Aptasia

krschulz · #1 06-07-2008, 03:01 AM

Does anyone have experience in ridding this from a reef tank by non chemical means? I've heard fox face butterfly fish will eat this but may also go after my soft corals too. A peppermint (?) shrimp was also something I read. Any one have a favourite to use? I was not aware that these were pests so have let them go for about 9 months but am finding more and more all the time. Thanks in advance.

Canuckgod420 · #2 06-07-2008, 03:10 AM

I have 2 peppermint shrimp and a copperband butterfly.....havent seen 1 in at least 2 years.

Underwater · #3 06-07-2008, 04:57 AM

These work well and are sure to rid your tank of any aptasia. It's the only thing they eat, so they are completely reef safe.
I have some if you would like to try them.
~M

mark · #4 06-07-2008, 05:02 AM

I knocked back all I could reach with kalk paste then peppermint shrimp got the rest.

TJSlayer · #5 06-07-2008, 05:08 AM

Peps do work but generally will not touch the larger ones, and some may not even touch it I have 5 in my 75 and 3 will work on the apstasia, but I still have been using the apstasia destroyer stuff from tailor aquatics on the rest.

Winning the battle slowly but the guy who had the rock before me let it grow free, so there was lots to get rid of.....

The pepermint I had a t work knocked the stuff out of my 10 gallon within the week....

Copper bands are suppose to do wonders, but I have no personal expoerience with em, as well as the b nudibranchs....

good luck...
TJ

Captainhemo · #6 06-07-2008, 06:04 AM

Peps are really hit and miss. I've boght 5 of them now and they don't seem to toouch the stuff

I'd try the nudibranches first anyhow as they WILL eat it .
I wish I had tryed the nudis first as I'm sure if I add them now , they will be gobbled up by the shrimp

Hangfire · #7 06-07-2008, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TJ

as well as the b nudibranchs....

I've discovered four so far in my new tank. What kind of nudibranchs are those you mentioned? I'd much rather put something like that in my tank than use a chemical that might damage other stuff in the tank. All I have in the tank so far are three snails and five hermit crabs. The tank has cycled for a little over two weeks, but all the parameters of the water appear good so far. Thanks for posting this krschulz, I was beginning to wonder what I was going to do with these little buggers.