read too much on here that they are hit or miss with attacking corals.

 

[DenaliDan]

The natural predators seem to be as finnicky about what they eat as humans. I tried a filefish and it picked on everything in the tank except the aptasia. I hope the LFS found that guy or gal a good home. I recently added some Berghia so waiting for their appetite to kick in (hopefully). In the meantime, I use Aptasia X to keep it from getting too out of control.

 

[londre5000]

Never ending cycle with nuisance in the tank. Strong work with the eradication as apitasia are so unsightly.

 

[PocketGoose]

I'm all for the peppermints. I just picked one up two weeks ago - within 4 days all aptasia gone

 

[pianosdr]

Two years in so far (I know, this isn’t a lot of time), and *knock on wood* I haven’t introduced any aiptasia yet. I only get coral from either my LFS - I got lucky because the guy is top notch - or Top Shelf Aquatics.

I don’t quarantine coral, though I do double dip (coralRx + Revive) every single one before it goes in tank.

It can’t be overstated how important the source of your coral is to keeping tanks clear of this stuff

 

[TWYOUNG]

I added three Peppermint shrimp as soon as I saw a single solitary aiptasia hiding in my 100 lbs of rock. Two days later it was gone. My Filefish had to be re-homed for eating coral before he ever had a chance to eat aiptasia. I only ever see one of my Peppermint and that's only bc I know the cave he hides in. Seems to like to hang upside down like a bat lol!

 

[RockyMtnFish]

I added three Peppermint shrimp as soon as I saw a single solitary aiptasia hiding in my 100 lbs of rock. Two days later it was gone. My Filefish had to be re-homed for eating coral before he ever had a chance to eat aiptasia. I only ever see one of my Peppermint and that's only bc I know the cave he hides in. Seems to like to hang upside down like a bat lol!

Newbie here to forum but not newbie to reefkeeping. Have a 30 gallon tank with sand and live rock that I was using for new fish observation/quarantine. Then began using for invert and LPS quarantine. Aiptasia in the meantime were running rampant. Realized that any corals, no matter how closely inspected and scrubbed were bring aiptasia into my display. One week ago I added a filefish and 6 peppermint shrimp to that 30 gallon tank. I can now count the number of aiptasia when one week ago they were too numerous to count. I call my filefish Frank. The only fish I've ever named and realize he may not have a place in my display with so much flow. But he's a keeper. The shrimp however will go into the display.

Sorry for no details about me. Will add later. Just wanted to add this because I know, know, know, how frustrating aiptasia can be.

 

[RockyMtnFish]

Newbie here to forum but not newbie to reefkeeping. Have a 30 gallon tank with sand and live rock that I was using for new fish observation/quarantine. Then began using for invert and LPS quarantine. Aiptasia in the meantime were running rampant. Realized that any corals, no matter how closely inspected and scrubbed were bring aiptasia into my display. One week ago I added a filefish and 6 peppermint shrimp to that 30 gallon tank. I can now count the number of aiptasia when one week ago they were too numerous to count. I call my filefish Frank. The only fish I've ever named and realize he may not have a place in my display with so much flow. But he's a keeper. The shrimp however will go into the display.

Sorry for no details about me. Will add later. Just wanted to add this because I know, know, know, how frustrating aiptasia can be.

Also FYI, when I saw that aiptasia were infecting the display I immediately removed any corals from the 30 gallon and quarantined in another tank...which underscores my husband's statement to others that "We have water bubbling all over the house". Oh well. It's a big house.

 

[rb3]

Burgess butterfly did it for me. I also added berghia nudibranch but I barely see them and thought must’ve gotten eaten by my wrasses until I found a few of them in my sump. The burgess made quick work and my tank was heavily infested with aiptasia. It’s been almost 6 months without aiptasia and my burgess has not messed with any of my corals. I have a SPS dominant tank with goni’s, Zoa’s, chalices, and a very large pectinia. I don’t see the pectinia release its sweepers but it looks fluffy and happy so I don’t think the burgess is the reason why the sweepers doesn’t come out.

 

[mikey1958]

Newbie here to forum but not newbie to reefkeeping. Have a 30 gallon tank with sand and live rock that I was using for new fish observation/quarantine. Then began using for invert and LPS quarantine. Aiptasia in the meantime were running rampant. Realized that any corals, no matter how closely inspected and scrubbed were bring aiptasia into my display. One week ago I added a filefish and 6 peppermint shrimp to that 30 gallon tank. I can now count the number of aiptasia when one week ago they were too numerous to count. I call my filefish Frank. The only fish I've ever named and realize he may not have a place in my display with so much flow. But he's a keeper. The shrimp however will go into the display.

Sorry for no details about me. Will add later. Just wanted to add this because I know, know, know, how frustrating aiptasia can be.