First Zoa frag… aiptasia?

[Jacko85]

Hey all! New reefer here!

First of all these forums have been a great source of information as a lurker.. so thanks everyone!

I got my first zoa frag a few days ago, did a standard acclimatisation and dip. Couple of days later, I’m seeing these guys between some of the heads. I’m guessing aiptasia but can anyone give a second opinion?

I’ve isolated the frag now.. but my question is… is this sort of thing just inevitable? And should I just get a few peppermint shrimp and be done with it? (Or something else?) Or is it a matter of binning this guy and buying frags until I find one without an issue?

Thanks everyone!
Jack

 

[KrisReef]

Aiptasia plague

 

[DED65]

Yeah, you have Aiptasia! After being in the tank for a few days, you may have more. They are difficult to avoid and a biological control would be the best way to control. I have had the best experiences with Peppermint Shrimp (L. Boggessi) and Matted Filefish.

 

[Kmst80]

Hey all! New reefer here!

First of all these forums have been a great source of information as a lurker.. so thanks everyone!

I got my first zoa frag a few days ago, did a standard acclimatisation and dip. Couple of days later, I’m seeing these guys between some of the heads. I’m guessing aiptasia but can anyone give a second opinion?

I’ve isolated the frag now.. but my question is… is this sort of thing just inevitable? And should I just get a few peppermint shrimp and be done with it? (Or something else?) Or is it a matter of binning this guy and buying frags until I find one without an issue?

Thanks everyone!
Jack

My five cents:

Bin the frag now and hope it hasn't spread.
Of all the unwanted things out there i found Aiptasia is the only that is a real pest.

I tried everything, boiling water, lemon juice, aiptasia x, kalkwasser paste, peppermint shrimps.
Anything you inject into these anemones and they just multiply eventually and turn up in other spots.
I had 10 peppermints for just over a week and nothing happened.
Going to get a Kleini Butterfly next and hope for the best for my Corals and Invertebrates.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I counted 9 aptaisia's on that rock, thought there could be more. Honestly, I would just throw that out. Whoever sold that to you is a real jerk.

 

[Jacko85]

Thanks everyone. Have binned the frag and will keep a close eye on the tank over the next little while to see if anything pops up. Fingers crossed it’s isolated to the frag still!

 

[Jmp998]

My experience (in the US) has been that a lot of zoa frags have some small Aiptasia hiding in them; the conditions for commercially growing zoa are pretty perfect for Aiptasia and many vendors have a fish predator or something that keeps them eaten down but does not completely eliminate them. But that frag with that many Aiptasia of that size is just sort of ridiculous.